Next, repeat on the opposite side of the acrylic sheet over the same line. Use a scoring knife to cut a narrow groove in the acrylic sheeting. Sand until the edge is uniform and relatively smooth. If your sheet is relatively thin--less than 316 inch (0.48cm)--you can use the scoring method. Acrylic sheets are fairly simple to cut. Research source. I know its not Lexan but, not normal acrylic. There are special blades designed expressly for acrylic, but any metal-cutting blade with carbide tips can do the trick. Proceed accordingly, water-cooling the blade or pausing your work for a few minutes as needed. Placing masking tape over your cut line can help you make a cleaner edge with a jigsaw. Develop the tech skills you need for work and life. Now I can customize my own sheets. Finally, place the line you scored over the edge of a table and press down on the part of the acrylic that's hanging off of the table to break it off. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. To learn how to cut acrylic by sawing it, scroll down! No matter which type of saw you choose for the task, its critically important to use the right blade. Once you've scored the initial line, go over it a few times with the blade until a groove forms. Disclosure: BobVila.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for publishers to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. ", http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/how-to/acrylic/cutting-acrylic, https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-cut-plexiglass/#.WehX5jBGnIU, https://makezine.com/2015/10/29/skill-builder-acrylic/, https://www.hunker.com/13402629/how-to-cut-acrylic-sheet, https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/jigsaw-101-how-to-cut-shapes. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 145,793 times. Finish by sanding with 600-grit sandpaper. Bending will result in the separation of two pieces (. However, if you are a DIY enthusiast and are finding it difficult to cut acrylic at home, then have a look at several ways (listed below) to cut acrylic to size (also sold as perspex and plexiglass), achieving the highest degree of precision. Start with rough paper ~180 grit and a foam sanding block. Start the process with 120- or 180-grit waterproof sandpaper, in combination with a wood or rubber sanding block. However, this technique demands more concentration when compared with electrical saws. Once you are satisfied with the appearance of the edge, move on to buffing. Every building material comes with a set of quirks and nuances that you can master with practice. Mark the area of the sheet you want to cut. Place the sheet over a hard edge with groove-side up. However, the process requires the following steps: A jigsaw is one preferred tool for cutting acrylic sheets. Lay the sheet on a flat surface and, using a yardstick and a permanent marker (or a grease marker), measure and draw the line you wish to cut. I want to round the edges of 1/4" Plexiglas for a tabletop. With the foam block and sand paper, cup the edge to smooth it round. Any suggestions? It is a small handheld tool that can cut the sheet with the straight blade by function up and down in fast motion. Score again and again, as many as 10 or 12 times, until you have made a deep groove in the plexiglass. As the plexiglass becomes smoother, transition to successively finer grits. specifications and suppliers charged too much to do it for me. For thicker sheets of plexiglass, cut with a power sawbe it a circular saw, saber saw, or table saw. Bob Vila, 11 Ways to Make the Most of Your Towns Curbside Cleanup Day.

Though plexiglass is a durable material, its not unbreakable. Note: You can use a handheld power sander, but manual wet-sanding typically achieves the best results. Homeowners who dont know how to cut plexiglass can be intimidated by the material at firstbut were here to help! "The specific steps on scoring an acrylic sheet for a straight cut, esp. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Flip over the plexiglass, and score the opposite side in the same manner. Coloured acrylic comes in a variety of styles and clear acrylic sheets offer comparable optical clarity as glass. One note of caution: If the blade overheats, the material may chip or crack. MSDS says its just acrylic with some styrene: https://www.acplasticsinc.com/media/Duraplex%20Safety%20Data%20Sheet.pdf Although for the time being, you may only need to cut a piece of acrylic down to size, learning to work with this versatile, transparent material opens up a new universe of DIY possibilities that you can explore in myriad projects for years to come. In this case, 88% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. As the sheet bends, the groove will deepen as the crack propagates throughout the sheet. by davidproctor | Jul 2, 2017 | Acrylic, Polycarbonate | 0 comments. Last Updated: April 18, 2022 Otherwise, you'll need to use a saw to cut it. Whichever cutting method you choose, you may find that the cut plexiglass edge doesnt look terribly attractive. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled. To cut acrylic sheets, start by marking the line you want to cut using a ruler and a permanent marker. If the cut edge would be visible in your application, take the extra time to sand and buff out the imperfections. Just wondering if anyone has any experience cutting High Impact Acrylic with a CO2 laser cutter. Namely, the Duraplex brand found at Home Depot.

You can use a regular blade, but the cut will be more jagged. It helps to achieve precise results by cutting the edges into curves and angular form. Put on safety glasses before doing any kind of cutting, and wear ear plugs if you use an electric saw. While using a band saw, it is important to carefully select the blade and feed rate of the machine to minimise the risk of melting or chipping the sheet. Connected to a computer, the laser cutter works as a printer to translate the design/image onto the piece of acrylic. Switch to fine, then finer paper (360 and 600 grit) to get a satin finish. All rights reserved. They have some 0.093" stuff that might work for a 3D printer build enclosure. Most people prefer to cut acrylic using a hand saw. Outfit your electric drill with a buffing pad and, after applying a polishing compound formulated for plastic, bring the plexiglass edge to a perfect polish. Whether youre a DIY enthusiast or a professional builder, acrylic perspex is becoming one of the constructors preferred options especially as its so readily available from local and national perspex cutters. Probably will be fine. Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home repair, and DIY. When cutting plexiglass, leave the film in place as long as possible to avoid marring the surface.

Fortunately, it doesnt take long for do-it-yourselfers with woodworking experience to learn how to cut plexiglass. If you don't have a buffing edge, you can stop with fine sandpaper. Thats why sheets of the material come covered in a thin layer of protective film. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/01\/Cut-Acrylic-Sheets-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Cut-Acrylic-Sheets-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/01\/Cut-Acrylic-Sheets-Step-1.jpg\/aid9420717-v4-728px-Cut-Acrylic-Sheets-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"