Shapes we cut to size
You don't need a drawing for any of these. Pick the shape in the calculator and enter the dimensions:
- Rectangles and squares for panels, covers, shelves, windows, and frames.
- Rounded corners with any radius you choose. A 1/4 in. to 1/2 in. radius takes the sharp point off a table cover or a guard; 1 in. and up gives a softer, finished look.
- Circles and ovals for clock faces, lazy Susans, table tops, and bases.
- Rings (a circle with a hole in the middle) for light fixtures, gaskets you can see through, and spacers.
Anything else, such as a notch for a pipe, an arched window, or a cutout for a handle, upload a drawing at /quote#upload or send a sketch with measurements and we'll price it by hand. Detailed shapes are cut on the laser; see laser cutting acrylic.
Holes, edges, and finishing
- Holes. Tell us how many holes, the diameter, and where they go (distance from the edges to the hole centers). We cut or drill them cleanly, which saves you the risk of cracking a sheet with a hand drill. If you'd rather do it yourself, read how to drill acrylic without cracking.
- Countersunk holes for flat-head screws, in 3/16 in. sheet and thicker.
- Tapped holes for machine screws, in 1/4 in. sheet and thicker. See can you screw into acrylic?
- Edges. Laser-cut edges are glossy and come free on sheet up to 1/2 in. Machined edges are satin and square. For the clearest edge on a display piece, choose flame or diamond polishing. The edge polishing page shows when to use each.
- Standoffs. Brushed aluminum standoffs, sets of 4, for mounting signs and panels off the wall.
Which thickness should I order?
Acrylic is anywhere from 2 to 20 times tougher than ordinary glass of the same thickness, depending on maker and test, but it's less stiff, so the right thickness depends mostly on the span and the load. A rough guide:
| Project | Typical thickness |
|---|---|
| Picture frame glazing, up to about 16 × 20 in. | 1/16 or 1/8 in. |
| Picture frames, posters, and art up to about 36 × 48 in. | 1/8 in. (UV-filtering for valuable work) |
| Table and desk top covers | 1/8 or 3/16 in.; 1/4 in. for large tables |
| Cabinet door inserts | 1/8 in. |
| Replacement windows, sheds, coops, and barns | 1/8 in. up to about 24 in.; 3/16 or 1/4 in. for larger panes |
| Sneeze guards and counter shields | 3/16 or 1/4 in. |
| Wall signs with standoffs | 1/4 in. |
| Shelves | 1/4 in. for short spans; 3/8 or 1/2 in. for spans over about 24 in. |
| Tabletops, heavy bases, and structural parts | 1/2, 3/4, or 1 in. |
For shelves, don't guess: the shelf sag calculator tells you how much a given span will bend under your load, and how much weight an acrylic shelf can hold explains the limits. The weight calculator helps if you're planning hardware or shipping. More detail in what thickness acrylic do I need.
Common uses for acrylic cut to size
Replacement windows
Acrylic is a good replacement for broken glass in sheds, garages, barns, chicken coops, RVs, and kids' rooms, where a break would be a hazard. It lets through about 92% of visible light, the same or slightly more than glass. For windows near a fire exit or in rated assemblies, check your local code first. See acrylic replacement windows and acrylic for boat and RV windows.
Table and desk covers
A clear cover protects a wood table or a desk and lets you slide photos or a map underneath. Rounded corners are worth adding. Ideas and sizes: acrylic table top covers. Thinking of acrylic in place of a glass tabletop? Read acrylic vs tempered glass for tabletops first: acrylic scratches more easily.
Shelves
Clear shelves make collections look like they're floating. Order them with flame-polished or diamond-polished front edges. Acrylic shelves has typical sizes.
Frames and art
Acrylic glazing is lighter and safer to ship than glass. UV-filtering acrylic blocks the ultraviolet that fades prints, and non-glare acrylic cuts reflections. See acrylic picture frames and acrylic vs glass for picture frames.
Sneeze guards and counter shields
We cut the panel, the pass-through window, and slotted feet if you want it freestanding. Acrylic sneeze guards has common sizes.
How to measure for acrylic cut to size
- Measure the opening, not the old piece, if the old piece is broken, warped, or was a poor fit. Measure the width in three places (top, middle, bottom) and the height in three places, and use the smallest of each.
- Leave room to expand. Acrylic grows about 0.00004 in. per inch per °F, so a 48 in. panel gets about 0.2 in. longer over a 100 °F swing. For a window or any panel held in a frame outdoors, take about 1/16 in. off each dimension for every 2 ft. Our thermal expansion calculator works it out exactly, along with mounting hole clearance.
- Check the groove depth for windows and cabinet inserts. The panel should sit in the channel with clearance on every side, not touch the bottom.
- Give hole positions to the center, measured from the same corner. Note which side faces you if the holes aren't symmetrical.
- For covers, decide on overhang. A table cover usually sits 1/4 to 1/2 in. inside the table edge so it doesn't catch sleeves.
- Measure in inches to 1/16 in. or in millimeters, and choose the matching units in the calculator.
Tip: Ordering a panel to fit an exact slot, such as a frame rabbet or a box lid? Acrylic sold as 1/4 in. is usually about 0.22 to 0.24 in. thick. Read why 1/4 in. acrylic isn't 1/4 in. thick, and tell us in the order notes if the thickness matters.
Sizes, sheets, and big panels
Full sheets are 48 × 96 in., and anything up to that is a normal order. We lay several parts out on a sheet together, so you pay for the acrylic your parts use, not a whole sheet. Bigger panels are possible: enter the size and we'll confirm it by hand. If you want to know how many parts fit on a sheet, try the sheet yield calculator, or see standard acrylic sheet sizes.
Pricing depends on the size, thickness, color, edge finish, holes, and quantity. You'll see the exact figure in the calculator above, and quantity breaks apply automatically. If another US shop has given you a written quote for the same parts, we'll beat it.