logo
logo
Sign in

How To Cut The Plexiglass Easily?

avatar
Vinyl Tools

Plexiglass is another name used for acrylic sheets; both these names are used interchangeably. Acrylic sheets have taken over the conventional glass in almost every way possible. It has limitless applications which are being actively used in a myriad of industries and businesses.

 

The most incredible thing about acrylic sheets is that it has super strength and flexibility that allows it to be so versatile and diverse in its uses. As plexiglass is known for its sturdiness and unreal strength, cutting and shaping it for multiple purposes may need special machinery or tools but the astonishing part is that it's not true! You can cut and shape thin plexiglass with simple household tools and for thick sheets you need vinyl cutter blades.

 

The acrylic sheets or plexiglass is available in several color options, in different lengths, thickness and clarity which makes it an ideal choice for several purposes. You can use it for picture frames, windows, gift boxes, jewelry cases, cake boxes and so many more DIY projects.

 

You can use a UV adhesion promoter to join several sheets of plexiglass together. The only drawback of plexiglass is that it scratches very easily and in no time it would look like a wrinkled hag so make sure the protective film on the glass stays on as long as it. In this article, I will be telling you easy ways to cut plexiglass in order to be used for several projects both DIY or business based.

 

Easy Ways to Cut Plexiglass

In order to determine the best way to cut plexiglass sheets, the thickness is the first thing you need to check. Depending on the thickness, you can then choose the correct tool to cut and shape it for multiple purposes.

 

When cutting any acrylic sheet you need to have some tools at hand to make the task easier and quicker- the cutting tool like knife, vinyl cutter blades, saw or a rotary tool. You also need a marker, ruler, clamp, fine sandpaper to smooth out the rough edges and last but not the least a buffer.

 

Cutting Thin Plexiglass Sheet

As I said earlier, thickness of the sheet plays a pivotal part in determining the tool to cut it. For thin sheets you can choose a hand held tool like a knife, hand saw or vinyl cutter blades. The first step is to mark the cut line, this can be done by the marker and a ruler to define the line where the cut will go.

This is an important step as once you have marked the line and begin the cutting process, there is no going back. But if you feel after the line is drawn with a marker that it needs any alterations then it can simply be rubbed off. Once the line is marked, you can then take your hand held tool and begin scoring the sheet.

 

The aim here is to make a groove in the sheet and deepen that groove, this can take 8-10 scoring tries. Pro tip when scoring the thin acrylic sheet is that you should always score from the back side as well for that crisp and clean cut.

 

Repeat the same process here for 8-10 times. Once you have deep grooves on both sides of the sheet, although not deep enough to meet, all you are left to do is to apply enough force for it to snap from that very point of groove you have so immaculately made.

 

The next step is to move the wanted part to a flat surface, clamp it in place in such a way that the part you need to smooth out is hanging over the edge. Sand the edges and buff the sheet for it to be used for whichever purpose you want.

 

Cutting Thick Plexiglass Sheet

When it comes to thicker acrylic sheets, you not only need to choose the right machine for it but also have to understand the design or complexity of the cut. For thin sheets, you have a couple of great options like professional vinyl cutter blades, jigsaw blades, rotary blades or circular saw.

 

The process of marking the line is the same as it was for thin sheets but the difference is when it comes to scouring, snapping and cutting. Unlike when scouring the thin sheets which needs repeated motions, here you are using powerful tools which can cut the sheet in a single stroke. If the cut isn’t a straight line then use a rotary tool for curved lines. Once cut, sand the edges and buff it to perfection.

 

Conclusion

Cutting and designing plexiglass sheets has become an important aspect of many small and large scale businesses nowadays. In order to have perfection in your DIY projects or in your professional commitments, you need to understand how to cut the plexiglass sheets properly. 

collect
0
avatar
Vinyl Tools
guide
Zupyak is the world’s largest content marketing community, with over 400 000 members and 3 million articles. Explore and get your content discovered.
Read more