Replace glass

Whether you need to replace the windows of your garden shed, install an extra window or want a new window in the back door, acrylic sheet is an excellent alternative to standard glass. Equally as transparent and also 30 x stronger and twice as light as traditional glass.

The benefits of acrylic

There are a number of important advantages that explain the popularity of acrylic sheet as an alternative to ordinary glass. The main advantage is the impact resistance of the material: acrylic is thirty times stronger than ordinary glass. However, it is a lot lighter, making it easier to handle. In addition, acrylic sheet has better light transmittance: especially with greater thicknesses, it transmits more light than normal glass with the same thickness. Do you want to keep the sun out or do you need privacy? Acrylic is available in many different types and finishes so that you can choose, for example, matt or tinted acrylic.

Plexiglas is 30 times stronger, allows light through better, is easier to handle and a lot cheaper than glass.

Tips for replacing glass

Do you want to replace the glass of your dormer window, summer house or shed with acrylic? Follow these tips to ensure that this job runs smoothly.

1. Use acrylic with a thickness of at least four millimetres. Thinner acrylic sheet is not strong enough to use as a window. In our blog “How to determine your acrylic sheet thickness?“, we tell you everything about the various thicknesses of acrylic sheet.
2. When you are going to work the acrylic sheet, it is important to choose cast acrylic. Read more about the types of acrylic here.
3. Are you placing your new acrylic window in a window frame? Keep in mind that the acrylic sheet expands due to temperature differences. Therefore, make sure that you have two to five millimetres of clearance in the length and width.
4. Are you going to cut the acrylic sheets to size yourself? Read our blog about this topic for tips. Even smarter: ask us to cut the sheets to size for you. We have the right equipment for this and we do it for free!
5. Acrylic is more sensitive to scratches than ordinary glass so always use soft products such as a microfibre cloth when cleaning it.

Note: Acrylic is not suitable for applications where sparks or open flames occur. The material burns when exposed to fire.

Acrylic windows

Acrylic sheet is often used as an additional window when double glazing is not possible, such as with stained glass windows. Additional windows in acrylic protect the existing window, have a sound-damping effect and offer thermal insulation. A major advantage of this type of plastic is that it is very easy to machine so that windows with a complex shape can also be provided with acrylic additional frames. Read in our blog how you can easily make your own acrylic windows.

Choose the right type of acrylic sheet

If you want to replace your regular glass with acrylic, it is important that you choose the right type. This material is available in two types: extruded and cast acrylic. The extruded type is cheaper but breaks quickly if you work it. The cast type has far fewer internal stresses and is easier to machine. If you want to work the sheet or use it intensively, it is therefore important that you choose cast acrylic.

Please contact Plasticsheetsshop.co.uk
More information about replacing glass with acrylic? Call us on +44 (0) 122 39 76 701 or send an email to: info@plasticsheetsshop.co.uk We are happy to help you!