Short answer: Acrylic is the better choice for most frames over about 16 × 20 in., frames that will be shipped, and frames in kids' rooms or high-traffic spots: 1/8 in. acrylic weighs about 0.75 lb/ft² vs 1.6 lb/ft² for glass, and it doesn't shatter into shards. Both come in conservation grades that block about 99% of UV (300 to 380 nm) and in anti-reflective museum grades. Glass is more scratch resistant and doesn't build static, so it's still a good pick for small frames, pastels, and charcoals.
Acrylic vs glass in a frame
| Acrylic | Glass | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | About half: 1/8 in. ≈ 0.75 lb/ft² | About 1.6 lb/ft² for 1/8 in. |
| Breakage | Shatter-resistant; breaks into large pieces if it breaks | Breaks if dropped or bumped; sharp shards can cut the art |
| Clarity (plain grades) | 92% light transmission, no tint (Tru Vue Premium Clear acrylic) | About 90%, faint green tint on standard glass |
| UV protection (conservation grades) | Up to 99%, 300 to 380 nm (Tru Vue Conservation Clear acrylic, Acrylite OP3) | Up to 99% (Tru Vue Conservation Clear glass) |
| Anti-reflective museum grades | Optium Museum Acrylic: under 1.6% reflection, over 98% transmission, anti-static | Museum Glass: under 1% reflection, over 97% transmission |
| Largest sheet (museum grade) | 72 × 120 in. | 48 × 68 in. |
| Scratches | Scratches with careless cleaning | Very scratch resistant |
| Static and dust | Plain acrylic can build static and attract dust | No static problem |
| Cleaning | Soft cloth, mild soap or acrylic cleaner (coated museum acrylic: follow maker) | Any glass cleaner |
Figures are from Tru Vue's published specifications and Plaskolite's weight data.
Weight: why big frames are almost always acrylic
A 24 × 36 in. sheet of 1/8 in. acrylic weighs about 4.5 lb; the same size in glass weighs about 9.6 lb. On a large frame, that difference decides what hanging hardware you need, whether the frame joints hold up over time, and whether one person can hang it. For anything over about 16 × 20 in., many framers use acrylic. For frames over about 24 × 36 in., 3/16 in. acrylic keeps the sheet from bowing.
Safety: shipping, kids' rooms, and high places
Glass in a frame is safe until it falls. A dropped glass frame breaks into sharp pieces that can slice the art and anyone picking it up. Acrylic resists impact several times better than glass and, if it does break, breaks into large pieces. That makes it the standard for:
- Shipping. Galleries and art shippers often ask for acrylic on shipped work, because broken glass in transit ruins the art too.
- Kids' rooms, nurseries, and playrooms.
- Over beds, cribs, and couches.
- Gyms, schools, offices, and public spaces.
- Earthquake-prone areas.
UV protection: UV-filtering acrylic vs conservation glass
Ordinary acrylic and ordinary glass both let a meaningful share of fading UV light through. For art, photos, and memorabilia you care about, use UV-filtering acrylic or conservation glass. Tru Vue cites the Professional Picture Framers Association guideline that glazing must block at least 97% of UV from 300 to 380 nm to be called UV protective; conservation grades of both materials are rated about 99%. Neither stops fading completely, so keep the frame out of direct sun. Read does UV-filtering acrylic really protect art.
Reflections: non-glare and museum grades
Non-glare acrylic and non-glare glass both use a matte surface that scatters reflections. Both soften the image unless the art is close to the sheet, so they suit posters and documents better than matted art. See non-glare vs clear acrylic.
Museum glass and museum acrylic use a thin anti-reflective coating instead of a texture, so they stay crisp at any distance and nearly disappear, while also blocking about 99% of UV. Tru Vue's Optium Museum Acrylic also has an abrasion-resistant, anti-static surface, comes in 3, 4.5, and 6 mm, and is made up to 72 × 120 in., which is why it's the go-to for large or traveling pieces.
Static and dust
Plain acrylic is an electrical insulator, so wiping it can build a static charge that pulls in dust and lint, and that charge can also lift loose pastel, charcoal, or chalk off the art inside. For pastels and charcoal, use glass or an anti-static acrylic such as Optium, and leave a gap with a mat or spacer. For everyday frames, an anti-static acrylic cleaner and a damp microfiber cloth keep dust down. How to stop acrylic static and dust.
Scratches
Glass wins here. Acrylic scratches if you wipe it with paper towels, a dusty cloth, or Windex-type glass cleaner. Dust it lightly, then wipe with a clean microfiber cloth and mild soap and water or an acrylic cleaner. Light scratches can be polished out. Coated museum acrylic is the exception: Tru Vue says to clean Optium Museum Acrylic with household glass cleaner and not to use acrylic cleaners or polishes on it. How to clean acrylic.
Which should you choose?
- Large frames, posters, and anything over 16 × 20 in.: acrylic.
- Frames you'll ship or that hang in kids' rooms: acrylic.
- Valuable art and memorabilia: UV-filtering acrylic, or museum acrylic for the best look.
- Small desk frames that get dusted often: glass is fine.
- Pastels and charcoal: glass or anti-static acrylic, with a mat.
We cut frame fronts in clear, UV-filtering, and non-glare acrylic to any size, with clean, square edges. Order them cut to size, see acrylic picture frame ideas, or see your price instantly in the instant quote.
Questions
What thickness acrylic should I use for a picture frame?
1/8 in. (3 mm) for most frames up to about 24 × 36 in.; framing grades are made from about 0.060 to 0.118 in., and most frame rabbets are designed for that range. Use 3/16 in. for larger frames so the sheet stays flat.
Will an acrylic frame front turn yellow?
Good-quality acrylic resists yellowing for decades. The cheap clear sheet in some inexpensive frames is polystyrene, not acrylic, and that's what yellows and gets brittle.
Should I peel the film off before framing?
Peel it at the last moment, just before closing the frame, to keep the surface scratch-free and dust-free during assembly.
Is museum acrylic worth it?
For valuable or large art under bright light, often yes: it combines 99% UV filtering, reflection under about 1.6%, and an anti-static surface at half the weight of glass. For everyday frames, UV-filtering clear acrylic gives the UV protection without the coating's cost.