White Acrylic Sheet | Canada Plastic & Belting Inc. (2023)

FAQs

What is the difference between plastic sheet and acrylic sheet? ›

Plastic, after all, is a generic term for a large family of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials. Acrylic is kinds of thermoplastics that are petroleum based and created from the derivation of natural glass. It is also known as polyacrylate.

DURAPLEX is a continuously processed acrylic sheet that is up to 10 times stronger than general-purpose acrylic, 30 times stronger than double-strength window glass and 50 times stronger than polished wire glass or other glasses. That strength equates to superior tolerance to shipping and handling.

Acrylic is a transparent plastic material with outstanding strength, stiffness, and optical clarity. Acrylic sheet is easy to fabricate, bonds well with adhesives and solvents, and is easy to thermoform. It has superior weathering properties compared to many other transparent plastics.

Plain Polystyrene Sheet - 1.5mm | Hobby Lobby | 80968562.

The melting point for acrylic plastic is 160 degrees C, so they cannot withstand extreme temperatures. Acrylic is tough and durable, but can also be easily scratched. The manufacturing process of acrylic products can release highly toxic fumes.

If there's a lot of support underneath the acrylic, you can choose a thinner sheet – although we would still advise a minimum thickness of 5mm – whereas if there is minimal support, we would recommend that you choose a minimum of 8mm in thickness to ensure that it stays stable.

Acrylic does have some cons to consider when choosing a plastic material. When compared to polycarbonate, it is a more rigid material. It also is more prone to cracking when drilled and chips more easily.

All of the acrylic sheet Emco Plastics sells is manufactured with plenty of Ultra-violet stabilizer (UV) protection. This means that with proper maintenance of the Plexiglas® acrylic sheet, it should last 10 years or more before it ever yellows.

The biggest difference between Plexiglas® and some traditional acrylic is the way they are manufactured. Acrylic can be manufactured one of two ways: extruded or cell cast. Plexiglas®, however, is manufactured in cell cast only. That is the biggest benefit to purchasing Plexiglas® over other brands of acrylic sheeting.

Because the process is more time and labor extensive, cell cast acrylic tends to be more expensive, but is typically higher quality and more durable. Plexiglass products are only manufactured using the cell cast process. So, if you're paying more for a Plexiglas product, you're not just paying for the brand name.

Which is cheaper plexiglass or acrylic? ›

Plexiglass and Lexan are brand names for the plastics commonly known as acrylic and polycarbonate. Acrylic is less expensive and easier to fabricate, but can shatter if impacted with enough force.

Acrylic - which also goes by the brand names of Plexiglas, Lucite, Acrylite and Perspex - is known throughout the world of plastics for its dazzling glossiness and its remarkable scratch and impact resistance.

Toole's Ace Hardware offers glass and acrylic cutting services. Just bring your measurements and our expert associates will cut you a piece of glass or acrylic sheeting to size. Contact your local Toole's Ace for more information.

Advantages of Acrylic:

Excellent optical clarity & transparency. Highly resistant to variations in temperature. Up to 17 times the impact resistance of ordinary glass. Half the weight of glass and ideal for precision machining.

Why is Acrylic used so often? Acrylic is an incredibly useful plastic for applications requiring transparency where high impact resistance is not an issue. Acrylic is very scratch resistant compared to other clear plastics.

Polycarbonate is the stronger material at 250 times the impact resistance of standard glass. Polycarbonate offers much more resilience than acrylic, making it ideal for highly demanding applications like bullet-resistant windows.

Before you cut, use foam insulation to reduce vibrations in the plastic sheet, which could cause cracks or rough edges. Then, cut the plastic in a straight line at a steady, moderate pace. This is the best option not only for your personal safety, but also to prevent rough edges.

Thinking of purchasing Plexiglass sheets at Home Depot or Plexiglass at Lowes? This is not the thin film masked material you see there. They don't cut and frankly, we are less expensive and offer an array of services so you get exactly what you want. Square, rectangle, trapezoid, circle - you draw it, we can cut it!

Polished White Acrylic Sheet, Thickness: 1.5mm, Size: 4 X 8 Feet.

Does acrylic sheet warp in the sun? ›

Because of acrylic's chemical composition, it's resistant to UV rays and doesn't warp or discolor as easily.

If you are interested in clarity and light transmittance, acrylic sheets will outperform polycarbonate sheets. On the other hand, if you are looking for high impact resistance, polycarbonate sheeting is the obvious choice.

High-density polyethylene, or HDPE, is perhaps the most versatile plastic for outdoor use. Many park benches, tables and chairs are now made using HDPE plastic, and playground equipment, in general, is made of HDPE thanks to its sturdiness.

No, Acrylic will not yellow in the sun. It is derived from natural gas and so will not discolour. Acrylic is one of the few plastics which is not affected by UV light. This makes it ideal for shed windows and coloured skylights or panels for your home projects, without fear of discolouring over time.

A yellowing can happen, sure if in direct sunlight, overheated, oe bombarded by UV.

Cleaning Acrylic Sheeting

Acrylic sheeting can be damaged by harsh solvents and cleaners. Use a commercial plastic cleaner or mild soap and water to remove dirt and debris. When applying cleaner, use a non-abrasive lint-free or microfiber cloth that won't scratch the surface.

The reason acrylic costs more is because it's a lot stronger and more weather-, scratch-, and impact-resistant than glass.

Acrylic is typically a more rigid plastic, whereas polycarbonate can be purchased in various flexible grades. Nevertheless, both plastics can be bent under heat if needed. Polycarbonate, too, is slightly more durable than acrylic and less likely to crack under stress.

Is Acrylic Plastic Waterproof? Acrylic plastic is waterproof and offers protection from the weather which is ideal for outdoor furniture and property window panels. Acrylic plastics also offer exterior shells with optimal protection against the elements.

Acrylic (also known commonly by the brand name Plexiglas) boasts a strong resistance to scratching, which is why it's doubly annoying when an element manages to break through that resistance and blemish the material.

Is acrylic plastic breakable? ›

Acrylic plastic is a lightweight, shatter resistant, transparent plastic that is often used as an alternative to glass.

We can give a short answer to this: there is absolutely no difference. This is because acrylic is the usual abbreviation for polymethylmethacrylate, and Plexiglas® is one of the many brand names of this plastic. Over time this brand name has become generic as 'plexiglass'.

The glue acrylic to wood, use an epoxy as it does not require a chemical reaction to bond the materials together. Give the epoxy a rough surface to hold on to by using a medium grit sandpaper on the wood.

White Acrylic Sheet is an excellent fit for the vast number of applications, including Acrylic Splashbacks, Acrylic Signs, Visual Communications, Roof windows, Acrylic Sales Displays, and many other valuable applications.

Polycarbonate is less rigid than acrylic plexiglass, meaning it does not crack when drilled, and can be bent without heating (cold bending). It is highly resistant to acids and chemicals, such as gasoline. It has a low level of flammability, which is essential in certain industries.

Polythene sheeting is a plastic film made from petroleum (you may also hear it referred to as polyethylene sheeting, poly sheeting, plastic sheeting, plastic film and poly film). It's an incredibly versatile product used in a wide range of applications.

Thin acrylic sheets (3/16” or less) are very easy to cut by hand using a scoring knife or dull utility blade. Thicker plexiglass can also be cut by hand, but it's much easier and more efficient if you use a power tool to achieve clean, straight cuts.

A jigsaw is one preferred tool for cutting acrylic sheets. It is a small handheld tool that can cut the sheet with the straight blade by function up and down in fast motion. However, if you intend to cut acrylic into a nonlinear fashion, a jigsaw is the right option for you.

Can I cut acrylic with my maker? ›

The Knife Blade for the Maker is the recommended way to cut acrylic, the deep cut blade on the Air 2 will also cut acrylic but you will need to make sure the thickness of your acrylic is 1 mm or less.

Circular saws can be used on acrylic sheets of all thicknesses. Use jigsaws with metal cutting blades of reduced depth and sharp teeth (5-6 teeth per cm) - use the finest blade you can. Be sure to allow the blade to stop before withdrawing from the cut.

Yep, that's right, fasteners (in the case of acrylic, almost always screws) are the next biggest method of joining acrylic.

Acrylic is typically a more rigid plastic, whereas polycarbonate can be purchased in various flexible grades. Nevertheless, both plastics can be bent under heat if needed. Polycarbonate, too, is slightly more durable than acrylic and less likely to crack under stress.

Polycarbonate plastic qualities include:

250x the impact resistance of glass and 30x stronger than acrylic.

Advantage: Acrylic sheet is cheaper

Acrylic sheet is also recommended to anyone who wants to save themselves some money.

Acrylic does not scratch easily and will not yellow with time. You should note that acrylic will chip easily compared to polycarbonate because it is less impact-resistant. In terms of flammability, polycarbonate has low flammability while acrylic will burn slowly.

Acrylic does have some cons to consider when choosing a plastic material. When compared to polycarbonate, it is a more rigid material. It also is more prone to cracking when drilled and chips more easily.

Cons of Acrylic:

Cracks more easily than polycarbonate. Can crack easily during drilling. More likely to chip than polycarbonate. Softens at 195 degrees Fahrenheit compared to polycarbonate's 240.

When you use acrylic sheeting as your window panes, you no longer need to worry about someone getting injured if a pane is to break. Plexiglass sheeting is unique in that while it is extremely difficult to shatter, it can be broken, however, it doesn't break into a thousand tiny, dangerous shards.

How long does acrylic plastic last? ›

The lifespan of acrylic based plastic ranges from 7 to 10 years at most. This is usually the limited warranty that is given with acrylic products sold in the market, but this limited warranty only covers the fading and discoloration.

No, Acrylic will not yellow in the sun. It is derived from natural gas and so will not discolour. Acrylic is one of the few plastics which is not affected by UV light. This makes it ideal for shed windows and coloured skylights or panels for your home projects, without fear of discolouring over time.

The two most common forms of transparent plastic sheet are acrylic and polycarbonate. While acrylic has a lot to offer manufacturers and customers, polycarbonate comes out on top in terms of overall strength. General-purpose polycarbonate is about 200 times stronger than glass and polyethylene.

Polycarbonate offers much more resilience than acrylic, making it ideal for highly demanding applications like bullet-resistant windows.

There are two main types of acrylic: extruded and cast. Cast acrylic is the harder of the two, offering the benefit of being harder to scratch. This is due to the way it is manufactured. Acrylic also comes in different grades to suit different manufacturing processes.

Acrylic (PolyMethyl MethAcrylate or PMMA) is a transparent plastic known more commonly by the trade name “Plexiglass™.” The material is similar to polycarbonate in that it is suitable for use as an impact resistant alternative to glass.