Acrylic Sheet

Acrylic sheet, also sold under the names Perspex and Plexiglas, is the most widely used clear plastic in signage, retail display, art and glazing. It is roughly half the weight of glass, far more impact resistant, and it holds its clarity, gloss and shape after long exposure to the weather. Among thermoplastics it has the best scratch resistance, which is why acrylic glass panel work stays looking sharp long after cheaper alternatives have hazed over.

Where acrylic sheets are used

• Illuminated and non-illuminated signage, lettering and fascia panels
• Retail displays, risers, plinths and point of sale stands
• Display cases, covers and sneeze guards
• Glazing, secondary glazing, machinery windows and safety screens
• Picture framing and art panels
• Sculpture, model making and prop building
• Food industry fittings, splashbacks and hygiene screens
• Laser cut jewellery, trophies, name plates and promotional items

Cast and extruded acrylic

Cast acrylic is the premium grade. It machines and laser cuts beautifully, giving a polished flame like edge straight off the laser, and it is more resistant to solvents and crazing. Extruded acrylic has a tighter thickness tolerance and is more economical, which makes it the practical option for straightforward glazing and large flat panels. If you are laser cutting or engraving, cast is almost always the right call. If you are simply glazing an opening, extruded will do the job for less.

Colours and finishes

We stock a large range of premium acrylic sheets in clear, opal and a broad colour range including earth tones and pastels, plus mirror, fluorescent and textured finishes. Clear is the standard for glazing and display, opal diffuses light evenly for backlit signage, and solid colours are used heavily in signage, laser cut lettering and craft work. If you are matching an existing panel, bring in an offcut or send us a photo and we will help you find the closest match.

Acrylic sheets cut to size

Very few jobs need a full sheet. We cut acrylic to your exact dimensions in house, and we can also drill, polish edges, route shaped profiles, laser cut intricate work and bend panels to shape. Whether you need one 300 x 200mm panel for a picture frame or 200 identical pieces for a production run, the process is the same: send us the sizes and we cut them.

For plexiglass replacement glazing, measure the opening and allow a small clearance so the panel can expand and contract with temperature. Acrylic moves more than glass does, and a panel cut hard up to the frame can bow or crack.

Working with acrylic

• Leave the protective masking on until the job is installed, it is there to stop scratches during handling
• Clean with a plastic safe cleaner and a soft cloth, never with solvent based glass cleaners containing ammonia
• Use a purpose made acrylic cement such as Weld-On for joins rather than general purpose glue
• Drill with a plastics bit or a blunted standard bit to avoid grabbing and cracking

Buying perspex boards from Associated Plastics

We have been cutting acrylic in Hobart since 1979, and cut to size work is our core business rather than a sideline. Sheets are held in stock locally, cut on our own saws and machines, and shipped Australia-wide. If you are not sure which thickness or grade suits your job, tell us what the panel has to do and we will recommend a specification that works and does not cost more than it needs to.