What Is Acrylic Plastic Sheet Used For?

Why has the use of acrylic sheet to manufacture everyday products increased over recent years? It’s probably because acrylic sheet is durable and lightweight and less expensive to produce than glass.

When it comes to both commercial and personal use, an acrylic sheet is the more practical choice. Business owners and homeowners alike find it useful for such common everyday items as table and countertop protectors, shelving, windows, pole signs, TV screens, and more.

Acrylic Sheets Show Up in Some Surprising Places

With its advantages in long life, impact resistance, strength, and color choices, acrylic sheet serve nearly every expected niche of manufacturing—and a few unconventional ones.

To demonstrate the versatility of acrylic sheet, here are some uses you may not have been aware of:

Windows For Swimming Pools and Submarines

One might not put two widely different things like swimming pools and submarines in the same sentence. Still, acrylic’s UV and water-resistant properties, strength, and flexibility make it a perfect choice for situations when one wants to view a watery environment. Whether it’s a diving coach observing the next potential Olympic team or a scientific research mission to the deep Atlantic, having a clear view is essential. Acrylic sheet provides.

Acrylic Advantages with Aquariums

It’s been a while since the only choice for aquariums was traditional glass.

Today, most home and commercial aquariums are made from acrylic because it’s easier to mold and form into different shapes to suit individual needs. In addition, they’re easier to custom cut for different tank designs and layouts and can provide a much clearer view of what’s within.

Acrylic sheet can also come in various shades and colors for aquariums whose inhabitants have specific lighting needs.

And as a practical note, acrylic is lighter, easier to carry, and cheaper to repair. This makes it ideal for aquariums and terrariums at home and those found in more commercial venues.

Long-Lasting, Safe Acrylic Airplane Canopies

The transparent canopy covering an airplane’s cockpit must be wind and weatherproof, clear, strong, and sound-absorbing. Acrylic canopies cover all of these needs and then some. They’re also lightweight, shatter-resistant, and can be designed to minimize aerodynamic drag.

When cared for, an acrylic canopy can last decades. For example, aircraft on exhibition from World War II often sport their original acrylic canopies and still provide a pilot with a crystal-clear view of their surroundings.

Acrylic Helmet Protect All Sorts of Heads

When you think about it, there are helmets for all sorts of people—construction workers, miners, motorcycle enthusiasts, skateboarders, pilots, rock climbers, cross-country bicyclists, and more.

All of them need to protect their head.

Acrylic helmets are lightweight, inexpensive, durable, and scratch-free, making them the perfect choice for anyone dealing with a profession or pastime in which safety is a concern.

Acrylic Sheet In the Arts

High-quality transparent acrylic sheets can find many uses in the world of fine art and homemade craft projects. Not only can acrylic sheets be cut and formed into exceptional display cases that optimally show off jewelry, pottery, and other work, they can also be used in shadow boxes and fine art frames.

Acrylic’s UV resistance can help protect fine art from light damage, while its moisture resistance keeps the piece safe from changing environmental conditions.

What Is the Difference Between Acrylic and Plexiglass?

Acrylic and plexiglass are essentially the same thing. However, plexiglass is more of a brand name for acrylic sheeting that has ended up also becoming a more generic term covering any type of acrylic sheet.

Both can be cast in molds or extruded into sheets of custom thickness, although what is commonly called plexiglass is more often produced by extrusion. Both can share the same impact and UV resistance properties, clarity, lightweight, and low cost.

How Long Does Acrylic Plastic Last?

Because an acrylic sheet comes with UV protection and already enjoys the benefits of impact resistance and durability, there’s no reason why a well-cared-for sheet of acrylic couldn’t last ten or more years before showing any signs of age.

While many plastics—such as those you might find in food packaging or children’s toys—may degrade, yellow, or grow brittle under constant exposure to sunlight, properly produced acrylic sheeting is designed to last decades.

Where Can I Buy an Acrylic Plastic Sheet?

Acrylic sheet from Piedmont Plastics makes the best sense for most manufacturing situations where durability, clarity, protection, lightweight, and cost are a concern. When you get right down to it, an acrylic sheet is one of the most versatile materials on the market today.

So enquiry us as soon as possible.