Framing 101: Which Glazing?
You might be wondering if it is truly necessary to have a whole article on glass options. In actuality, the glass is very important! At Fabulous Frames & Art, we offer over 10 glazing, or glass, options. Our most popular include: Conservation Clear glass, Museum glass, Conservation acrylic, and Premium Clear glass. Let’s dive into what all of that means.
Do I Need Glass?
Depending on what is being framed, you might not even need any type of “glazing”. Glazing refers to any piece of glass, or acrylic, that goes between the face of the art and the lip of the frame. Paintings almost never get glazing. However, we have framed canvases that were matted and then covered with acrylic.
Another thing to consider is UV protection. Much like everything else, your art is not immune to the harmful effects of UV rays. When framing something, you should always choose materials to help your art last over the years. UV protection glass ensures that your art will be safer against the fading that light can cause. To demonstrate the effects of UV protectant glass vs. non-protectant, here is a glazed diorama from one of our stores:
Glass vs. Acrylic
There are two main substances that glazing is made of: glass and acrylic.
Glass, to put it simply, is glass! It is a standard glazing option when people think of picture framing. Acrylic, also called plexiglass, is a plastic material that is another great option for glazing. However, they each have their pros and cons:
Glass
Acrylic
Some instances where acrylic is recommended: the piece is extremely large, it is getting shipped, it is going in a high-risk area that is prone to accidents. Both are incredible options for glazing purposes. If you are unsure which to pick, ask one of our designers for help!
Different Glazing Finishes
Both glass and acrylic have different “finishes”. These finishes are what changes the price points because they all have different coatings or methods of production. Let’s discuss the different types of finishing we have available at Fab Frames!
The most standard, plain, run-of-the-mill glazing finish we sell is called Premium Clear”. This finish does not have UV protection; if your piece is in a well-lit area, it will fade over time with just a Premium Clear glazing. Again, I direct your attention to our framed sample above that shows a picture with a UV protectant glaze vs. non-protectant. This finish is available in both glass and acrylic.
Conservation Clear is one of our most popular glazes. It is the standard glass we use. This glaze protects from 99% of UV rays. It is not much higher in price than the Premium Clear. This finish is available in both glass and acrylic.
Diorama of Conservation Clear Glass vs. Museum Glass
The Museum finish is one of the more expensive treatments, but it has the best results. It protects at least 97% of UV rays and virtually eliminates reflections. While it is isn’t 100% reflection proof, the results are still amazing. When people see our sample of Museum glass, we often get asked if there’s any glass actually there! We do offer both Museum glass and Museum acrylic.
Reflection Control finishes help reduce glare. This finish is available in glass and acrylic. We also carry Reflection Control Premium coating (non-UV protectant), and Conservation Reflection Control (does have UV protectant). This finish gives a sort of “fuzzier” look which helps diffuse the reflections. Because of this “fuzziness”, we don’t recommend selecting this finish if it will not be directly on the piece. For example, a shadowbox would not work well with this finish because it would look too blurry since the glazing would be lifted too far off of the surface of the piece. The reflection control finish comes in glass and acrylic.
To demonstrate three of the four finishes we just discussed, below is a frame that displays Conservation Clear glass, Museum glass, and Conservation Reflection Control glass. The Conservation Clear is a standard looking glass with normal reflections and clarity. The Museum glass has a low amount of reflection and extreme clarity. The Reflection Control has low glare by diffusing any light with its etched surface. This allows the light to bounce off at more angles to reduce glare and reflection. It does have a somewhat “fuzzy” look that some customers don’t like, but it’s purely personal preference.
Finishing Remarks
Now, that was a lot of information, so don’t worry if you’re still a little confused! Below is a simple table to show you features of our most common glazing options. If you have any additional questions, feel free to ask when you come in for your framing consultation. Let any of our designers know what qualities you’re looking to get out of your glazing, and they can help direct you to our best options!
