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Types of Framer's Glass and Acrylic Available at Alabama Art
Museum Glass®
Conservation Clear Glass®
Conservation Clear Glass®
Tru Vue’s Museum Glass® is one of the best options because, well, you get museum-grade protection. This premier glass product provides 99% UV protection to help protect against fading, and is optically coated for a virtually invisible finish, to create amazing clarity. Its uncompromised protection preserves and protects the image from harm. Its 2.5mm thickness offers better strength and rigidity than your basic, everyday picture frame glass, ensuring unparalleled clarity for years to come. We keep Museum Glass in stock in our Frame Shop in the following sizes: 16x20, 18x24, 24x36 and 32x40. We can custom cut for your art.
[Art by Kathy Prince]
Conservation Clear Glass®
Conservation Clear Glass®
Conservation Clear Glass®
Conservation Clear Glass® is the standard conservation-grade glass product. Our frame shop uses this product as the default glass option. Conservation Clear glass provides 99% UV protection to help protect against fading. Conservation Clear glass is not anti-glare, and some reflection is to be expected. We keep Conservation Clear Glass in stock in our Frame Shop in the following sizes: 16x20, 18x24, 24x36 and 32x40. We can custom cut for your art.
[Art by Artiz]
Optium Museum Acrylic®
Conservation Clear Glass®
Optium Museum Acrylic®
Optium Museum Acrylic® delivers superior protection and premium presentation, making it The Best Glazing for ANY Project, particularly when a customer brings in an irreplaceable piece for framing, be it of monetary or sentimental value. Optium Museum Acrylic is 99% UV Protective, Anti-glare, and Shatter-resistant. It is also static-free and recommended for pastel, charcoal, and other dry media art. Please call or come in to place an order.
[Art Print by Vincent Van Gogh]
What’s the Difference Between Glass vs. Acrylic for Framing?
Glass vs. Acrylic
While glass and acrylic share many commonalities in terms of function, they are quite different in how they behave and in their applications. Each has their intended purpose, particularly when it comes to framing art and images, the environment in which they’ll be displayed, and how they will be displayed. Chances are your framed pictures contain some of your most cherished memories, so it’s extremely important to take into account how and where you’ll be displaying them.
Glass, for instance, is much heavier and more easily shatters compared to acrylic, so you may opt out of using with art that will be hung in a hallway, a child's room, above a bed, or for display art that will be transported often. Acrylic weighs less than half that of glass and is about 10 – 20 times stronger, you may choose that if your art piece is heavy, oversized, or very valuable.
When Should I Use Acrylic Glazing in Custom Framing Projects?
Acrylic is more flexible than glass products, so some of the most useful applications include:
- Framing/displaying fine art
- Displaying documents that are irreplaceable
- Original works of art and posters
- Images or artwork that has sentimental or monetary value
- Outdoor displays that may be exposed to the elements
- Artwork made with pastels, charcoals and other dry media
- Family heirlooms/mementos
Other Factors to Consider
Whenever you’re deciding between glass and acrylic, it is important to understand your needs and the materials that are available. Here are some of the most crucial things that will guide your decision making:
- Size of project
- Type of materials used to make the art
- Placement of the picture
- Environment and elements
- Sentimental or monetary value of piece
This pencil-signed, artist proof by Leroy Neiman was framed with Optium Museum Acrylic.
Order Your Glass or Acrylic
If you need glass or acrylic for your framed art, or want to schedule an appointment with the framer, please call us. We have certain sizes of Museum and Conservation Clear glass in stock. We can fill orders for Optium Acrylic or any other Tru Vue product typically within 24 hours.