Need Help? Call How to Cut Plexiglass by Hand. Thickness The method by which you choose to cut your plexiglass will be determined by just how thick it is. Scoring Thicker plexiglass, strangely enough, allows for the simplest of the cutting processes. Sawing Though plexiglass of medium thickness can be cut with any kind of power saw, the scroll variety is the best one for the job. Cutting The thinnest plexiglass is too flexible - too vulnerable to melting or chipping - for anything other than a handheld rotary tool.
Get in Touch Name. Fit your power saw with a blade designed for cutting acrylic or with a blade designed for cutting aluminum or copper -- the blade's teeth should be fine, all the same height and evenly spaced [source: The Natural Handyman ]. Simply follow steps one and two above and then cut the Plexiglas with the power saw.
However you cut your Plexiglas, the edges will most likely need to be smoothed after they're cut. This is most easily done with a power saw. Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close. Mobile Newsletter chat dots. Mobile Newsletter chat avatar. Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe. Home Improvement. Home DIY. The cut line may be sharp and uneven after snapping the acrylic sheet. Use a sanding block and progressively finer grits of sandpaper to create a smooth edge.
Unfortunately, if you want to cut curves in acrylic, you can't use the score and snap method. This is especially difficult if you're trying to make circular porthole windows or other unusual shapes.
In these cases, you'll have to use a jigsaw with a special acrylic blade. The key to cutting acrylic with a jigsaw is to keep the speed low. If you cut too fast, the acrylic will melt from the heat the friction creates, and your project will be a mess! Apply a strip of painter's tape to the cut line to prevent cracking.
For the best results, you'll want to support both sides of the cut line to reduce vibrations. Two scraps of 2x4 lumber work great for this. Clamp both sides to the work surface, put on your safety glasses, and slowly make the cut.
Then sand down the cut edge to remove any sharp or uneven areas. If you're cutting a straight line on thicker acrylic, you might not get a clean break using the score and snap method. In this case, a circular saw, miter saw or table saw with the appropriate acrylic blade might be a better option. Cutting acrylic on the table saw or miter saw is the same as cutting wood, so long as you use the correct blade.
Just switch out the blade as directed in your saw's owner's manual before making the cut. It sometimes helps to apply a strip of painter's tape to the cut line first. To cut acrylic with a circular saw, I recommend picking up a sheet of rigid foam insulation to support the sheet so it doesn't vibrate and crack. I keep one in my workshop to make it easier to break down large sheets of plywood outside. Place the acrylic sheet on top of the rigid foam insulation, and mark the line to be cut.
You will need to score the same line again and again in this next step, doing so smoothly and carefully. Score the line again, as many as 10 to 12 times if necessary. You want to make a deep groove in the Plexiglas. Flip the plexiglass over and perform scoring on the other side using the dull part of your blade.
This will make cutting all the way through the plexiglass easier, ensuring a cleaner, neater cut. The constant scoring is meant to create a deep groove in the plexiglass from each side.
Just be careful not to overtighten. With the plexiglass held securely in place, apply a sharp downward pressure to the plexiglass. The portion that extends past the edge of your work surface should snap off along the scoring lines that you created in the prior steps.
You now have your new section of plexiglass. When it comes to thinner sheets of plexiglass, a utility knife is always going to be the better option. That is where having a circular saw or table, saber, or jigsaw comes in handy. Regardless of which type of saw that you choose, it is of the utmost importance that you select the right blade for the job. There are certain types of blades made specifically for the purpose of cutting acrylic. Even still, a metal-cutting blade that has carbide tips should be able to do an effective job.
Before you commit to a blade, just make sure that the teeth are evenly spaced. There should be no rake and the height and shape of the blade should be uniform. The process is similar in one way to using a utility knife and that is the measuring and marking. No matter what you are using to make the cut, the line must be straight and even otherwise you will wind up with a crooked cut. Use your yardstick and marker to create the line for your cut. Remember to line up your yardstick as evenly as possible before making your mark.
This part of the process is a little different.
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