Avoid These Common Mistakes While Cutting Plexiglass at Home
Plexiglass is an acrylic sheet of glass which is used in different ways to enhance the interior design of a home, office, building, etc. A lot of people use plexiglass panels as a replacement for glass in their homes. You can get a professional to cut your plexiglass sheets, but if you are doing a DIY project and want to cut the plexiglass sheets by yourself at home then there are certain things that you must know about plexiglass beforehand. It is essential to know that cutting plexiglass is not easy since it contains compounds that cannot be cut into pieces. Many people don’t know the correct way of cutting plexiglass because of which they do not get the results that they hoped for. There is no doubt in the fact that plexiglass is durable and can be molded into different shapes. If you want to make sure that you cut your cheap plexiglass sheets in the right shape, then you must avoid these common mistakes.
Introduction about Plexiglass
As compared to any tempered glass, the plexiglass can hold in any sort of weather-based conditions. It is taken to be much more shatter-resistant and is much less costly in rates as well. Overall we will mention it to be safe and protective to use. It offers the same appearance just like the glass where it permits 90% of the light to shine all the way through and give your room a bright effect.
For some of the people who are searching for this material for the first time, they can be a little confused in looking for a reliable option. There is a huge difference in selecting between the acrylic sheet and the plexiglass. Acrylic-based sheets are used in the glass for the home décor or furniture items. You can use such sheets or the tabletops or for the chairs. It is much more shatter-resistant and is much less costly in rates as well.
Common Mistakes While Cutting Plexiglass at Home
- Use the Right Cutting Tool
A lot of people don’t know about the right tool, which is used for cutting plexiglass. People try to cut plexiglass with a jigsaw however it is important to know that the table saw is not the correct tool for cutting plexiglass sheets. Using a saw for cutting plexiglass sheets will leave visible lines on the sheet since these sheets are clear. You should use a metal rule along with a razor to cut your plexiglass sheets if you want to get a straight line. You can also get a scoring tool for cutting the plexiglass panel. Another great option for cutting thick plexiglass sheets is jigsaw as it is known for making tough cuts.
- Don’t Forget to Wear Safety Gear
A lot of times people tend to get hurt when cutting plexiglass sheets as shards and bits of plexiglass sheet flies up and can hit the face when using a cutting tool such as jigsaw to cut plexiglass sheets. However, you can ensure your safety when cutting plexiglass panels by wearing safety gear, including gloves and safety glasses. Gloves will protect your hands and fingers from getting nicked, whereas safety glasses would keep your eyes safe from any piece of the acrylic sheet.
- Tools That You Must Not Forget
Most of the time, people only focus on what kind of blade they should use for cutting the plexiglass sheet. They tend to forget about the supplementary tools that would help them in getting the correct shape that they were aiming for. If you want to make sure that the acrylic sheet is cut straight, then don’t forget to use a measuring tape or ruler to aim for a straight line. Always mark the plexiglass panel with a pen to know about the starting and ending point from where you want to cut the sheet. Make sure that a backing paper is attached to the plexiglass sheet when you are cutting it. Masking tape will help you in not going out of the lines when cutting a plexiglass sheet.
- Don’t Use the Standard Tools When Cutting Curves or Intricate Shapes
People tend to use the same tools that they use for cutting straight lines when cutting curves which leads to wrong results. It is crucial for you to know that the standard tools for cutting straight lines cannot be used for cutting curves. You should use a blade that is limited to a small area so that you can focus on every curve when cutting the plexiglass sheet. You can use a bandsaw to cut curves and intricate shapes.
- Avoid Causing Cracks in the Plexiglass Sheets
Many times the plexiglass sheet gets cracked when people try cutting it at home. If you want to avoid causing cracks in the plexiglass sheet when cutting it then here are some tips that you must keep in your mind. It requires a lot of patience from a person to cut a plexiglass sheet without causing any cracks in it. The speed of the cutting blade really contributes to the number of cracks that form in the plexiglass sheets. You can use a dull utility knife for cutting a thin plexiglass sheet to avoid any cracks, whereas for thick plexiglass panels you can use a saber saw or circular saw. A lot of heat is produced when cutting the plexiglass sheet so always use a lubricant for cutting the sheet so that the heat goes away. The moment you witness any cracks have started to form, change the speed or blade that you are using for cutting the plexiglass panel.
- Always Follow Guideline Manual
If you do not have a proper guideline about how you should be cutting the plexiglass at home, then always follow the guideline manual chart. This manual guide will probably give you an entire outlook on how the cutting process will start and what main directions you have to take while you are cutting. Normally cutting thick or thin plexiglass have different methods and each one of them has different tools and accessories that need to be used for best cutting results.
