Acrylic is a clear material that resembles glass, but has properties that make it superior to glass in many ways.

There are two basic types of acrylic: extruded and cell cast. Extruded or "continuous cast" acrylic is made by a less expensive process, is softer, can scratch easier and may contain impurities. Cell cast acrylic is a higher quality acrylic and U.S. domestic cell cast is a good choice for applications that require the best. Imported cell cast acrylic is often manufactured to lesser standards.

Acrylic is used to make various products, . It is chosen over glass for many reasons. It is many times stronger than glass, making it much more impact resistant and therefore safer.

Another big advantage of acrylic is that it is much lighter then glass. This makes working with acrylic much easier. It can also be sawed, whereas glass must be scored.

Adding to this favorable array of properties, a transparency rate of 93% makes acrylic the clearest material known. Very thick glass will have a green tint, while acrylic remains CLEAR.

A unique property of plastic is its ability to be shaped. Bow-front aquariums are beautiful examples of acrylic's wonderful properties. There are also no seams in acrylic structures, as chemical welding at the molecular level actually "melts" seams into one piece of solid material. Seams that are welded and polished are invisible.

There are some misconceptions about acrylic, namely that it yellows, turns brittle and cracks over time. Though this might be true of very cheap forms of plastic, it is not so with acrylic. For example, the fighter planes of WWII have acrylic bubble-tops. Airplane windows are also acrylic. If taken care of, acrylic remains new looking regardless of age or exposure to sun.

For all of its advantages, there are two disadvantages of acrylic: it is more expensive than glass, and if exposed to a direct flame it will melt and eventually burn.


If upgrading furniture in your home, remodeling your bathroom, or adding a beautiful occasional piece, consider acrylic. It may cost a little more, but its sheer clarity, light weight make it a superior choice