Discovering the Benefits of Plexi for Framing
November 4, 2021While many artists are familiar with traditional, UV and Museum glazing (glass) for framing, plexi has many bonus options. Not only does it filter 50-75% of UV rays, it is anti-static, scratch resistant, and is a sound alternative to glass.
There are a few considerations to keep in mind when choosing whether to use glass or plexi for your next frame:
The best view of your artwork. The plexi used in our Opus Bowen Frames with Plexi and Opus Metal Exhibition Frames with Plexi is made with lightweight, crystal clear cast glazing which is superior in its optical clarity, thermal resistance, and strength in comparison to standard extruded acrylic glazing which is often found in inexpensive readymade frames. Regular glass most often has a greenish tinge to it, which can also alter the colours in your artwork slightly as well.
How large is your artwork? When choosing a frame with glazing for a large scale artwork, knowing your options will help. The weight of traditional glass quickly adds up for large artworks, but a lighter plexi will save on that extra weight, plus will reduce the stress on the structure of the frame as well.
Consider where you will hang the artwork – Will it be in a high traffic area or a space that is likely to get bumped? Are you shipping your artwork to its new owner? All of these are things to think about and Plexi is an excellent choice for where safety is a top priority, and for those artworks that are being shipped to buyers or to exhibitions out of town. Traditional glass is fragile and can shatter easily be it knocked off its picture hanger or during transportation, whereas plexi is far more durable and resistant to breakage. Plexi is also lighter than glass, making it more affordable when shipping. Framing with plexi is ideal for use in homes, exhibitions, or schools where the added safety and ease of display, transport and shipping offered by a shatterproof glazing are of importance.
Caring for plexi requires a soft touch. Plexi glazing is a softer surface than traditional glass, so it can be more prone to scratches, and generally comes with a peel off protective paper cover so it stays scratch-free. Peel off the protective paper to reveal shiny new plexi. To clean the plexi, use a microfiber cloth with glass cleaner – anything stronger than this may contribute to scratches on the surface.
Art Brings Us Together
The wildly successful giving program is back! This season, 5% of the proceeds from almost all Opus brand products will be donated to local art groups and low-income schools in our community. Together, last year, we beat our goal of $16,000 and donated $1000 Opus Gift Card to 26 art-related organization nominated by our stores and YOU! So, join us in the season of giving and help raise funds for our communities.