Acrylic plastic is considered one of the oldest synthetic materials and is popularly used by many industries in a variety of applications such as windows, signage, picture frames, furniture, aquariums and DIY projects to name a few. As well as having great strength and optical clarity, these sheets can easily be fabricated and bond well with adhesives and solvents.
Acrylic is not only lightweight and inexpensive, but can be found in various thicknesses and are easy to cut to size, whatever your needs, making it ideal for home improvements and design projects.Â
Choosing the right sheets
The first thing to consider is that you need to choose an acrylic plastic which is of high quality. You need to check the manufacturing and nature of resins used in the product. This is important and will determine the purpose of your task, and therefore you need to select a good quality acrylic sheet
You also need to check that the sheet’s opacity is right for your project. Sheets can range from entirely opaque, to as clear as glass, or anything in between, with minimal change in price – so don’t compromise on your vision.
The next important thing you need to consider is the total cost of the acrylic sheet in a single sheet of a standard size. Not only can large sheets be difficult to manage, but companies like Plastic Sheets Shop can cut them to your specific requirements, meaning they are ready to use as soon as they arrive – potentially requiring less material and saving on shipping costs.
Benefits of Acrylic Sheets
There are various benefits of acrylic sheets. Some of them include the following: –
- The first advantage is that these sheets can easily be fabricated and shaped to any design that will suit your purpose. When heated to 100 degrees, acrylic sheets can be molded into a number of shapes. In addition, sheets can be machined, drilled or sawed like wood and soft metals, requiring no specialist tools. And this is why it is cost-effective and can be used in anything from furniture to craft projects.
- Another advantage is that they are weather-resistant, making them the ideal material for replacing glass in windows and car headlights. It can also be used in outdoor signage.
- Acrylic sheets are lightweight, which makes it far easier to work with than glass. In terms of insulation, Acrylic sheets can be up to 20% more efficient than glass, which makes it easier to regulate temperature and can help to reduce your heating bills.
- Acrylic is very strong, and has a tensile strength which is 17 times greater than ordinary glass. This means that even under the high impact, these sheets will not shatter and if it does break, it will not shatter into sharp shards. This safety feature makes it ideal for the manufacturing of shower doors, bath enclosures and sliding glass doors. More commercial examples of its use can include security barriers in correctional facilities and safety enclosures at hockey rinks.
- Acrylic sheets are also eco-friendly, as there is potential for the material to be reused. Because of this, you can mold and use them to make other things like plates, acrylic tabletops, secondary glazing or shelves. It is also used by many restaurants because it is durable, shatterproof and easy to clean. Apart from this, these sheets are also available in a wide range of colours and designs. Therefore, you can choose coloured sheets and depend on the purpose of the work you can choose the type of acrylic sheets. There are also a number of styles of acrylic sheets which includes frosted acrylic, fluorescent acrylic and many more
- Another benefit for the popularity of acrylic sheets is that it has great resistance to heat, unlike regular plastics, that will become brittle over time if they are exposed to extremes of temperature, making them prone to breakages and reducing their lifespan.
With such interesting benefits, it is not a surprise that acrylic sheets enjoy great demand across a vast range of users.
