What is a Plexiglass?
Baker Glass, Inc. has always been locally owned and operated since our beginnings in 1993. We serve residential and commercial customers in Northeast Florida for all your glass needs. We have kept up with the latest design elements and technological changes in glass technologies to be your comprehensive glass replacement service provider. We would like to share our 30+ years of experience as we take a more indepth look at one of our products: plexiglass.
What is Plexiglass?
Plexiglass is the common name for acrylic sheeting. Created in 1928, it found its first applications during World War II in airplane windows, canopies, and turrets. It is durable in that it can take 17 times the impact of glass, won’t shatter if damaged, has excellent dimensional stability, has a chemical resistance, and can withstand the pressure that is applied when 33 feet underwater. Plexiglass removes any reflection or glare so that over 90% of standard light will enter the area with plexiglass. This clarity is also not reduced as it becomes thicker as does when standard glass is made thicker. Sheets of plexiglass come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes so they can be created to your preference.
What is Plexiglass Made Of?
The chemical make-up of plexiglass is that it is a synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate; a transparent petroleum-based thermoplastic. Those of us outside of the scientific world like to say that plexiglass is made of acrylic. The color and opacity are also customizable to the needs of the consumer, but need to be determined before production. A variety of other coatings can be added to the exterior of the acrylic sheets once it has been produced. One of the most popular coatings is a UV coating.
What is the Cost of Plexiglass?
Plexiglass is much more affordable than glass because it takes less money and less resources to produce than glass. It is also cheaper than glass because it is lighter and therefore costs less to ship. The factors that will determine the price of plexiglass are dependent on the size, thickness, and quantity purchased. Adding color and finishes to the plexiglass will also go a long way in determining the cost of your plexiglass needs.
What are Common Uses of Plexiglass?
Plexiglass is easier to form and cut so it can be produced in sheet, panel, rod, or tube form. Add to these facts that plexiglass is lighter in weight than glass making it easier to install and customize, there are a wide range of applications for plexiglass:
Durable windows: Plexiglass is more durable, clearer than glass, easier to maintain, resist breakage, and are less likely to crack or stain in severe weather so it makes it the ideal candidate for windows that need to be durable.
Bath glass: Plexiglass is slip resistant and doesn’t shatter when broken. This makes plexiglass a safe and affordable choice for use in the bathroom.
Greenhouses: Plexiglass is sturdy and provides 90% of the standard light to come through the sheeting. Being that greenhouses are primarily outdoors, it is a plus that plexiglass guards against breakage and doesn’t collect much dirt. Needing little maintenance and allowing for steady sunlight are two other attributes that cause plexiglass to be used in the creation of greenhouses.
Solar panels: Plexiglass is able to withstand harsh weather and is shatter resistant making it the correct choice in using it to protect your solar panels. With plexiglass allowing 90% of light to pass through, it will allow the solar panels to be more efficient than if standard glass was chosen for the same application.
Medical and dental industry products: Plexiglass is stable and has little compositional make-up making it an easy choice for medical and dental professionals to choose plexiglass for prosthetics and instruments.
These are only a few of the many applications of plexiglass, but the hope is you can get the broad spectrum of uses of plexiglass and the characteristics for which they are chosen.
Who Can Help Me with My Next Plexiglass Project?
There is no shortage of businesses that can provide you the plexiglass that you need for your next, or ongoing projects. The reason that you need to choose Baker Glass as your plexiglass provider is that we provide more than plexiglass. We can assist you in making your dream into a reality. Our glass experts bring 30 plus years with them when they sit down to assist you bringing the newest in technology and design. Baker Glass is local and can be with you the entire way from idea to installation. Let us know if you would like to come to us or if we need to come to you to help you with your plexiglass solutions.
““