Sanjivnpatel

Glass for Movie Poster or Picture Frame

Hi;

I am making a movie poster frame. I am not sure about the glass material. Which material is better, costs less and also where to get it from (I am in Northern California). Is Plexi glass an option for this purpose or do I need to get a glass? Thanks.

Sanjiv

Cam McFarland

Yes, plexi glass is an option & wont break (shatter) if your frame
happens to come apart or fall. Just be sure to get it
think enough if you are going with a big pece.
Also, it is cheaper & easier to work with, but it will
scratch if abused.

Kevin Deacon

Go to Home Depot for the Plexi.

Kevin Deacon

Go to Home Depot for the Plexi.

Ryan Hawke

I made a few picture frames a little while ago and after looking at glass vs plexi I ended up with glass. Some of the frames are small (8"x10") but one was poser sized. While it is a bit heavy, it looks very nice with a very flat piece of glass. I have some other posters with plexiglass and they're just not as nice. However there are a few drawbacks: 1) weight: the plexiglass ones are so light in comparison, 2) durability: if i bump the glass one in the middle just a little it could shatter, 3) maybe cost, I don't remember which was more. The glass was ~$10 for the poster sized piece. Since this is a movie poster, maybe having the clearest flattest panel doesn't matter as much though as the other things. If this was art I would suggest using the conservatory glass (or whatever they called it) with antiglare surfaces. Hope some of that helps.
--Ryan

Ryan Hawke

I made a few picture frames a little while ago and after looking at glass vs plexi I ended up with glass. Some of the frames are small (8"x10") but one was poser sized. While it is a bit heavy, it looks very nice with a very flat piece of glass. I have some other posters with plexiglass and they're just not as nice. However there are a few drawbacks: 1) weight: the plexiglass ones are so light in comparison, 2) durability: if i bump the glass one in the middle just a little it could shatter, 3) maybe cost, I don't remember which was more. The glass was ~$10 for the poster sized piece. Since this is a movie poster, maybe having the clearest flattest panel doesn't matter as much though as the other things. If this was art I would suggest using the conservatory glass (or whatever they called it) with antiglare surfaces. Hope some of that helps.
--Ryan

Sanjivnpatel

Thanks guys. Any recommendation on the thickness of Plexi?

Sanjiv

Dave Milne

I'd look for something in the 3/16" area. 1/8 is pretty thin and wobbly - although it might be OK for smaller frames. 1/4" is thick and heavy.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of plexiglass unless there is an absolute need for the safety factor. It scratches sooooo easily! It's almost impossible to clean without leaving ultrafine scratches that will show up as a sheen or haze when lit from above. Back-lit poster boxes may be less susceptible to this problem.

Plexiglas (a former trade name of Rohm and Haas for acrylic sheet) used to be much more expensive than glass... although I think the costs have converged a bit. Recognize that there are two popular types of "plexiglas": acrylic (DuPont trade name Lucite) and polycarbonate (General Electric trade name Lexan). Acrylic is cheaper and a bit lighter; polycarbonate is ultra-tough and (I think) a bit less susceptible to scratching.