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Canvas, aluminium, plexiglass or dibond compared

Canvas has a soft woven texture, aluminium a metal sheen, plexiglass depth and gloss, and dibond a flat white surface. Below are the differences, the prices and the hanging options.

Compare them
  • Four materials, 20 × 30 to 90 × 60 cm
  • Preview on the material first
  • Printed in the Netherlands

The four side by side

Canvas

Best for: Paintings, portraits and soft images

Good to know

  • Woven texture
  • No reflections
  • Light, hangs on one nail

Keep in mind

  • Softens fine detail and small text
  • 30 mm of the image wraps round the sides

Aluminium

Best for: Architecture, black-and-white and graphic work

Good to know

  • Metallic sheen that changes with the light
  • Very sharp
  • Box frame available

Keep in mind

  • White areas turn metallic grey
  • Light colours look darker

Plexiglass

Best for: Colourful photos, landscapes and night shots

Good to know

  • Deep, saturated colours
  • High gloss
  • Doesn't shatter like glass

Keep in mind

  • Reflects windows and lamps
  • Shows fingerprints and dust

Dibond

Best for: Detailed photos, for any room

Good to know

  • White stays white
  • Sharp, without glass
  • Light, rigid and doesn't warp

Keep in mind

  • Less depth than plexiglass
  • No texture

White on aluminium

On canvas, plexiglass and dibond, white prints as white. On aluminium, wherever your photo is white or very light you see bare brushed metal.

A city at night or a black-and-white portrait looks good that way. A wedding dress, snow or a white studio background turns silvery grey. If the lightest part of your photo has to stay white, choose dibond or plexiglass.

Prices at 40 × 60 and 60 × 90 cm

With the simplest hanging option.

Canvas without a box frame, aluminium and dibond with the adhesive system, plexiglass without spacers. Other hanging options cost extra, and landscape costs the same. A 3:2 photo fits both sizes without cropping. For walls wider than 90 cm, see large wall art.

Which material for which image

  • Scan of a painting

    Canvas
    Very good
    Aluminium
    Rarely
    Plexiglass
    Good
    Dibond
    Good
  • Portrait

    Canvas
    Very good
    Aluminium
    Only black-and-white
    Plexiglass
    Good
    Dibond
    Very good
  • Landscape, sunset

    Canvas
    Good
    Aluminium
    Good
    Plexiglass
    Very good
    Dibond
    Very good
  • City, architecture

    Canvas
    Fair
    Aluminium
    Very good
    Plexiglass
    Good
    Dibond
    Very good
  • Lots of white or bright sky

    Canvas
    Good
    Aluminium
    Poor
    Plexiglass
    Good
    Dibond
    Very good
  • Fine detail or small text

    Canvas
    Fair
    Aluminium
    Very good
    Plexiglass
    Good
    Dibond
    Very good
  • Bathroom or kitchen

    Canvas
    Fair
    Aluminium
    Very good
    Plexiglass
    Good
    Dibond
    Very good

A rough guide. The preview shows your photo on the material before you pay.

What it is and how it hangs

  • Canvas

    What it is
    100% cotton canvas on a wooden frame
    Hanging options
    On a nail or hook; optional wooden or black box frame
  • Aluminium

    What it is
    Brushed aluminium, printed directly
    Hanging options
    Adhesive system, float mount, spacers, or a wooden or black box frame
  • Plexiglass

    What it is
    Your print behind a sheet of plexiglass
    Hanging options
    Spacers, or no hanging system
  • Dibond

    What it is
    Two thin aluminium sheets with a plastic core and a white coating
    Hanging options
    Adhesive system, float mount or spacers

A float mount or spacers hold the panel a little off the wall.

How it works

  1. Upload your file

    Choose a product, a size and options, and add your PDF or photo. We check it right away and show you a preview, before you pay.

  2. We print it

    We print your order in the Netherlands on the paper or material you chose, from a single piece. No minimum order, no account needed.

  3. We bring it to your door

    We ship it to every country of the EU, with tracking. The checkout shows the delivery date for your address.

Questions

Is aluminium or plexiglass better for photos?
Plexiglass for colourful photos, because it adds depth and keeps white white. Aluminium for black-and-white, architecture and night shots.
What's the difference between aluminium and dibond?
Our aluminium print goes straight onto brushed metal, so white areas show the metal. Dibond is aluminium with a plastic core and a white surface, so white stays white.
Which material is the cheapest?
Canvas, in every size. At 60 × 90 cm it costs from €49.99, against from €114.00 for dibond. A 30 × 40 cm poster costs from €6.99.
Can I get a frame around it?
Canvas and aluminium can have a wooden or black box frame.
What resolution does my photo need for 60 × 90 cm?
About 7100 × 10600 pixels for 300 dpi, and at least 3500 × 5300 (150 dpi). Use the original file, not one sent through a chat app.

More ideas and guides

All ideas and guides

Pick your material

Upload your photo and see it on each material before you pay.

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