Museum Grade Acrylic

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joh5nny
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Museum Grade Acrylic

Post by joh5nny »

Hi, I've just had a message from a prospective customer which states "I am buying a limited edition photo that has been recommended to be cold pressed between 2 pieces of museum grade acrylic when framing".

They go on to ask if this is something I can do as the gallery that's selling the print is in the US.

I want to try and help, but in my head, this raises a few questions. Firstly, what is museum grade acrylic? Is it simply the equivalent of museum glass i.e., non-reflective and with 99% UV coating?

Secondly, I'd have thought that having the print straight against the acrylic is poor advice.

It's possible though that this is an accepted methodology that I haven't heard of. Can anybody shed any light or let me have any thoughts? Thanks
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prospero
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Re: Museum Grade Acrylic

Post by prospero »

I would tell them that he who recommends it, should do it. :roll:

Sounds a bit cock-eyed to be.... :roll:

The stuff they are talking about is probably this:

https://www.wessexpictures.com/TruVue_O ... rylic.html

If it's a big print then the price is going to be astromomical. :o
You can get it cut to size, but whichever way you slice it you could buy a decent car for the same price. :lol:


Direct contact with acrylic is not as bad as glass as it has different thermal properties. Doesn't mean the print won't stick
or go wavy.
Watch Out. There's A Humphrey About
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David McCormack
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Re: Museum Grade Acrylic

Post by David McCormack »

Yes, you're going to have to help your customer carry out the finished frame as they won't be able to do it on their own with just one arm and one leg left :giggle: Museum acrylic....crazy prices! :shock:

If the reasons for doing it this way are aesthetics (floating in see through frame) then it is a very costly way to display a photo. If it is a preservation issue then there are other ways of doing this without costing the customer's limbs! Platform mount come to mind.

Describing something as a photo doesn't mean much these days as it could be an inkjet print, Fuji Crystal print or a vintage darkroom print. Whilst direct contact with acrylic is better than glass, I wouldn't put a glossy/lustre photo in direct with anything other than mountboard!

If it's really want the customer wants, and it is an inkjet print (giclee if you like) then a matt finish on a cotton paper would be best for direct contact with acrylic.
"You know, there's a right and wrong way to do everything!"
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JFeig
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Re: Museum Grade Acrylic

Post by JFeig »

In generic terms, there is no such thing as "museum grade acrylic". TruVue does have products that have the word museum in their product names. One is made out of glass and the other is made from acrylic. Both have ultraviolet filtering properties and have an anti-glare coating.

This is another situation where an artist has a little knowledge that has been stretched out of proportions. DCO's (direct contact overlays) work with some works of art and not with others.
Jerome Feig CPF®
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