FAQ's

Q: What is the difference between acrylic sheet and polycarbonate sheet?

A: Acrylic is a light, strong, flexible plastic that is available in a range of colours and finishes. Polycarbonate is heavier, a little more expensive, and scratches more easily, but is virtually unbreakable.

Q: What is the difference between acrylic and Perspex?

A: Perspex is a brand name for acrylic, the material is the same (polymethyl methacrylate or PMMA).

Q: Can you use acrylic behind a cooker?

A: We don't recommend using acrylic behind a cooker as it is a potential fire risk. We recommend polycarbonate or aluminium sheet for high heat applications.

Q: What is the difference between Cast and Extruded?

A: Cast and extruded acrylic are manufactured in different ways - cast acrylic is better for machining, while extruded has tighter tolerances in terms of thickness. Clear acrylic up to 12mm is usually extruded, clear acrylic 15mm or thicker, and most colour acrylic is cast.

Q: Can I polish acrylic sheet?

Acrylic can be polished, yes - however, for best results, we would recommend that we polish the sheets for you as we have specialist equipment for this.

Q: Can I drill acrylic sheet?

A: Yes, acrylic sheet can be drilled on site.

Q: How do I drill acrylic sheets?

A: Just use a regular battery type drill with a standard spiral bit suitable for wood. Keep the drill speed relatively low, and take your time when drilling through. Keep clearing the cut acrylic from the hole, and put a piece of scrap wood directly beneath the acrylic.

Q: What tools can I use with acrylic sheets?

A: In general, use the same tools for acrylic that you would use for wood. We recommend a jigsaw with a fine toothed blade for cutting acrylic, and sandpaper if edges need to be sanded down.

Q: Can I heat acrylic to bend it?

A: It is possible to heat acrylic in order to bend it, but it is very difficult to get the sheet to the correct temperature at all points of the bend line without specialised equipment. We can heat bend acrylic to your specification so please call our sales office to discuss your requirements.

Q: Is clear acrylic as clear as glass?

A: Yes, acrylic is completely clear - it actually has a slightly better refraction index than glass, so will allow slightly more light through.

Q: Is acrylic suitable behind a hob in the kitchen?

A: We don't recommend using acrylic behind a cooker as it is a potential fire risk. We recommend polycarbonate or aluminium composite for high heat applications.

Q: Can you use acrylic for secondary glazing?

A: Yes, acrylic is ideal for secondary glazing as it has excellent thermal and acoustic insulation properties, is lightweight and completely clear.

Q: What thickness acrylic should I use for secondary glazing?

A: This will depend on which fixing system you will be using, as some systems are made for a specific thickness. Some (for instance Magnetglaze) will allow for various thicknesses, but in general 4mm is the thickest for most systems we offer.

Q: What thickness acrylic should I use for my splashback?

A: This will depend on colour, but in general we recommend 5mm acrylic for use as a splashback as any adhesive used can be slightly visible through some colours in 3mm.

Q: What is the difference between acrylic mirror and glass mirror?

A: Essentially, the only difference between acrylic and glass mirror is the material used to cover the reflective surface. In practice, because acrylic is more flexible than glass, it can bend slightly leading to a distorted reflection if it isn't fitted completely flat.

Q: How do I clean my acrylic sheets?

A: We offer a range of cleaners which are designed for use with plastics, but other than these we would recommend using just warm, slightly soapy water as discolouration may be caused by other cleaning products.

Q: What is the fire rating on acrylic sheets?

A: Cast acrylic has a class 3 fire rating and extruded acrylic has a class 4 fire rating.

Q: What is the best way to install acrylic mirror?

A: Acrylic mirror is best fitted with strong double side tape or screws to ensure the mirror is installed completely flat. We do not advise any type of silicone or glue application as this can affect the mirror surface of the acrylic.

Q: What is the best way to install acrylic splashbacks?

A: Low modulus clear silicone or screws is the best way to apply splashbacks. With some coloured acrylics you can get a shadowing form the silicone behind the splashback if the wall behind is not completely flat, we would always advise testing a piece before installing the full splashback.