According to the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute, preventative care is the best means of preserving acrylic paintings. As a medium it is less durable than oil paint. Unlike oils, it can be difficult to varnish an acrylic canvas because the coating could dissolve the paint. Acrylic also becomes soft at 140 degrees F, and it can easily be nicked with a fingernail at ideal temperatures.
Instructions
1. Touch the painting as little as possible. The oils and dirt on your hands can make the paint deteriorate. Wash your hands before handling the painting, and wear cotton gloves when you have to touch it.
2. Handle the painting carefully. Take off accessories like rings or bracelets so you don't nick or tear the canvas. Carry the painting by holding it on its opposite sides with both hands. Don't carry it flat on top of your open palms.
3. Have the painting professionally framed with a glass front. This is not a job you should attempt to do yourself. The glass will help protect it from dust, dirt and moisture.
4. Store or display the painting in a place that is below room temperature. The top film on acrylic paint is already soft; keeping the painting at room temperature will further soften it. Install a thermostat in the room where the canvas is kept and monitor it daily.
5. Hang the painting where it will be best preserved. Don't place a painting over a fireplace mantel: The soot and heat can damage it. Even in non-wood fireplaces, you have the problem of a chimney conducting drafts and dampness into the room.
6. Keep the painting away from sources of heat, ultraviolet light, direct sunlight, dust, dampness and humidity. These elements can hasten the natural aging process of the paint and cause damage like prematurely faded colors or cracks.
7. Have a professional hang the painting. This means either placing a loop on either side of the top of the frame and suspending it with wire, or securing a wire to the back of the painting with a screw on either side. Don't hang the picture on a nail, because as the canvas weakens with age, the nail can push its way into it and dent the surface.
8. Periodically check the frame's hardware. Are the screws or wires loose? Is the frame coming unglued? Is the glass shifting within the frame? It's better to check and catch a loose wire than to come home and find a ripped painting because the glass front broke when it fell to the floor.
