Cart
0
Do you have any idea how an old photo will fade and lose lustre over time, or how a favourite painting becomes dusty and dull over time? Many individuals think that age is the primary cause of the decline in beauty, but the leading cause of a work of art or photograph losing its lustre over time is actually UV radiation. Even though sunlight may make your house more attractive by adding light, repeated exposure to sunlight can cause significant damage to artwork and photographs you find nostalgic in your home.
If you've purchased premium custom frames, fine wall frames, or museum-quality giclee printed materials, you should make protecting your framed items from UV rays a priority. Not only does the right framing provide extra value by showing off the artwork beautifully, but it also helps to preserve the framed product for many generations.
That's why UV-protective glass is such an important part of professional framing.
Understanding UV Damage and Why It Matters
UV rays are hidden from our eyes but can damage art in different ways. Some UV rays come through a window, and they can cause permanent damage to items over time.
The signs are:
* Colour is fading
* Photographs are yellowing
* Prints are fading
* Paper fibres become weak
* Surface cracking
* Overall look & feel of the item reduced
Damage can take a long time to occur, so it can be hard to see until after it's too late!
For homeowners with family pictures in custom frames, it is important to protect and keep these memories forever.
What Is UV-Protective Glass?
Specialised glass (UV protective framing glass) blocks harmful U V rays and lets in visible light. Conventional glass does little to block U V rays. Conservation-grade frame products filter out 99% of U V, so if you have any artwork displayed, it can be left out in the open without the direct sun causing damage.
Professional framing typically recommends using glass framed with U V protection to protect an artwork’s value while also protecting it from environmental wear.
Reasons To Have UV Protection On Your Custom Framed Photos
Custom-framed photographs can hold deep emotional ties for people. Wedding photos, baby photos, graduation pictures and memories of anniversaries should all be given protection from the elements through suitable framing.
Customised framed photos with U V protective glass provide several advantages:
Preserve Colour
Photo printing technology has improved dramatically since the hard copy photo prints of yesteryear, yet colour fading will still happen to photographs no matter what type of paper or ink is used. UV protection will help keep your photographs looking as originally intended.
Protect Memories
Family photographs typically cannot be replaced. Proper framing will guarantee that family photographs will last for generations to come.
Increase Longevity
Quality framing materials combined with U V protective glass will add significantly to the life of a keepsake item.
The Importance of UV Protection for Giclee Printing
Gicleé printing has gained a lot of traction in recent years with artists, photographers and collectors. Gicleé prints have very high colour accuracy and have very high-end detail that you would see in a museum.
Because gicleé prints are printed using pigment ink and fine art paper, it is critical to provide adequate protection.
When gicleé prints are covered with UV Protectant Glass, the benefits are as follows:
• Keep pigments from fading
• Reduce discolouration
• Maintain all of the fine details
• Assist in retaining your investment value
• Support long-term display
Even the most expensive gicleé prints will deteriorate without adequate protection.
How UV Protectant Glass Works
UV Protection is based on science that is very easy to understand.
There are many kinds of special coatings on glass as an example of this concept. These coatings are designed to absorb or reflect UV radiation, thus protecting the artwork from any damage caused by ultraviolet rays that would pass through the glass onto the surface of your artwork.
However, visible light will still pass through the glass, allowing you to see everything very clearly without any type of obstruction.
As a result, you will receive:
• Exceptional clarity through the glass
• Drastically reduced the chances the print will fade
• Significantly enhanced preservation of the artwork
• Dramatically longer life span for the artwork
This protection is applied continuously, without any type of maintenance required.
Why Wall Photo Frames Benefit from UV Glass
Decorating with photo frames is a classic way to decorate the inside of your home. The gallery wall can add character and show how you feel about your family, where you've been, and what you love as an artist.
Often, galleries are located in rooms with lots of windows. One way to keep your photo frame looking amazing is to use UV-protected glass:
• Keeps your frame looking great?
• Retains maximum brightness/contrast for photos
• Preserves your investment in your home décor; quality frames have been known to last a long time when protected correctly.
• Provides long-term care for gallery walls through professional design and framing - a cool gallery wall should look new every year.
Whether your gallery wall is in your living room, hallway, or office, there is a big difference when the artwork has been framed with UV-protective glass.
Looking for "Framework Near Me"? Choose Quality Protection
When looking for a framework near me, many people conduct searches on the internet and only concentrate on the type and price of the frame. What they are not aware of is that framing professionally encompasses many facets and components.
An industry professional will provide recommendations based on some of the following criteria:
• A UV-friendly glass option
• Acid-Free Mats
• Conservation Backing Boards
• Archival Mounting Methods
• Custom Solutions for Artwork Types
At Framing World, our mission is to frame your artwork in the best way possible and use standard techniques of conservation to keep your artwork and its value for many years to come. By choosing an experienced craftsman, you will give your art the proper care that it deserves.
Different Types of UV-Protective Framing Glass
Regular UV Glass
• Basic level of UV protection
• Good for everyday frame needs
• Budget-friendly option
Conservation Glass
• Blocks up to 99% of UV rays
• Great for high-value art
• Popular with professional framers
Museum Glass
• Excellent level of UV protection
• Has an anti-reflective coating
• Provides excellent visibility
• Best for high-end collections
The ideal choice will ultimately depend on how financially or sentimentally valuable you perceive your artwork to be.
Additional Ways to Protect Your Artwork
Even though UV-protective glass offers great protection, the combination of good conservation techniques will provide the optimal results.
Limit the amount of time the artwork will be exposed to bright sunlight.
Hang artwork in an area that does not receive direct sunlight whenever you can do so.
Control the humidity level within the room.
Excess moisture in the air can cause damage to paper and canvas materials.
Use only acid-free materials to frame artwork.
Use archival-quality mats and backing boards to prevent discolouration.
Handle your frames carefully.
Routine maintenance on your artwork, whether it is painting, framing, or other kinds of maintenance, can help prolong the life of both the artwork and your frames.
Consulting with a professional framer can provide valuable insight into how to keep each art piece properly protected.
Why UV Protection Is Worth the Investment
And many individuals don't want to replace their frames because of the added expense. Yet, the cost of replacing old, faded pictures or repairing damaged pieces of artwork usually far exceeds that of upgrading your frame.
In addition, creating the same emotional impact as lost memories can also be impossible.
Whether you showcase:
• Customised picture frames,
• Giclee prints of limited-edition artworks,
• Beautiful framed photographs on your wall,
• Certificates,
• Old photographs,
The use of UV protection offers assurance to you and to your frame.
Consider it as an insurance policy on important moments and significant works of art; one that you're proud to have as part of your life.
Conclusion
Photographs and artwork convey many narratives, many of which deserve to be preserved. UV Rays can cause gradual loss of colour, yellowing, and/or damage to a piece over time.
The best way to preserve your most cherished photos/prints is to invest in UV-protective glazing. By protecting your custom wedding photo frame, digitised giclée print or contemporary wall mount from harmful UV rays, you can ensure that they will retain their colour, clarity and quality for years.
The next time you are searching for a local custom frame shop, remember that the best custom frame shops offer a wide variety of options to meet your unique style and decor! You should expect that your new frame shop will use quality materials, masterful craftsmanship and offer features that will ensure that your favourite artwork or photo will remain protected for future generations.
At Framing World, we create unique frames that add style to artwork and maintain their stories for the enjoyment of future generations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What does UV-protective glass mean when framing photos?
UV Protective Glass is a special type of glass which blocks harmful Ultraviolet Rays (UV Rays) that have the ability to fade and/or discolour art, prints or documents.
2. Will my family photographs be preserved longer if they are framed in personalised photo frames using UV-protective glass?
Yes, protecting family photographs from UV radiation will help to preserve the memories of your family and keep the photographs vibrant longer.
3. Should I have my giclee prints framed with UV-protective glass?
Definitely. Giclee prints are made from high-end materials that respond very well to UV-protective framing, which helps maintain the accuracy and detail of colour.
4. Over time, do wall-mounted photo frames fade?
Yes, by being exposed to sunlight, photographs/prints inside wall-mounted frames can lose their colour or discolour.
5. How much UV radiation will conservation glass block?
High-quality conservation glass will block up to 99% of the harmful rays that UV radiation emits.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for reading :)
