Tempered glass gives the deepest colour and the highest gloss and does not scratch from wiping. Acrylic weighs about half as much and is safer in a child's room, but scratches easily and may yellow over years in strong light. Dibond is the lightest and cheapest, matt and flat. SRC Collection, Beit Shemesh, prints on tempered glass and canvas only. This page covers what each of the three materials actually is, a comparison across six practical criteria, an honest verdict including the cases where acrylic beats glass, where canvas fits in, and how to choose by the room the piece will really hang in.
Tempered glass is glass that has been heat treated - heated and then cooled rapidly - which raises its strength and changes the way it breaks. The image is printed on the glass itself, and the result is a rigid, smooth, completely sealed surface. Acrylic, also sold as perspex or plexiglass, is a transparent polymer. It is almost as clear as glass, more flexible, far lighter, and it does not shatter: it cracks or breaks into large pieces. Dibond, the common name for an aluminium composite panel, is two thin aluminium skins with a polyethylene core between them. It is perfectly flat, light, does not warp, and prints matt or semi-matt. All three are used for wall art today, and each suits a different situation.
The table covers the differences that matter in a home - not technical specifications but what you will notice after a year. Two notes. First, the weight figures are a rough estimate: glass 4 mm thick weighs roughly 10 kg per square metre, so an 80x120 cm piece is around 9 to 10 kg. The exact weight of each item is confirmed when you order. Second, durability and yellowing also depend on the quality of the finish and on where the piece hangs - a wall facing a southern window takes far more radiation than an interior corridor. The relative prices refer to the market in general, not to our price list. Our prices → guide.
| Criterion | Tempered glass | Acrylic / perspex | Dibond / Lucobond |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scratch resistance | Very high | Low - scratches from dry wiping | Medium, depends on lacquer |
| Yellowing over years | Does not yellow | May yellow under UV | No yellowing; print may fade |
| Weight | Heaviest, about 10 kg/sqm (estimate) | About half of glass | Lightest of the three |
| Gloss and depth | Maximum depth and gloss | High gloss, less depth | Matt to semi-matt, flat |
| Relative price | Highest of the three | Medium | Low to medium |
| Suitability for kids rooms | Good with correct anchoring | Safest - does not shatter | Safe; mind the corners |
Tempered glass wins when the goal is appearance: colour depth, gloss and sharp edges, together with a surface you can wipe again and again without scratching. That makes it the choice for a living room, a dining area, a clinic and any focal wall. Acrylic wins in two clear cases, and there is no point arguing about them. Weight: on a weak plasterboard wall, on a wardrobe door or in a caravan, half the mass is a real difference. And safety: in a room with small children, or in a nursery, a material that cannot shatter is simply the right answer. Its drawback is equally real - it scratches from a dry wipe with a dirty cloth, and that damage is permanent. Dibond wins when you want a flat, matt, clean look at relatively low cost, mainly in signage, offices and commercial spaces.
The three materials above are all rigid surfaces, but in the wall art market the fourth option, canvas, is the most common of all: fabric stretched on a wooden frame, fully matt, light, with no reflections and no risk of shattering. It is worth saying plainly that SRC Collection sells two materials only - printing on tempered glass and printing on gallery-wrapped canvas. We do not sell acrylic and we do not sell dibond, and this comparison exists to help you decide even if the decision lands outside our catalogue. Both of our materials arrive ready to hang and are made to order in Beit Shemesh. Glass against canvas → guide.
The answer almost always follows the room rather than an abstract preference. In a living room, dining area or entrance, choose tempered glass: those are the places that want presence and depth, and also the places where things get splashed and wiped. In a bedroom, canvas - the matt texture is quieter and there is no reflection opposite a bedside lamp. In a room with small children, canvas, or acrylic if you insist on a rigid surface. In a kitchen or bathroom, glass, which handles steam without warping. In an office or commercial space, glass at the front and dibond for interior signage. Safety in kids rooms → guide and glass wall art → guide.
Tempered glass for looks and durability: deeper colour, real gloss, and no scratching from wiping. Acrylic is better in two cases - when weight is a problem, since it weighs about half as much, and when safety matters in a child's room, since it does not shatter. Its drawbacks are easy scratching and possible yellowing.
Dibond, also sold as Lucobond, is a composite panel of two aluminium skins over a polyethylene core. It is light, perfectly flat and does not warp, and it prints matt. It suits signage, offices and commercial spaces that want a clean look at relatively low cost, rather than a focal living room wall.
As a rough estimate, glass 4 mm thick weighs about 10 kg per square metre, so an 80x120 cm piece is around 9 to 10 kg and a 60x90 cm piece around 5 to 6 kg. The exact weight of each item is confirmed at ordering, and the anchor should match the wall type.
Good quality acrylic is fairly stable, but over years of strong UV exposure - opposite a southern window, for instance - a slight shift toward yellow is possible. Glass does not yellow at all. If the piece will hang in direct light for hours a day, that is a genuine argument for glass.
Two only: printing on tempered glass and printing on gallery-wrapped canvas. We do not sell acrylic or dibond. Both materials arrive ready to hang and are made to order in Beit Shemesh, with delivery of up to 18 days from the order.
Canvas is the simple answer: light, matt and not breakable. If you want a rigid surface, acrylic is safer than glass because it does not shatter. Tempered glass is also suitable when it is properly anchored, hung out of reach and never directly above a bed.