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Acrylic Features, Types, and Applications

Acrylic Sheets at TAP Plastics: Features, Types, and Applications

Acrylic sheets are a versatile, durable, and lightweight alternative to glass. They offer a range of benefits for various applications, including the use plexi glass to replace a window. At TAP Plastics, we provide an extensive selection of acrylic sheets tailored to meet diverse needs. Here’s a detailed look at what acrylic has to offer and the different types we carry.

Key Benefits of Acrylic

  • Optical Clarity: Acrylic offers excellent light transmission without yellowing, even with prolonged sun exposure.
  • Weather Resistance: Acrylic maintains its appearance and color despite exposure to heat, cold, sunlight, and humidity.
  • Safety: Shatter-resistant, acrylic enhances earthquake and burglar safety, making it a reliable choice for glazing windows.
  • Lightweight: Despite its strength and durability, acrylic is only half the weight of glass.
  • UV Resistance: Clear acrylic sheets resist UV degradation.
  • Chemical Resistance: Acrylic resists many chemicals, including ammonia, dilute acids, and aliphatic hydrocarbons.
  • Applications: Display signs, lighting fixture diffusers, security glazing, machine guards, skylights, aquariums, and decorative panels. 

Click here for more information regarding working with acrylic.

Types of Acrylic Sheets

1. Cast Acrylic

  • Available in clear and dozens of standard colors, with custom colors available on request (minimum order required).
  • Thickness Options: 1/16" (1.5 mm) to 3" (76 mm)
  • Cast acrylic is ideal for precision machining, such as lathe or milling work.

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2. Frosted Plexiglass Matte Acrylic P95

  • Features a matte finish to reduce reflected light, making it perfect for hot-stamping, silk-screening, and vinyl sign-making.
  • Often used by architects for privacy screens and office partitions.
  • Thickness Options: 1/8" (3 mm) to 1/2" (12 mm)
  • Available Colors: Clear, white, black, green edge

3. Bullet-Resistant Acrylic

  • Chemcast bullet-resistant acrylic provides clear, unobstructed views and is UL listed (UL752) as a bullet-resistant glazing material, level 1.

For more information on bullet-resistant acrylic, click here.

4. Clear Extruded Acrylic

  • High optical clarity with low stress levels, ideal for a variety of applications.
  • Thickness Options: 1/16" (1.5 mm) to 1/4" (6 mm)

For more details on extruded acrylic, click here.

5. Abrasion-Resistant Acrylic AR

Features a chemical- and abrasion-resistant coating, perfect for high-traffic areas, machine guards, or frequent handling.

  • Ideal For: Glazing, store fixtures, signs, museum displays, machine guards, menu boards
  • Options: AR1 (coated on one side) and AR2 (coated on both sides)
  • Thickness Options: 1/8" (3 mm) and 1/4" (6 mm)

For more on abrasion-resistant acrylic, click here.

6. Ribbed Textured Acrylite

  • Provides privacy while allowing light transmission, making it ideal for visual privacy screens.
  • Thickness Options: 1/8" (3 mm) to 7/32" (5 mm)

7. Innsbruck Textured Acrylite FFX (DP30)

  • Provides privacy while allowing light transmission, making it ideal for visual privacy screens.
  • Thickness Options: 1/8" (3 mm) to 7/32" (5 mm)

8. Lucerne Textured Acrylite FFV (DP32)

  • A medium-grain textured acrylic, primarily used for break-resistant outdoor patio tabletops.
  • Thickness Options: 1/8" (3 mm) and 7/32" (5 mm)

9. Acrylite FF OP-3

  • Museum-quality, conservation-grade acrylic with UV-blocking properties, perfect for protecting fine art.
  • Thickness Options: 1/8" (3 mm), available in clear, clear AR1 (one side abrasion-resistant), and non-glare.

For more information on Acrylite FF OP-3, click here.

10. Acrylite FF P-99

  • A non-glare, matte-finish sheet designed for picture framing.
  • Thickness Options: 0.080" (2 mm) and 1/8" (3 mm)

11. Green Edge Acrylic

  • Mimics the look of glass while offering superior strength and break resistance, ideal for displays.
  • Thickness Options: 1/8" (3 mm) and 1/4" (6 mm)

12. Acrylite Satinice White WD008 DF and Colorless 0D010 DF

  • Contains special particles that diffuse light passing through the sheet, giving optimum light diffusion and eliminating hot spots.
  • Thickness Options: 1/8" (3 mm) and 1/4" (6 mm)

Additional Acrylic Products

Cast Acrylic Shapes

  • Tubes: Available in outer diameters from 4" to 12".
  • Rods: Available in various diameters from 1" to 3".
  • Spheres: Decorative accents available in sizes from 1/4" to 3".
  • Cubes: Ideal for spacers, knobs, risers, or feet, ranging from 1/4" to 4".
  • Discs, Stars, Cabochons, and more: Various sizes for decorative and functional uses.

Extruded Acrylic Shapes

For more information about these and other acrylic products, please visit our website or click here to explore our comprehensive catalog.