Glazing choices are often overlooked, but the importance of selecting the right glass is key!

The wrong glass can damage artwork or obscure its visibility due to unforeseen glare issues.

Today we are just going to talk about REFLECTION CONTROL GLASS and the environments that would be most suited for this glazing choice.

You likely have deduced the function of RC glass…To prevent reflection & glare from light sources that can interfere with one’s ability to see the framed artwork.

That being said, here are the three general situations you might want to consider a reflection control glass.

*Please note that reflection control is not a measure of UV protection*

+ Directly Across from a Window

There’s nothing worse than getting a special piece framed up and on the wall, only to discover you can’t even see the image because of the glare! Super disappointing. So as a general rule of thumb, if you are hanging art across or nearby windows with a lot of bright light, it might be worth considering reflection control glass to prevent that dreaded glare.

+ Under UV lights, sconces, etc.

Similar to the above instance, but less considered, artificial lights can cause the same kind of glare issues, preventing you from seeing your lovely art! Diffused lights are less problematic than spot lights due to the concentration of light. UV lights can also cause fading in the artwork, where a level of conservation glass may want to be considered.

+ Film & TV!

Controlling reflection and glare is paramount for getting the perfect shot. In the background of domestic scenes you will notice framed pieces of artwork with RC’s signature diffused glass, preventing glare bouncing back from the lights and ruining the movie magic. Once you start noticing it, you can’t stop! If you’re obsessed with framing like us, that is.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REFLECTION CONTROL AND ANTI-REFLECTION

There are many types of available glazing, but the two most confused would likely be reflection control and anti reflection.

Here’s the difference:

Reflection control has an etched coating on one side that reads blue/green and serves to diffuse incoming light. Because of the way in which RC diffuses light, it can create a certain fogginess to the colors.

Anti-Reflection is coated on one or both sides to reduced reflection, but does not have any loss of sharpness like RC can.

Hope you found this blog post useful! Let us know in the comments- we love hearing from you!

If you have other questions about different types of glazing and their advantages/disadvantages, your local picture framer is always here for you 🙂