The Pros And Cons Of The Glass And Acrylic Frames

Whether it is Glass or Acrylic, none of the materials are perfect. Both have their advantages and disadvantages for picture framing. Below are a few suggestions that can be kept in mind when deciding which material to use for a framing application. Reviewing the following list of pro's and con's can be useful to consider the right choice for one's requirements.

Acrylic Pro's

The pros of having acrylic frames are that they are very lightweight i.e. easy to transport and they are regularly used on huge picture frames since glass weight could be a problem for molding, hanging hardware and wall.

Moreover an acrylic frame is shatter resistant. It is ideal for shipping, particularly bigger picture frames. It is much safer for picture frames in high action areas like kid's rooms or recreational areas. A lot of galleries and museums use Acrylic since broken glass can permanently destroy exceptional and rare artwork.

Acrylic Con's

There are certain con's using acrylic. Firstly it is expensive even though there are many different quality levels of glass and acrylic. In general standard Acrylic is usually costlier than standard glass.

Furthermore lit has lack of scratch resistance i.e. except for more expensive scratch resistant versions of acrylic, it is extra sensitive to scratching and needs out of the ordinary care. Only soft cloths must be used to clean it. This can be a disadvantage if one has to sell framed artwork since it will be required to remind the customer to use be careful when cleaning it.

Glass Pro's

The pros of having glass frames are that it is less expensive. Inspite of there being many different quality levels of glass and acrylic, overall glass is typically much less expensive than acrylic.

In addition to this it has scratch resistance. Glass is extremely scratch resistant so it does not need special care. When reselling framed artwork, there is no need to educate the customer about proper care.

Glass Con's

Moreover there are also few cons of having glass frames. First of all it is heavy i.e. Glass weighs considerably more than acrylic. This increases shipping costs, requires stronger and larger frame moldings or braces, and may also require heavier duty picture frame.

Another con is that it is easily broken. Glass needs extraordinary care in transport and is easily damaged in shipping. In all-purpose it is better to buy glass if it has to be used locally for this reason and also because of its added weight.