The Great Debate: Canvas Prints Or Framed Prints For Your Home Decor?

The common questions most people ask when choosing a hanging that rhymes with their home décor are, “Canvas prints vs. framed prints? What are the differences?” These are two types of wall art that can decorate any room. Being able to distinguish one from the other could help you make an informed decision when purchasing one for your space. The two have a couple of differences, including size and style, that could notably impact your interior decoration.

In addition, budget and taste are also important considerations to have in mind as well. Here in this article, you will learn to differentiate these two wall art types and also look at the advantages and disadvantages of each.

What Are Canvas Prints?

Canvas prints are art printed on high-quality canvas material. Canvas prints have a more textured and rustic look than their traditional framed counterparts due to being stretched and mounted onto a support frame. They are also more durable than framed prints and don’t easily warp or fade with time. They can be easily customized thanks to their different size availability. 

In addition, canvas prints can feature heavy personalized options because of their many available finishes. For instance, you could choose between a matte finish, a more vibrant look, a glossy finish, and a gallery wrap finish. Frameless canvas prints can have a more finished look when a matte finish is present on the sides and the front. Some people also love a textured finish. It gives an impression of depth and dimension to the print. A satin finish is in between matte and glossy finish. With the correct finish, these prints can add a touch of sophistication to your space.

Advantages

• They do not reflect light glares; therefore, there’s no way reflections can affect them. 
• Creating large sizes, such as 40×100 inches, is easy and economical.

Disadvantages

• Their textures can, at times, be distracting and need one to carefully choose the images you print on canvas
• You cannot change the photograph once you have printed it because the ink is already permanently bonded to the material.

What Are Framed Prints?

These are the more traditional wall hangings that display pictures. They tend to be very popular due to the more formal and elegant vibe they give. These prints come in various types and dimensions, including photographic prints, landscape, abstract, or portrait art. Giclée prints are another type, often of high quality and made from a unique printing process that produces sharp details using vibrant colors. Finally, there are posters as well, large artwork usually used to advertise events, movies, or music. One of the main benefits of framed prints is that they withstand moisture and fading. 

Printers utilize different technologies to produce framed prints. For inkjet printing, for example, it sprays ink onto the paper to create excellent pictures of various sizes. Giclée printing is also a type of inkjet printing where the device uses archival ink over high-quality paper for an effective anti-glare method. The print is resistant to fading and many other forms of damage. Other technologies used include offset printing and screen printing. 

Advantages

• They have a traditional appeal due to how they look and often complement the décor of the space where they are. 
• The prints also exhibit more details than canvas prints due to the smooth surface, allowing for finer details in pictures and photos.

Disadvantages

• They sometimes have glare and reflections from light due to the acrylic or glass that protects the paper, making it hard to see the image.
• Large sizes of framed prints are heavy, which could make them expensive because of the large frame they require. Their shipping costs can also be high.

>>> See more: Acrylic Print Vs. Canvas Print

Choosing Between Canvas & Framed Prints

Appearance

While canvas and framed prints are popular wall art, it’s easy to distinguish one another based on their appearance. The canvas print, for instance, has a textured surface because of the canvas material used in its construction. The canvas fabric looks like a woven material with a coarse texture. Canvases consist of quality cotton or linen, an excellent material for tents or making sails. When used for prints, it gives them a textured and authentic look. The application of ink onto the fabric differs from printing a photo onto the materials used for framed prints.

Besides, framed prints use either a smooth material or matte or glossy paper and a traditional frame for extra protection. The resulting prints have a classic and elegant look depending on the type of paper used. Their frames can be made from various materials like plastic, wood, or even metal, and you can adjust the color to suit your needs.

Unlike canvas prints, framed prints are not cheap. All the materials used in them mean they require a pretty penny to build. Another con of their appearance is that light glare can easily bounce from their materials, making it difficult to appreciate the art or pictures inside.

Cost

When it comes to cost, canvas prints are more affordable than framed prints. There is just no question about it. However, when comparing the two, canvas prints do not last as long as their counterpart due to the lack of extra protection. The factors contributing to framed prints being expensive are the kind of frame used, the type of paper, and the print size. These factors all add to the final cost of their construction. All in all, this cost cannot compare to the cost of canvas prints, which is much cheaper. 

Framed prints often last a lot longer than canvas prints due to their quality materials and general bulkier build, which is why they’re so costly to make in the first place. The technology used to print them is different, too. So much work goes into making a canvas print that you would be surprised. Despite this, their more standard materials and lightweight construction often make them more inexpensive than regular framed prints. 

Suitability

The suitability of these prints depends on various factors, including your preferences and the specific spaces you have available. Framed prints are more durable than canvas prints; however, they don’t have the same textured feeling as the latter. Framed prints, however, are versatile and elegant; hence, if you are looking for a classy option, you should go for these. 

Suitability also depends on the size of the print. You may choose a canvas print if you are looking for a large piece of decoration you may want to use in your home, given framed prints’ limitations in size. Your décor styles also matter; hence, a framed print can be ideal for several types of traditional home decoration ideas.

Canvas prints have an artistic feel; therefore, choose one that meets your taste if you are looking for one that complements your decor. Finally, there’s no denying that canvas prints have a more modern vibe. So, if you understand this, you may want to use them to match the decorations of a contemporary home. 

Conclusion 

Canvas prints and frame prints are all excellent at complimenting your space. In case you were wondering where we stand on the canvas prints vs. framed prints argument, we are sure you can now confidently differentiate the two. When it comes to choosing one, what matters is your taste and preference. Many people love the frameless look of canvas prints, while others prefer traditional frame prints for a more elegant approach; it all depends on one’s tastes.

Again, you need to weigh the pros and cons of each before buying to make an informed decision. Still, if you doubt you are making an informed choice, talk to an interior decoration expert and share your doubts. They will advise you on how to pick the best art print for your space.