Frequently asked questions about Perspex® acrylic

Perspex® acrylic is a tradename of Lucite International and is polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) acrylic sheet which is manufactured from methyl methacrylate monomer (MMA).

Perspex® and acrylic are essentially the same thing. Perspex® acrylic is a premium branded acrylic and, as such, is manufactured to the highest industry standards possible. Perspex® acrylic has an enviable reputation as the very best acrylic available.

You can buy Perspex® here at www.theplasticshop.co.uk. Not only are we the original place to buy Perspex® online, theplasticshop.co.uk are an approved and official Perspex® stockist.

Available in cast and extruded sheet, we can supply Perspex® acrylic in a wide range of sheet sizes, cut to size panels, blocks, thicknesses, colours and textures. Perspex® acrylic also offers exciting effects such as gloss, silk, matt, frosted, fluorescent & live edge, and pearlescent - as well as a diamond surface texture.

Click to buy Perspex® acrylic online

We supply Perspex® acrylic in the following standard sheet sizes of:
2030mm x 1523mm and 3050mm x 2030mm
Also available as cut to size panels to your exact requirements

We supply Perspex® acrylic sheets in the following standard thicknesses of:

Clear Perspex® acrylic : 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 15mm, 20mm, and 25mm thick

Thick acrylic sheet is also available (up to 200mm thick block)

Opal Perspex® acrylic: 3mm, 5mm, 10mm, 20mm

Coloured Perspex® acrylic: 3mm and 5mm (some Perspex® acrylic colours are available in 10mm and 20mm subject to availability)

Frosted Perspex® acrylic (Crystal Clear, Polar White, Glacier Green): 3mm, 5mm, 10mm, 20mm

Other Perspex® acrylic Frosted Colours: 3mm and 5mm

Perspex® acrylic samples are now available to buy online. Perspex® acrylic samples normally take a couple of days to be processed - if you need them urgently, please call us and let us know. Click here to buy Perspex® acrylic samples. We will send a voucher code with your Perspex® acrylic samples to redeem the cost against a subsequent order.

Perspex® acrylic is extremely versatile and can be used in applications as diverse as signs, POS, visual communication, window glazing, acoustics, design, architecture, furniture, boat and car windows, kitchen and bathroom splashbacks - the list is almost endless.

The main advantages of Perspex® acrylic sheets are:

• high shock, abrasion and flex resistance
• excellent weather and UV resistance (applies to clear only)
• low density / light weight compared with glass
• clear sheet offers excellent optical clarity
• comprehensive range of colours and finishes
• 100% recyclability

Cast Perspex® acrylic sheet is produced directly from monomer, cast between two sheets of high quality glass and is polymerised in batches in specially developed ovens and water baths in a carefully controlled manufacturing process.

Extruded Perspex® acrylic sheet is produced from the acrylic polymer Lucite Diakon in the form of granules, and extruded into sheet.

To achieve a good finish on Perspex® acrylic, all cutting tools must be kept sharp. Most hand tools designed for use with wood and soft metals are suitable for use with Perspex® acrylic (except laminate cutters, guillotines and blanking dies)

For small jobs, Perspex® may be cut with fine-toothed hand saws such as fret saws and hack saws. The work must be securely fixed and only light pressure applied. Powered saws with blades having alternative teeth bevelled, as for aluminium, are particularly recommended for sawing Perspex® acrylic as are band saws and jigsaws.

For more information click here for a quick reference guide to cutting & drilling Perspex® acrylic

Standard woodworking twist drills can be used for all normal drilling work with Perspex®. Wherever possible, the work should be supported by a back stop made from either scrap Perspex® or hardwood to prevent splintering the exit hole. Under no circumstances should a centre punch be used before drilling Perspex®. A small pilot hole should be drilled first to locate the drill.

For more information click here for a quick reference guide to cutting & drilling Perspex® acrylic

This means that the Perspex® acrylic colour does not allow transmission of light (eg if you held your hand up behind a solid colour sheet you would not see a shadow).

This means that the although the Perspex® acrylic colour allows transmission of a minimal amount of light you are unable to see through the material (eg if you held your hand up behind a translucent colour sheet you would see a shadow, but you would not be able to see your hand). Translucent Perspex® acrylic is frequently used for light-boxes.

This means that the Perspex® acrylic colour is see through. So in effect, the sheet is clear but tinted with a colour.

This means that the Perspex® acrylic has a frosted (anti-reflective) finish on one side of the sheet.

This means that the Perspex® acrylic has a frosted (anti-reflective) finish on both sides of the sheet.

This is a relatively new addition to the Perspex® acrylic range with an exciting fluorescent live edge, and is available in a range of colours.

We can manufacture standard colours in any thickness - subject to a minimum order quantity of approx 16 full sheets.

We can manufacture Perspex® acrylic to almost any custom colour imaginable - subject to a minimum order quantity of approx 16 full sheets.

Perspex® acrylic has a high thermal expansion coefficient compared to traditional glazing materials and allowance within the frames must be made in both directions for thermal expansion and contraction. Failure to observe this rule can lead to stresses in the sheet which can cause distortions in the panel and crazing at the edges of the sheet in time. An allowance of 5 mm per metre run length should be allowed in both dimensions during installation. This figure has been found from long experience to be sufficient for all locations and climates. For further details consult the Perspex® acrylic Design Guide

Perspex® acrylic VA is a special UV grade acrylic sheet which has excellent ultraviolet absorbing properties to block damaging UV rays. This is a best-selling item to museums and art galleries.

Our Perspex® acrylic Polish allows you to simply polish out most minor surface scratches and imperfections from Perspex® acrylic and acrylic sheet

Cast Perspex® acrylic is manufactured in accordance with ISO7823-1, which means for the thickness range of 2 to 25mm, a production tolerance of +/-10% plus 0.4mm (eg 8mm cast sheet could vary from 6.8mm to 9.2mm).

Extruded Perspex® acrylic is manufactured in accordance with ISO7823-2, ie to a thickness tolerance of +/-10% for sheet thicknesses below 3mm and +/-5% for sheet thicknesses of 3mm and above.

CAST Perspex® acrylic achieves a UK Class 3 fire rating. EXTRUDED Perspex® acrylic achieves a UK Class 4 fire rating.

The best method for cleaning Perspex® acrylic sheet is by washing with a solution of luke warm water with a drop of washing-up liquid, using a soft cloth to loosen any dirt and grime. Then, rinse with cold water and dry with a very soft cloth to prevent water spotting. You should not use chemicals, glass spray, or other abrasive cleaning materials, nor should you use any form of scraper or squeegee or other sharp instruments.

When light transmission values are given, they are for a nominal 3mm thickness. The light transmission of Perspex® acrylic varies according to thickness. Colour numbers with the letter "T" are constant transmission products. This means that the product has the same light transmission throughout the thickness range.

Yes, Perspex® acrylic Black 962 will only transmit infra-red light.

By using the specific gravity of Perspex® acrylic sheet (1.19) you can use the following simple formula to work out the weight of any given sheet size:
Length (in metres) x Width (in metres) x Thickness (in mm) x 1.19 = Weight in kg

Many of our customers have used our range of Perspex® acrylic colours to make modern splashbacks for kitchen areas. We can cut Perspex® acrylic sheets to almost any custom size - and we can also include cut-outs for sockets etc if required (we just need a drawing from you showing dimensions). To discuss your project in more detail, please contact us.

Please note that Perspex® acrylic must not be positioned near to any naked flame (eg gas hobs), nor exposed to temperatures in excess of 75 degrees C.

Perspex® acrylic can certainly be used in bathrooms. You can also use our range of adhesives and sealants to mount and seal around the edge of the Perspex® acrylic sheets to ensure a water-tight finish. Depending on your wall surface, you may need to pre-mount your Perspex® acrylic sheet to a board (eg MDF) prior to fixing to achieve a sound, flat finish.

Our opal range of Perspex® acrylic colours will give the best results for a light box - the most commonly used being OPAL 050. However, you may also like to use our prismatic acrylic sheet, opal frosted Perspex® acrylic or from our Perspex® acrylic colours range. Click here to order any of these Perspex® acrylic samples.

Based in Coventry we are centrally located for the whole country to deliver our Perspex® acrylic sheet all over the UK, including delivery of Perspex® acrylic in London. In fact, we can deliver Perspex® acrylic to you whether you are in Northern Ireland, the Isle of Wight, Glasgow or Oxford... or anywhere in between! You can specify the delivery address required when you checkout.
Please note some delivery areas may incur additional delivery charges than those advertised online.

Yes! We offer an end-of-life Recycling Commitment for our Perspex® acrylic. By prior arrangement and agreement, we accept Perspex® acrylic (and many of our other stocked materials) back at the end of its useful life and recycle it through our authorised channels. Click for more about our Recycling Commitment.