Glass

Float Glass

Float glass is the top quality material for picture framing. It is manufactured by floating the molten glass on a bed of molten tin. This method give the glass uniform thickness and very flat surfaces. The majority of pictures are framed using this type of glass, either clear or diffused or non reflective.

Diffused glass

Diffused or non reflective glass is clear float glass which has been lightly acid-etched on both sides to give a very smooth even surface.
However, as the procedure pits the surface of the glass, unless the glass is placed directly in contact with the artwork there can be some distortion when viewing the framed product, due to any gap that would be created by using a bevel mount surround with an aperture. There is also a ‘dulling’ of the image, and detail and colour will become muted as a result.

Reflection Control

Single sided acid etched diffused reflection glass, that benefits from added smoothing and polishing that produces a very fine finish. This glass can be used over bevel mounts and the distortion is minimal.

G&M WaterWhite Reflection Control glass, offering significantly better colour reproduction compared to ordinary float glass

WaterWhite Reflection Control

With the benefits of Reflection control glass which is produced onto a colourless WaterWhite float glass that offers significant improvements to colour reproduction over ordinary float glass.

Mirogard Plus UV

Mirogard Plus UV glass has excellent anti-reflective properties due to coatings on both upper and lower surfaces. This means that the disturbing reflections caused by light are virtually eliminated. It also has a UV rating of approximately 82%.

Speciality Glass

WaterWhite is a crystal clear, low iron (colourless) float glass substrate with multi-layer, low reflectance, optical coatings on both surfaces, it transmits 99% of visible light whilst reflecting less than 1%. The result is a staggering improvement in image clarity, contrast and colour rendition.

UV Protection

Conservation Clear is probably the best selling UV glass in the World. Since its introduction 13 years ago, it has become the benchmark for UV filtering. Tough UV coating on one side, plain float glass on the other. It filters >97% UV with no significant colour shift.

Museum Glass

WaterWhite Museum is the ultimate 2mm conservation float glass offering over 90% UV protection. Furthermore, anti-reflective coatings applied to a colourless WaterWhite substrate mean this glass is virtually invisible too.
Tru Vue^® museum glass has a unique combination of UV protection and low reflectance.

Plastics

Styrene or Perspex is sometimes used as a replacement to glass. The benefits are a much lighter product than glass. A much safer product, and less likely to shatter. However the downside of a basic styrene is that the surface is vulnerable to being damaged by scratches, it yellows with age and attracts the dust due to static build up.

Art-Shield Clear is a high quality, colourless, cast acrylic, that is virtually unbreakable. Benefiting from scratch resistant coatings to both sides. This plastic is perfect for use in public places or for artwork in transit, and where safety is of paramount consideration. This product is based on waterwhite acrylic substrates. It is less than half the weight of glass.

Art-Shield UV this acrylic has the same properties as the clear, with the addition of a 99% UV protection built in. However it is scratch resistant on one side only. Under testing this product achieved the highest UV filtration figures over 99.5%. It is also resistant to most acids, alkalines and solvents.

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