Acrylic Vs. Glass: Which Wall Art Printing Material Is Best?

by Alex Melen on January 23, 2023

When shopping for wall art, it can be difficult to determine which printing material is best for your needs. Acrylic and glass are two of the most popular print materials used in wall art today, but which should you choose? If you want to decorate your walls with a beautiful print, it pays to know which material is best for you. To help you decide, here are four factors to consider when comparing acrylic vs. glass wall art printing.

Cost

When purchasing wall art, the cost is a major factor to consider. Therefore, understanding the differences in cost between glass and acrylic wall art printing materials is important. Acrylic prints have become increasingly popular due to lower costs than traditional glass prints. Acrylic is an extruded plastic that can be formed into sheets of different sizes and thicknesses, making it an ideal material for printing photos directly. 

Glass, on the other hand, requires a backing or mount board behind the image for it to be printed properly. This adds to the cost when creating a glass print. Ultimately, acrylic has less costly printing materials than those used for glass artwork, allowing most consumers to find a piece of art within their budget.

Color Vibrancy

Both materials offer a unique look and feel, but there may be a clear winner when it comes to color vibrancy. Acrylic is known for its deep and vibrant colors, making it ideal for artwork that pops off the wall. Its non-reflective surface keeps the colors true and consistent, creating an eye-catching masterpiece. 

Glass also provides bold hues thanks to its glossy finish, which can provide lighting effects that enhance the artwork’s impactful hues. However, acrylic’s deeper saturation makes it stand out more than glass in many cases. That being said, each material has its own set of benefits depending on the project's desired outcome.

Durability

Acrylic is a lightweight alternative to glass that can be cut into almost any shape or size. Although it's not as strong as glass, acrylic offers UV protection and greater resistance to scratches, scrapes, and impacts. It also stands up well in outdoor environments and can withstand temperature extremes better than glass. Glass wall art has been around for centuries, due to its elegant look and smooth texture. It's much heavier than acrylic but also more brittle, so it requires additional framing or special mounting techniques to hang securely on walls. Glass also has limited scratch resistance compared to acrylic, but is less likely to crack with impacts or sudden temperature changes.

Clarity

When choosing a material for your wall art print, clarity should be one of the key considerations. When it comes to clarity, acrylic has an advantage over glass. This is because it doesn’t contain impurities that can distort or dull images when printed on it. 

Additionally, acrylic is lighter in weight and less likely to shatter if dropped than glass, meaning the artwork will remain pristine, even after being handled multiple times or transported from place to place. On the other hand, glass has a certain level of transparency which can result in a crystal-clear image depending on the thickness chosen by the artist or buyer.

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