When should UV Filtering Glass be Used?
Light can cause extreme fading of colors and also interacts with the acids and other chemicals that might be present in the mats and in the frame. It does not have to be direct sunlight to cause extreme damage.
While UV protecting glass is not a cure-all, it does significantly extend the life of most paper art. But if you hang the artwork where it will get direct sunlight, moderate fading will occur over time. There are also other light rays that cause fading and damage that are not eliminated by the UV protective coatings.
UV Filtering glass should be used on most custom framing jobs, since damage from UV light rays come from both indoor and outdoor light sources. Conservation framing materials and techniques should always be used on sentimental, valuable, limited edition and one-of-a-kind artwork. Use UV Filtering glass on all works of art you would like to protect, especially posters and open edition prints. These items are candidates for UV Filtering glass because the inks, papers and other materials used to create them are more likely to deteriorate than those used in higher end reproductions.
