Why Windows Should Be Made From Plexiglass

Plexiglass is perhaps the most coveted synthetic glass out there, but it has one con—it's expensive. Most home interior designers like the benefits of this material, but the price puts them off.

Plexiglass is usually shiny and transparent like glass, yet a lot more durable. In this post, you’ll learn why despite its cost, plexiglass might be the best choice for your windows.

The History of Acrylics and Plexiglass

Understanding plexiglass takes us back to its mother compound—acrylic. The history of acrylics dates back to 1933 when Otto Rohm was trying to experiment with the lamination of two glass plates. He intended to increase their resistance, but instead, he “accidentally” created a new material that looked like glass.

Otto Rohm then patented Plexiglas in 1936 under his plastic manufacturing company. Even today, acrylic sheets are still useful due to their bending, milling, and hot-forming qualities.

Acrylic sheets come in several forms, and plexiglass is one of them. Its scientific polymer name is poly(methyl methacrylate) which is often abbreviated as PMMA. In classification, glass is a transparent thermoplastic polymer.

The petroleum-based plastic is amorphous and non-crystalline, which is the result of a cooling inorganic liquid compound that hasn't crystallized. So, unlike other acrylic compounds, plexiglass has a uniform, transparent mixture that earns it the “glass” attribute.

The plastic glass is transparent due to the absence of granules and particles in its composition.  The cell-cast acrylic is purer than other acrylics. This gives it a shiny, glassy look.

Plexiglas is the brand name, but the material is often called plexiglass. In simple terms, it refers to cell-cast acrylic polymers such as lucite and acrylic. If you intend to buy the right synthetic glass, don't order Fab Glass and Mirror acrylic sheets or plexiglass. Instead, go for names such as extruded acrylic or cell-cast acrylic.

Ordinary acrylic sheets are quite different from plexiglass. The latter has a harder surface than the former, which makes it ideal for use as a glass. It is also more resistant to solvents and other adhesive chemicals than other members of the acrylic family. The acrylic compounds are ordinarily soft and thus ideally used for gluing materials together.

Plexiglass materials often fade and discolor quicker if you expose them to chemicals such as ammonia and alcohol for a long time. Also, if you live in areas with high humidity and salt in the air, you will notice the material fading sooner than the warranty states as well.

Plexiglass Versus Glass

While glass is brittle and transparent and usually consists of silica material, plexiglass is a soft inorganic compound.

Most glass surfaces reflect light more easily than acrylic surfaces. Although, sometimes, traditional glass produces unwanted reflections. So, the majority of aquariums are made of plexiglass due to its strength and ability to allow the penetration of light.

Standard glass is often more affordable than acrylics. Of course, glass prices depend on size, thickness, and customizations.

When considering the maintenance and erosion of both materials, plexiglass is cheaper than regular glass in the long run. However, regular glass is cheaper upfront.

Plexiglass is better at withstanding shatter than ordinary glass. Glass is basically a frozen liquid of amorphous material that shatters easily. Acrylic thermoplastics are softer than glass which means they can bend instead of breaking.

Plexiglass is versatile in that you can cut it into any shape you want. Glass, on the contrary, is a little more challenging to shape. The former is lighter than the latter, which makes it convenient for transportation and installation.

However, the plexiglass reacts with solvents and other cleaning agents, which unfortunately cause scratches. While cleaning traditional glass is quite easy.

Why Plexiglass is Expensive

Unforuntaltey, manufacturing a synthetic material isn't cheap. Plexiglass is formed in one of two ways: the extrusion or cell cast methods.

The extrusion method is less expensive, but it often produces softer plastics with surface impurities.

On the other hand, cell-cast varieties have hard surfaces. The cell cast forms in a closed area, reducing contact with impurities. The closed process increases the cost of production and, inevitably, the price of plexiglass sheets.

Also, the use of petrochemicals in the manufacturing and recycling of plexiglass makes it more expensive as well.

Top Benefits of Plexiglass Sheeting

Traditional glass has dominated the window industry for years. But, these conventional methods are quickly coming to a stop due to the benefits of plexiglass. The material is durable and more efficient than ordinary glass, which makes it far better for windows.

Below are some of the benefits of acrylic sheeting:

Strength

If you want superior strength for your windows, you should consider using plexiglass. The material shatters at almost 20 times more impact than glass.

Also, no one gets injured when the sheeting breaks because it requires a lot of force to do that. And, even if it breaks, the plastic would not hurt anyone as much as glass would.

Easy to Cut

You do not need a diamond blade to cut through acrylic plastics. A table saw is enough to cut plexiglass to your favorite shapes and sizes.

This allows you to express your creativity and art in making custom home decor.

Minimal Reflection

Plexiglass sheeting is clear and allows more than 90 percent of light to penetrate, which means it’s more transparent than conventional glass. That’s why glass reflects more light than this acrylic compound.

You can look at thick glass panes and notice a difference in color which shows it is not entirely transparent.