Comparisons

Museum Glass vs Optium Museum Acrylic: How to Choose Between Them

Museum Glass and Optium Museum Acrylic give the same UV protection and almost no glare. What decides it is size, where the frame hangs, whether it travels and what the surface is made of. How we choose between them at the Bollington workshop.

Wood vs Metal Picture Frames: How to Choose

Both have a place, and the choice is decided by four things: the size and weight of the work, how slim a profile you want, the finish you are after and the room it is going in. Where timber wins, where welded aluminium wins, what each costs, and the size at which the answer changes.

Custom vs Ready-Made Picture Frames: When Each One Makes Sense

Most artwork can go either way. The four things that decide it are size, value, what the piece physically needs and the look you want. A straight guide to when a ready-made frame is the right buy, when to commission, and the halfway option in between, with UK price points for both routes.

Giclée vs Fine Art Print: What Is the Difference?

Giclée describes how a print is made. Fine art print describes what it is sold as. Neither word is a certified standard, so what matters is the specification behind it: the ink, the paper, and whether the printer profiled one for the other.

Acrylic Box vs Glass Box Frame

Acrylic box or glass-fronted box frame? How the two compare on clarity, weight, safety, UV protection and cost, and which suits which objects.

Box Frame vs Shadow Box: What's the Difference?

Box frame and shadow box are two names for the same deep, glazed frame. This guide explains the terminology and how to choose depth, glazing and mounting.

Conservation vs Museum-Grade Framing: What's the Difference?

Conservation framing and museum-grade framing are two tiers of the same archival approach, not synonyms. Where each is the right specification, what the cost difference comes from, and how to ask for the right tier when commissioning bespoke framing.

Tray Frame vs Floating Frame: Which Is Right for Your Canvas?

A clear comparison of tray frames and floating frames for canvas art. Covers construction, visual effect, canvas depth, cost and how to choose between them.

Bespoke Framing vs High Street: What You Actually Get for the Money

An honest look at the differences between bespoke and high street framing, when custom framing is worth the investment, and when it is not.

Acrylic vs Glass for Picture Framing: Which Should You Choose?

A practical guide to choosing between acrylic and glass glazing for picture frames, covering weight, clarity, cost, UV protection and when each option works best.