Face-mounted prints using acrylic have been the standard for color prints. HD metal eventually came on the scene. What people love about acrylic prints is that they are modern and offer a clean way to display art on the wall. Acrylic is versatile and provides a contemporary look even if it doesn’t have a frame. However, custom size metal photo prints are taking things to another level.
One of the factors that separates custom size metal photo prints from acrylic prints is the process behind their creation. Acrylic print labs will print on photo paper. The print is then face mounted on acrylic. This is why there is that vivid look from edge to edge. Some labs try to print right on acrylic, but this is not the best way to do things. In fact, if you print right on acrylic, you lose some of the sharpness and detail.
With metal, you are infusing the ink into the metal using heat and pressure. The image is printed on a piece of transfer paper that has dye sublimation inks. The transfer paper is put on top of an aluminum sheet. Pressure and heat transfer the image onto the metal. The ink is made into a gas and seeps into the aluminum surface. As a result, the high-definition image that is produced is durable. The photograph is waterproof. It is highly resistant to scratches.
Another difference between acrylic and metal is that metal prints are lighter. A 12 by 18 inch acrylic print will weigh around 4.37 pounds. The same size metal print will be about 1.6 pounds.