ACRYLIC VS GLASS

Comparing Acrylic (also known as PLEXIGLAS, Plexiglass or Perspex) To Glass

We get a lot of customers asking us “Is acrylic better, or glass?”

Although we’re probably a little biased towards anything plastic, we have to admit that both of these materials have their strengths, but neither is the right solution for every situation. Before making a choice for your application, consider the below and do additional research to make sure you’re on the right track.

Glass has been around for thousands of years, even being used as far back as ancient Rome. It’s the go-to material for windows, but unfortunately, it’s susceptible to breaking and hard to work with, which it limits its use in a lot of applications and for many DIY users.

This where acrylic shines a great alternative. Acrylic is often known as Plexiglas or Perspex and offers some pretty great advantages in many applications. Acrylic is stronger than glass, weighs less at only 3kg per square metre (at 3mm thickness), is easy to work with and doesn’t break into sharp pieces when broken.

Let’s explore more of the benefits of acrylic when compared to glass.

Safety

Acrylic is a popular choice in applications where safety is a concern. It’s far easier to handle as it doesn’t need the sensitive care that glass does. Its greater impact strength and flexibility mean it’s less likely to break when being handled or when subject to impact. If acrylic does break, it tends to break into large pieces which are not nearly as sharp as the edges of broken glass.

Weight

When comparing acrylic to glass in the same size and thickness, you’ll find acrylic is roughly half the weight. This makes acrylic a great alternative to glass for applications such as picture frames, boat windows and DIY projects.

Insulation

Acrylic is a popular choice for retro-fitted double glazing. Acrylic is not as cold as glass when touched and is a better insulator against heat transfer, due to its lower coefficient of thermal conductivity.

Clarity

Acrylic has a clarity that glass can’t match, with its crystal-clear visual appearance and unbeatable light transmission (over 92%). Glass tends to have a green hue in its appearance, something you’ll quickly notice is absent from acrylic when comparing the two.

A Range of Options

Acrylic is available in a wide range of colours, thickness, sizes and grades. We stock everything from clear, to coloured and mirror finish, with some of these ranging from 1.5mm up to 50mm off the shelf. We have acrylic sheets with gloss finishes and matte finishes. What’s even better is that acrylic can then be cut, drilled, curved and painted, to fit an almost endless range of applications.

Where is acrylic well suited as an alternative to glass?

Acrylic is used in a huge range of applications every day, all around Australia and the world.  Some common applications are:

• Architectural Glazing
• Fixtures, Displays and Furniture
• Framing
• Transportation Glazing
• Stadium Glazing
• Decoration
• Set building for stage shows, awards ceremonies, TV and movies
• Pool fences
• Sneeze guards

Here are some things to think about before replacing glass with acrylic

The properties of acrylic are different than glass, offering great impact resistance and light weight, for instance. However, in some situations these differences may require design changes or even mean acrylic substitution is not a feasible option. The checklist below highlights some important considerations when substituting acrylic for glass.

• Acrylic is not as stiff as glass, so in some cases (such as shelving) it will need to be 2.5 or so times thicker than glass to withstand the same loads. Acrylic is better suited to applications where it’s supported on all sides (with a frame etc), whereas glass can be better used in self-supporting applications
• Acrylic (or any plastic) will expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity more than glass. Allowances need to be made for this.
• The surface of acrylic is not as hard as that of glass, making it more susceptible to scratching. This is the natural flipside to the flexibility that acrylic has, which means its surface is softer. Cleaning should be done with a lint-free, microfibre cloth.
• Acrylic is more susceptible to chemicals than glass, so some glass cleaners and harsh chemicals are not suitable for cleaning acrylic. Acrylic can usually be cleaned with a clean microfibre cloth and water, but you can also wash acrylic using mild soap or detergent with lukewarm water and light pressure.
• Acrylic is a thermoplastic which means it will be more combustible than glass, so consider things like building codes when looking at substituting acrylic for glass.

Follow this link to see our range of Acrylic Products! 

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