Which is better--Glass or Acrylic?

When you picture a traditional picture frame, you likely imagine a wood or metal frame with a solid glass cover. It’s been used by our mothers, grandmothers, and great grandmothers and it surrounds us to this day. Glass certainly has some great characteristics when it comes to displaying and protecting our favorite photos and works of art, but modern technology has produced an alternative that better fits our needs: Acrylic glass.

What is Acrylic Glass for Picture Frames?

Acrylic is a glass alternative that is gaining popularity as a glazing material. It may look like glass and it does the important job of covering the artwork, but that is where the two differ. Acrylic is much lighter and will not break as easy, but it does scratch when handled improperly Acrylic glass does a great job of providing clarity as well as protection, and that makes it especially beneficial when it comes to showcasing and preserving photographs and artwork.

Downfalls of Glass

Acrylic glass is a popular framing option for many photographers and artists. Traditional glass, though still a popular option for framing, can be incredibly heavy, which makes larger display pieces a risk. Big or small, all glass comes with the same risks should the art fall. Glass shards can cause damage that can’t be repaired, and this is a big cause for concern when it comes to displaying and preserving original pieces. Many museums and galleries will not use traditional glass in expensive or irreplaceable artwork due to the risk of glass slicing the artwork if the frame is dropped or hit.

 glass isn’t truly clear—it has a green tint from iron content. This affects the clarity and color perception of art framed behind glass. Unless treated, glass used in frames also allows fading over time caused by damaging UV rays passing through the glass. UV protecting treatments on glass are available but can fade over time since they are applied to the surface of the glass. If preservation and protection is a concern, glass may not be the best option.

Benefits of Acrylic

Acrylic glass is lightweight and shatter resistant, eliminating the potential for damage during transportation or surprise falls. It’s a great insulator too, decreasing the risk of damage from condensation beneath the frame.

Acrylic is optically superior, naturally without tinting commonly seen in glass. This optical purity makes it a great option for displaying and protecting framed photos and art. Since it is an artificially created glass alternative, special treatment options can be applied to protect against common glass issues, such as light glare and UV penetration. Acrylic glass from framing is available in Standard, UV-filtered, Non-Glare, and UV-Non-Glare, allowing for a full range of aesthetic and protective qualities. Unlike exterior treatments found on glass, these protective features are incorporated into the acrylic product, making it less prone to breakdown over time.

Important Considerations

Since acrylic is more lightweight and flexible than glass, it can bow over time. It’s also much more vulnerable to scratching than glass, so it’s imperative that acrylic only be cleaned with gentle microfiber clothes. Because of the risk of scratching, this framing option is best used in minimal contact situations. Acrylic glass is also more prone to issues with static, making this the wrong option for charcoal-based art.

While acrylic glass has greater clarity than traditional framing glass, reduced-iron glass takes optical purity to a higher, albeit more costly, level. Purity can also be affected by a slight yellow tint in UV filter protection and the loss of sharpness in Non-Glare Acrylic Glass.

When It Works Best

Acrylic glass is a great option for framing original art pieces because there’s no fear of tears or punctures from broken glass. Larger artwork and photos do especially well with acrylic framing because of the reduced weight risk. Keepsake photos from wedding albums, professional shoots, and special events are also well-paired with acrylic glass as you can opt for UV protection to allow for clarity while reducing the penetration of the sun’s rays.

Both come in CLEAR/ NON-GLARE and CONSERVATION

Acid-free vs. Non-acid-free

To understand acid-free and non-acid-free paper and framing materials, we need a quick review

of chemistry. pH (acid) is measured on a scale of zero to 14. pH neutral is seven; anything below seven is

 acidic and anything above is alkaline (non-acidic). Acid-free paper has a pH rating above seven.

The main source of paper and matting-discoloring acid is lignin. Lignin is a chemical compound found

in the pulp of paper that produces acid as it deteriorates. It occurs naturally in trees and other plants

 and holds wood fiber together, making it is an obvious component of plant-based paper.

While most paper is made from wood pulp, true acid-free paper is made from cloth or rags.

This removes the threat of lignin.

Completely acid-free paper is  known as rag board or museum  rag board. Other paper materials

used in art and framing are called wood-pulp paper or pulp paperboard.

 Paper can be acid-free and still contain lignin, however. Most quality acid-free papers are manufactured

to have a minimal amount of lignin and neutralized to prevent fading    and yellowing. In this manner,

wood pulp based materials can be made essentially acid-free.

In these products, acid is neutralized during the manufacturing process and lignin is eliminated in two ways:

Removing lignin from pulp:

Lignin is chemically separated  from wood fibers when wood pulp is created for the production of paper.

Buffering:

Alkaline, or base substances, are  added to neutralize acids in the pulp when paper is made.

Damage Done by

 Non-Acid-Free Materials

When you remove the frame off of  an old black and white photograph and discover discoloration under the frame,

 this if the result of acidic paper over time.

 When exposed to the elements, the  acid in paper, matting and frame

 backings can change the chemical composition of the artwork, affecting color and image clarity.

Another form of damage is chemical burning. When wood pulp, which is essentially sulfur, combines with

 water in the atmosphere, you get sulfurous acid. All non-acid-free paper lets off a microscopic fuming

 of sulfurous acid, which causes paper to become dry, brittle and brown.

Why Framing Materials Matter

Art and photographs not only need  to be produced on acid-free paper, but to truly protect them over time they need

 to be framed with all  acid-free materials. These framing elements can damage artwork  if you choose the wrong products:

Mat board

Inside backing  board

Frame Backing paper

Untreated Wood frames

Non-reversible  Adhesive

The commonality of these materials is that they can easily contain wood  pulp and other chemicals that

hasn’t been properly treated  to remove lignin or protect alkalinity.

 To ensure top quality and superior preservation, consider a museum conservation quality mat board. Conservation quality matting

 and frame backings actively protect against air pollutants and reduce  yellowing and fading.

The Bainbridge Artcare™, Crescent Rag,  and Peterboro matboards are all   treated to completely remove wood

pulp, acid and are lignin free , and may  undergo an additional buffering process  to maintain an alkaline balance.

Testing Existing Framing Materials

Upon inspection, it is easy to check already-framed pictures for framing material acidity.

 Mat boards are made up of layers  of materials. When you look at the  layers of the mat (typically visible in the  the beveled mat window)you’ll  see either slightly yellowish layers  that indicated wood-pulp board or  pure white layers of rag

or buffered  board. When you find the yellow cut you know the materials used  may not be at conservation standards

 Yellowing inside  backing paper also indicates that at least some of the  material used during framing is  not acid-free.

Another tell-tale sign is a brownish darkening on the inner edge of  the mat window.

By the time you notice the darkening  on the edges of the picture image, the damage beneath is already severe.

NOTE:

 If art was framed using non-acid-free materials, gently remove the art if possible  and store it in a cool, dry, dark place until

 it can be reframed with acid-free framing. Removing the acidic frame, mat and backing paper will help prevent further damage.

Prevention

Use only conservation quality materials when framing or just bring them to

The Starving Artist for framing.