UV test
- Thread starter 45apex
- Start date
Mary Beth van der Horst
SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
I haven't done this, but in THEORY, you could do the sunglasses test: Get a small UV flashlight and something that reacts to UV light, like a $20 bill with the uv strip. Put money under glass, shine light. If it reflects, it's probably on the low end of natural 40-60% protection. If it barely fluoresces at all, its 99%.
Greg Fremstad
SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Please note that you can filter out 100% of the UV spectrum and art will still fade from the visible light spectrum. When UF3 Plexiglas came out in the 70"s I made a test frame with strips of standard glass, plexiglas , UF3, and a strip of aluminum. They were all hinged at the ends and positioned over a color photo print. Up in the skylight for about 6 weeks just south of San Francisco. The only area of the print that wasn't faded was that which was under the aluminum. Yes, the UV filtering will help but don't count on it to keep the art from fading. Hang the art in subdued light (like they have in museums).
Hi, 45apex. One difference between regular and conservation glass is that both side of regular are very difficult to scratch with a razor blade. To the point where, you can rub a blade sideways on it to get off dried stuff. With Tru Vue conservation glass, the outside is like this, but the inside scratched very easily with a blade. This isn't to say that whatever you have is one or the other. But it is one way that we can tell with Tru Vue glass.
The scratch test may be fine for glass but doesn't work for acrylic where UV is 'baked' into the acrylic itself.
Good to mention this. I specifically said 'glass' for that reason, but someone might not notice.
Beware of clear plexi that is branded "UV Resistant". This means that the glazing itself is resistant and
does not refer to the filtering qualities. Just thought I'd mention that as I have been caught out in the past.
A good test for glazing materials is to lay various slices over a picture clipped from a magazine, put it in a sunny
place (windowsill?) and wait.
does not refer to the filtering qualities. Just thought I'd mention that as I have been caught out in the past.
A good test for glazing materials is to lay various slices over a picture clipped from a magazine, put it in a sunny
place (windowsill?) and wait.
framah
SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
Beware of clear plexi that is branded "UV Resistant". This means that the glazing itself is resistant and
does not refer to the filtering qualities. Just thought I'd mention that as I have been caught out in the past.
Over here the misleading term they use is UV Stabilized. I have come across it enough that I have a page on my site that talks about misleading acrylic terms. Misleading Acrylic Terms https://www.thepaperframer.com/misleading.php
On UV Stabilized acrylic I say:
"UV Stabilized Acrylic has nothing to do with UV Protection. If a vendor tells you that his acrylic is UV stabilized, ask what the UV Protection is. UV Stabilization and UV Protection have nothing to do with each other.
UV Stabilization deals with the protection of the acrylic itself and UV Protection deals with the protection of the item being framed. All Framing Grade Acrylic (see above) is UV stabilized as is most non-Framing acrylic. The 'stabilized' term comes from the plastics industry to indicate that the acrylic itself won't fade, yellow or crack when left outside. Professional framers don't use this term, as they offer UV Protective Framing Grade Acrylic that also helps protect your art. It is never used in a framing context except to mislead you into believing that it is really UV protection. It isn't. Sign companies use it to indicate that their sign plastics will last outside. Furniture and other manufacturers of outside products also use this term."