Metal vs Acrylic Prints: Which is Better?

by William Kenny

Metal vs acrylic prints: which is better? If you’re thinking of buying one of our premium prints, read this primer first!

Both the metal print and the acrylic print are exceptionally fine print solutions. If you’re taking your first step with premium-quality wall decor, we can whole-heartedly recommend both products.

But which is better? Well, that depends on what you’re looking for in a photo print. We’ll introduce the two products and explain what each of them does best. And we’ll finish up with a special recommendation for those of you who really can’t decide!

Contents in Brief:

• Introduction to the Metal Print

• Introduction to the Acrylic Print

• So, Metal vs Acrylic Prints: Which is Better? 

• How to Get the Best of Both

The Metal Print: An Introduction

Factsheet:

The metal print sees your photo displayed on an aluminium composite panel, made up of a black polyethylene core sandwiched between two ultra-slim aluminium sheets.

3 millimetres thick with a borderless design.

Available in 2 versions:

• Glossy. Your photo is printed on real photo paper and then laminated onto the composite panel.

• Matte. Your photo is digitally reproduced directly onto the composite panel.

“OK, sell it to me”

The appeal of the metal print lies in its confident strength and classic elegance. It updates traditional design virtues with 21st-century production know-how, giving you the perfect balance of timeless charm and contemporary polish.

And the metal print’s rugged design is matched by the bold definition of the photo reproduction. With rich, deep colours and pronounced contrasts, your image will have the visual power to command attention in any living space.

Needless to say, the metal print is one of our toughest products. UV and moisture resistance is built in, so you can display your print with confidence in more challenging spots: in bathrooms, on walls exposed to direct sunlight, even outside.

Main advantages:

• Supreme confidence. Bold design and flawless manufacture will show your photo to its absolute best advantage.

• Hint of glamour. The silvery edges of the 2 aluminium sheets are left exposed at the print edges and will catch the light beautifully.

• Surprisingly lightweight. With its featherlight polyethylene core, the aluminium composite is far less weighty than you’d expect.

The Acrylic Print: An Introduction

Factsheet:

The design of the acrylic print is simplicity itself: your image is displayed on a pure-white backing sheet and then covered with a pane of crystal-clear acrylic glass.

3 millimetres thick with a borderless design.

Available in 2 versions:

• Acrylic. Your photo is digitally reproduced directly onto the backing sheet.

• Acrylic Premium. Your photo is printed on real photo paper and then laminated onto the backing sheet.

“OK, sell it to me”

The contemporary design of the acrylic print lets your photo image take the limelight. This is a print foundation that’s made to enhance, not compete.

But does the photo print deserve the attention? Without a doubt. Our state-of-the-art print technology achieves superb image reproduction – expect crisp lines and subtle gradients as well as saturated colours that simply glow.

And if that wasn’t enough, the print design adds its own touch of magic. The 3mm glass panel bathes your image in light and produces a mesmerising “depth effect”, throwing shimmering reflections across its surface.

Main advantages:

• Unbeatable clarity of line. With pronounced contrasts and an emphasis on contours, this is first-class photo printing.

• Luxury gloss finish. Elegant but unobtrusive, the sparkling acrylic glass panel provides a beautiful touch of glamour.

• Mesmerising depth effect. Visible from every angle behind the borderless acrylic glass panel, your image seems to come to life.

So Which is Better?

You’ve probably noticed by now that we think the metal print and the acrylic print are both near impossible to fault.

But they do bring different qualities to the table. Whether we recommend one print or the other depends on other factors: where you want your print to go, and what you want it to do.

Read our recommendations below:

If you want: A matte finish

We recommend: Metal

An easy one here. Both versions of the acrylic print come polished until you could eat your dinner off them. The metal print, meanwhile, comes in a choice of glossy or matte. So if your design scheme cries out for a matte finish, choose metal.

If you want: A touch of glamour

We recommend: Acrylic or Metal

If you want to glam up an entertaining space or commercial premises, both products fit the bill perfectly. The polished surface of the acrylic print brings some shimmering magic to any high-end contemporary design scheme, while the hint of exposed aluminium at the edges of the metal print is just made for a high-end industrial look.

If you want: The country house look

We recommend: Acrylic

Both products feature clean lines and contemporary materials so maybe not obvious choices for a shabby-chic design scheme. We recommend the acrylic print because the transparent acrylic glass means it’s one of our most sympathetic designs – it will absorb the feel of the room rather than clash with it, and will pick up reflections of the rest of your decor.

If you want: Outdoor display

We recommend: Metal

Both prints offer good resistance to direct UV exposure and to moisture damage, but the metal print takes the prize here with its unbeatably robust construction. (Though in any case it’s best to choose a sheltered spot.)

If you want: To showcase professional photos

We recommend: Acrylic

If you’re displaying professional captures, whether in a gallery or any other space, the substrate should be convincing but inobtrusive. As our simplest, most classic premium product, the acrylic print is perfect when you want the work to speak for itself.

If you want: A corporate statement piece

We recommend: Metal

Looking for a showstopper image to display in HQ, something that sums up your company ethos perfectly? We’d the metal print here, as its rugged but classical construction will provide the understated confidence you need to impress clients.

Can't Decide?

If you read the product descriptions above and thought “I want both!”, we don’t blame you!

Well, what if we told you that you can have both – and in a single product? Meet the acrylic + aluminium print.

Acrylic + aluminium is a luxury combination of the acrylic print and the metal print: your image is reproduced on the aluminium composite panel, then topped with immaculate acrylic glass. This is a truly exquisite decor solution that gives you unbeatable strength, clarity and performance.

If you want to experience the best of both worlds, you can do so right here.​