What To Consider Before Cutting Plexiglass At Home
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Plexiglass is a type of acrylic plastic sheet that can be used instead of glass for windows, pictures, and a variety of DIY projects. While cutting glass is tricky, cutting plexiglass is relatively easy to do at home. With a table saw or circular saw, a jigsaw or rotary tool, or a simple utility knife, you can easily cut plexiglass to the perfect size and shape.
When deciding which method to use to cut your plexiglass, it's essential to consider the thickness of the plastic and what types of cuts you'll need to make. While circular and table saws are both good options for cutting straight lines on plexiglass, no matter the thickness, you may need a jigsaw to cut curved lines. Jigsaws can be used for both thick and thin plexiglass, but oscillating multitools and rotaries are best for cutting curved lines on thin plexiglass. Utility knives can also be used to score and break apart thin sheets of plexiglass.
Things to consider when cutting plexiglass with a saw
If you plan to cut plexiglass with a saw, it's important to use the right type of blade. Some saws have special blades specifically for plexiglass, but if you can't find one, a blade for cutting metal that comes with carbide tips should work well. You'll need to make sure whatever blade you're using is sharp since dull blades might end up breaking your plexiglass. Blades with evenly spaced teeth tend to cut best. If your blade starts to get hot while cutting, allow it time to cool down, as hot blades can crack plexiglass. For jigsaws, using a blade with larger teeth helps the blade stay cool while cutting thicker plexiglass.
While plexiglass is extremely durable and cannot shatter, it sometimes becomes scratched easily. It's often packaged with a plastic film over it to protect it from scratches, and keeping this film on while working with your plexiglass can prevent you from accidentally scratching it and help keep your saw's blade cool while cutting.
What to think about when scoring plexiglass
If you only need to cut straight lines on thin plexiglass, scoring and breaking it is a great option. Utility knives work well for this, but you can also buy knives specifically made for scoring plexiglass, which can be found on Amazon. It is helpful to use a clamp to secure a ruler to the plexiglass while scoring to prevent the blade from slipping and keep you from accidentally cutting yourself. Clamping the plexiglass to the table you're working on can also help when breaking it apart.
Whether you decide to cut your plexiglass with a saw or score it with a knife, it will likely end up with rough or jagged edges. If your project requires the plastic to have smooth edges, try sanding your plexiglass where it was cut. Wet-sanding works best, and starting with 120-grit sandpaper and gradually working to 600-grit will help you get perfectly smooth edges. However you decide to cut your plexiglass, it's important to consider the shape you want it to be, what it will be used for, and the thickness of the acrylic.