You will need to measure the area of the plexiglass that you want to cut. Depending on your material, you may need a hacksaw or saw blade for cutting metal. You can use a jigsaw or knife for cutting wood. You may need an electric jigsaw (jigsaw) for plastics depending on the thickness of the plastic.
If you are cutting plexiglass trim, use a stanley knife or sharp razor blade to score the surface at least three times before snapping it. Breaking off small pieces is preferable to breaking off large pieces by bending plexiglass back and forth which can cause fractures.
Cutting circles around screws will prevent them from “grabbing” the plexiglass and potentially cracking or breaking it.
Cover all surfaces that will be exposed to adhesive with masking tape to prevent accidental adhesion of the material. Fill any holes, cracks or chips in the surface before applying adhesive. Holes can cause problems when applying contact cement because it may penetrate through these areas and seep out at the edges.
Adhesive: Apply a thin layer around the surface before applying contact cement. Contact Cement: Dab a very small amount on one side of the plexiglass to be joined and then apply as soon as possible after applying the adhesive (to prevent it from drying). You may press firmly for 15 seconds to bond the two pieces together.
If you are using liquid nails it’s best to fill any fractures or small holes with an adhesive before application. Use masking tape around the edges if you want to prevent glue from getting on surrounding surfaces. You can apply liquid nails over contact cement without removing the existing surface but it will only stick to the original surface and not the plexiglass.
Plexiglass is non-porous so it will not absorb liquid nails like wood or porous materials.
Excess adhesive may be removed with acetone (nail polish remover). There may be a break in continuity at the joint if you try to remove only the excess adhesive. If you want to remove the whole joint, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
If there is a break in continuity at the joint, you can try re-joining with another application of contact cement or liquid nails . You may also need to sand down and/or paint over the edge of a joined piece of plexiglass.
Plexiglass will scratch easily. You can polish out scratches with fine (400 or 600 grit) sandpaper and oil-based polyurethane. Abrasive cleaners are also available to polish plexiglass at specialty hardware stores. Plexiglass can be polished so that it is shiny but if you need a gloss, you will need to use a polyurethane.
If the plexiglass breaks, you can drill a small hole near one edge of the break and then fill it with super glue or epoxy. You may be able to fill larger fractures if they are not too deep. Plexiglass will crack before it breaks so ensure that the fractured surface is clean and that the edges are not sharp.
Plexiglass will be more difficult to fix if its broken into a number of pieces due to stress on the adhesive joint. Joining plexiglass is best achieved with contact cement because it is strong and flexible once dry. If you do break plexiglass, you can make a patch with another piece and join them together with contact cement (apply adhesive to one surface first and then join the pieces together).
Some plexiglass products include Polycast, Acrylite FF, Plexiglas TF and others. These materials may be more difficult to bond together because they contain plastics that release chemicals that interfere with adhesives.
Plexiglass is not suitable for use in wet areas because its surface may become slippery when wet. Acrylite FF is considered to be an abrasion resistant “marine grade” product that can be used for pool liners, bathrooms or shower enclosures. Plexiglass is usually the preferred material if the plexiglass will be exposed to high temperatures or lighting.
It is easy to join two pieces of plexiglass together. Plexiglass can be cut using a saw, scored on the surface and snapped with hand pressure at break points (don’t snap it on the edge of your work bench), cut with specialised tools, or drilled to create holes .
Plexiglass is available in a variety of thicknesses. The greater the thickness, the more difficult it will be to drill or saw through it. Plexiglass can also be joined together with specialised adhesives. If both surfaces are smooth and flat, adhesive may not be necessary to join them. It will stick to itself without adhesive.
You can make plexiglass non-reflective by roughening the surface (with fine sandpaper or an abrasive cleaner). You can also apply a matte finish using paints, lacquers and specialised finishes available at hardware stores.
Plexiglass is transparent in the wavelengths of visible light so it can be used to create windows or skylights. You can also tint the plexiglass with paint, such as an enamel.
So this is how you can cut Plexiglass.
