Acrylic Risers Review: Elevating Your Art Glass Display do
- lunasabrina
- Jan 7, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 15, 2024
Elevating your glass display to new heights is essential, and acrylic risers, particularly the clear variety, are a community favorite. Their appeal lies in their ability to blend into the display without altering the glass's appearance, creating an almost invisible support. While selecting the right riser seems straightforward, it's a nuanced task. In this blog, I delve into three popular acrylic risers available on Amazon, evaluating their thickness, weight capacity, and whether they live up to the manufacturer's claims. This review aims to guide you in choosing risers that not only enhance your display but also ensure the safety of your glass collection.
Contrary to popular belief, a riser's thickness isn't the sole indicator of its safety. My extensive review of three specific brands – ADColor, Blue Valley, and Albumgit – will shed light on this misconception.
ADColor Clear Acrylic Risers Review
These risers, sold in a set of six across three sizes for $20.99 CAD, offer a medium size range. The small measures 3.9” x 3.1” x 1.5”, the medium 4.7” x 3.1” x 2.3”, and the large 5.5” x 3.1” x 3.1”. Their rectangular shape and 2.88mm thickness (slightly less than the advertised 3mm) were noted. Despite no specified weight limit, my tests using 3-35lbs revealed limitations. The small and medium sizes could handle up to 7lbs before showing strain, while the large size struggled with anything over 3lbs. Despite their ability to temporarily support 35lbs, I advise against using these risers for items over 7lbs to prevent potential damage.
Small Sized Acrylic Riser - Stress test
3lbs 10lbs 20lbs 35lbs
Medium Sized Acrylic Riser - Stress test
3lbs 10lbs 20lbs 35lbs
Large Sized Acrylic Riser - Stress test
3lb 10lbs 20lb 35lbs
Blue Valley Clear Acrylic Risers Review
Priced at $27.99 CAD, these square-shaped risers, also in a set of six, surprisingly arrived in the same packaging as ADColor's, hinting at a shared manufacturer. Their dimensions and 2.88mm thickness mirror those of ADColor's. Performance-wise, the small riser impressively supported up to 35lbs, while the medium and large sizes were optimal for weights not exceeding 10lbs. Their square design seems to aid in better weight distribution.
Small Sized Acrylic Riser - Stress test
3lbs 10lbs 20lbs 35lbs
Medium Sized Acrylic Riser - Stress test
3lbs 10lbs 20lbs 35lbs
Large Sized Acrylic Riser - Stress test
3lbs 7lbs 20lbs 35lbs
Albumgit Clear Acrylic Risers Review
The Albumgit acrylic risers, arriving in a set of four, are priced at $26.98 CAD. Their sizes vary, with the smallest measuring 7.7” x 4” x 1”, the next at 8.5” x 4” x 2.6”, the medium at 9.3” x 4” x 3.3”, and the largest at 10” x 4” x 4”. These dimensions have been accurately verified. The risers are marketed as being 4mm thick, and upon measurement, they closely match this specification at 3.96mm. They are designed to support a maximum weight of 10 lbs, a claim I put to the test.
In my testing, the smallest riser showed slight bowing at a weight of 3lbs and experienced significant bowing at 10lbs. When subjected to a weight of 35lbs, it nearly collapsed. The second smallest riser was slightly more resilient, beginning to bow at 6 lbs, but it too showed considerable bowing at 10lbs and the same level of distress at 35 lbs. The medium riser followed this trend, displaying even greater distress under the 35 lbs weight. The largest riser was the least durable, beginning to bow severely at 6lbs and ultimately failing the stress test by breaking at the 35lb mark.
Given these results, I would advise against placing items weighing more than 3lbs on these risers. Despite being the thickest among the tested risers, their performance was disappointing. It's unfortunate, as the company clearly puts effort into their packaging and presentation. These risers might be suitable for lighter items like action figures or baked goods, which aligns with their marketed use. However, for the purpose of supporting heavier items like glassware, they fall short of expectations and do not meet the necessary criteria.
Small Sized Acrylic Riser - Stress test
3lbs 6lbs 10lbs 35lbs
Second Small Sized Acrylic Riser - Stress test
3lbs 6lbs 10lbs 35lbs
Medium Sized Acrylic Riser - Stress test
3lbs 6lbs 10lbs 35lbs
Large Sized Acrylic Riser - Stress test
3lbs 6lbs 10lbs 35lbs
Canadian Vintage Glass Weights
Understanding the typical weights of Canadian vintage glass can further assist in selecting appropriate risers. While this isn't an exhaustive list, most pieces tend to be under 10lbs.
Overall Ranking and Conclusion
Blue Valley Risers: Top choice for their shape, not thickness. Click here to purchase a set.
ADColor Risers: Similar to Blue Valley but less effective due to their rectangular shape. Click here to check them out.
Albumgit Risers: Despite their thickness, they under perform in weight support. Check them out here.
Key Takeaway
For Canadian vintage glass, a 3mm thick, square-shaped riser is ideal. Avoid longer, rectangular models for better support and safety.
