Laser-cut edges
How it looks: glossy and clear, with a slightly melted, rounded feel at the corners. On 1/8 and 1/4 in. sheet it's hard to tell from a flame-polished edge. On 3/8 and 1/2 in. you may see faint vertical lines and a very slight taper.
When to use it: most laser-cut parts. Signs, letters, ornaments, display parts, boxes, anything with curves or detail. It's the default for laser cutting, and there's no extra charge. See laser cutting acrylic.
Watch for: laser edges hold some stress from the heat. Keep alcohol, solvent cleaners, and solvent cements away from them unless the parts have been annealed, or you can get fine cracks later. Why laser-cut acrylic cracks later explains why.
Machined (satin) edges
How it looks: square to the face, smooth to the touch, and frosted-translucent rather than clear, with fine tool lines along the edge.
When to use it: parts that will sit in a frame, a channel, or a slot, where the edge won't show; parts you'll solvent-bond, because a machined edge is flat and low-stress, which makes strong, clear joints (see how to glue acrylic and bubble-free acrylic joints); and thick parts over 1/2 in. that you don't need polished. There's no extra charge.
Flame-polished edges
How it looks: bright and glossy, clear when you look straight through, with corners that are slightly softened. Up close you might see a very faint wave in the surface.
When to use it: routed parts that need to look finished, especially shapes with curves: awards with shaped outlines, round tabletops, display risers, and thick signs. Flame polishing works on any outline, inside or out.
Watch for: like laser edges, flame-polished edges carry heat stress, so the same cleaning and gluing cautions apply. Don't flame-polish an edge you plan to bond.
Diamond-polished edges
How it looks: the clearest edge you can get. Flat, crisp, sharp-cornered, and nearly as transparent as the face of the sheet. On thick clear acrylic it looks like the edge of a glass block.
When to use it: anything where the edge is the feature: awards, thick tabletops and bases, shelf front edges, display cases, and premium signs. It's also low-stress, so diamond-polished edges are the best polished edge for bonding.
Why diamond polishing only works on straight edges
Diamond polishing uses a diamond-tipped cutter that sweeps across the edge in a straight line, shaving it flat and leaving it optically clear. The cutter can only travel straight, so it can't follow a curve or reach into an inside corner. Parts with curves get flame polishing on the curved sections. If a part has both, such as a rectangle with rounded corners, tell us; the straight sides can be diamond-polished and the corners flame-polished.
Sanded (frosted) edges
How it looks: an even, fine matte finish, like sea glass. On clear and fluorescent acrylic it catches light and glows softly.
When to use it: modern-looking signs and displays, parts that get handled a lot (sanded edges hide fingerprints and small chips), and edge-lit designs where you want the edge to glow evenly. It pairs well with frosted acrylic.
Which edge should I choose?
| You want | Choose |
|---|---|
| A detailed shape with a nice edge, at the lowest price | Laser-cut |
| An edge that will be hidden, or bonded into a box | Machined |
| A glossy edge on a curved routed part | Flame-polished |
| The clearest possible edge on a straight side | Diamond-polished |
| A soft, frosted, modern look | Sanded |
| A clear edge on a part you'll glue | Diamond-polished or machined, not flame |
On colored, black, and white acrylic, the difference between finishes is mostly gloss: a polished edge on black acrylic looks like piano black, a machined one looks dark gray. On mirror acrylic, the edge shows the clear or gray plastic behind the mirror backing. See mirror acrylic explained.
Ordering edge finishing
Pick the edge in the calculator for any part. Edge finishing is priced by the length of edge finished, with a small setup for each type. If only some edges need polishing, such as the front edge of a shelf, say so in your order notes and we'll price just those edges. Edge finishing doesn't add to the usual 3 to 5 business day lead time for most orders.
Polishing your own edges at home? How to polish acrylic edges walks through sanding, buffing, and flame polishing. And if your parts get scratched in use, how to remove scratches from acrylic covers the faces.