Choosing the right glazing for your picture frame
When it comes to custom framing, glazing—the protective layer over your artwork—is often the final decision. And just like matting, mounting, and moulding, the options can quickly become overwhelming. You’ll hear terms like UV protection, anti-reflective coatings, acrylic vs. glass, green and yellow tints. But what does it all mean? And more importantly, how do you choose the right glazing for your artwork? Let’s break it down.
Glass or Acrylic?
Framing and conservation experts frequently recommend framer's grade acrylics for framing. It’s lightweight, offers excellent UV protection (up to 99%), and can come with anti-reflective coatings (Optium Museum Acrylics). However, acrylic has its drawbacks — it scratches more easily than glass, builds static (which can attract dust or damage delicate media), and is sometimes viewed by traditionalists as a step down from real glass. Standard clear glass is the most common choice made by consumers, but its high iron content gives it a faint green tint, giving the framed piece overall a discoloured look. There’s also UV-filtering glass, which helps preserve your artwork, but it may cast a yellowish tone and still lacks clarity and glare control. This is why at Frame It we recommend to frame projects with crystal clear Anti Reflective Artglass. Artglass offers both optimal preservation (it comes in 3 UV-protective grades (70%, 92% and 99%) and perfect presentation.
Artglass in our framing projects
Glass glare can make it hard to enjoy your framed piece. Artglass solves this problem using cutting-edge technique originally developed for aerospace. This applies ultra-thin metal oxide coatings—less than a micron thick—that:
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Reduce reflections to under 1%
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Boost light transmission to 98%
This means you see your artwork, not your own reflection.
With Artglass you no longer need to choose between preservation and clarity. It gives exceptional UV protection, virtually invisible glazing, and a color-accurate, true-to-life presentation.
Regular Glass vs. Artglass: A Quick Comparison
How light damages your artwork
When we say “light damages photographs,” what we really mean is: electromagnetic radiation damages them. It’s not just visible light—it’s the invisible UV (ultraviolet) and IR (infrared) rays that do most of the harm.
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UV radiation is the most destructive. It bombards your artwork with high-energy waves, leading to yellowing, brittleness, and fading.
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IR radiation generates heat, causing surface damage like cracking or lifting.
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Visible light, though necessary to enjoy your piece, also plays a role in fading over time.
Bottom line: If you want your artwork to last, protecting it from UV is essential.
What makes Artglass unique?
✅ Nearly Invisible Glare-Free Finish: Anti-reflective coating reduces glare to under 1%.
✅ Museum-Grade UV Protection: Blocks over 90% of harmful UV rays (UVA + UVB).
✅ Water White Glass: Made with low-iron silica for true-to-life colors.
✅ No Optical Distortion: Clarity is consistent in all lighting conditions.
✅ Scratch-Resistant: Durable surface outlasts acrylic.
✅ Eco-Friendly: Made with sustainable processes and recyclable materials.
✅ Tailored Product Range: Choose from UV-only, AR-only, or dual-function options.