If your tables or guards went cloudy and dull, it’s often the cleaner, not the plastic.
Restaurants, hotels and offices: sanitizer-safe surfaces
Many strong cleaners haze acrylic over time, especially ones with ammonia or a lot of alcohol. Look for fine cracks or a cloudy film.
For daily cleaning: mild soap and water with a soft cloth, or a plastic cleaner like Novus #1. We carry Novus, including in our online shop.
If your staff has to use a commercial sanitizer, ask us about scratch- and abrasion-resistant coated sheet. It’s a special order, made for surfaces that get wiped all day.
Already scratched or dull? Light damage can often be polished back to clear (we do restoration polishing). Deep damage is usually cheaper to replace.
Still not sure?
Send us the size and what it’s for. A photo of the spot helps. We’ll tell you what we’d use, roughly what it costs, and when it’ll be ready.
There’s no dumb question about plastic. We’ve been answering them in Iwilei since 1950.
Most people who call us aren’t sure what to order. That’s normal. If you’re still not sure after reading this, tell us what it’s for, and we’ll tell you what we’d use.
Skylights
Want light without glare? White or frosted sheet spreads the light out and hides the sky. Clear lets in the most light, but also the heat and glare.
In a spot where something could fall on it?Polycarbonate is the safer choice.
In full sun for years? Ask about UV-protected grades. We can special order extra-long-term UV sheet.
Bring us the old panel. That’s what we work best from.
No old panel? Make a pattern of the exact shape, and we’ll cut to your pattern.
Please don’t bring a frame with broken glass still in it. We can’t dig the old glass out and guess what the size should be.
Skylight panels are often 3/16″ to 1/4″. Bigger openings need more, and the frame matters as much as the sheet.
Outside, in sun and salt air
Acrylic holds up well outdoors in Hawaii. Standard polycarbonate needs a UV-protected grade outdoors. Expanded PVC is great for signs, but it scratches easily and stains, so it suits indoor or covered use best.
Still not sure?
Send us the size and what it’s for. A photo of the spot helps. We’ll tell you what we’d use, roughly what it costs, and when it’ll be ready.
There’s no dumb question about plastic. We’ve been answering them in Iwilei since 1950.
Acrylic Thickness Guide: What Thickness Do You Need?
Short answer: most jobs land between 1/16″ and 1/4″. Use 1/16″ for small frames and small signs, 3/32″ for larger frames, and 1/8″ for small side tables and covers. Use 3/16″ for desk and dining table covers and countertop sneeze guards, and 1/4″ for outdoor tables, larger guards and windows. Go 3/8″ and up for shelves, display cases and anything that carries weight or spans a wide gap.
Thicker sheet is stiffer and tougher, but heavier and more expensive. The right thickness depends on how big the piece is and how it’s supported.
Thickness by job
Thickness
Typical uses
1/16″ (about 1.5 mm)
Small picture frames, small signs, craft and model work, inserts, thin covers. Flexes easily.
3/32″ (.093″–.098″, about 2.5 mm)
Larger picture and poster frames, menu holders, light covers
1/8″ (about 3 mm)
The everyday sheet: small side table covers, small windows, cabinet doors, small sneeze guards
3/16″ (about 4.5 mm)
Desk and dining table covers, countertop sneeze guards, larger signs, windows, small display boxes
1/4″ (about 6 mm)
Outdoor table covers, freestanding and larger sneeze guards, display cases, light shelves, larger windows
3/8″ (about 9.5 mm)
Shelves, larger display cases, risers, partitions
1/2″ (about 12.7 mm)
Heavy shelves, podiums and lecterns, large display cases
3/4″ to 2″
Structural and heavy-duty work: bar and counter tops, large museum cases, tank windows, machine parts
These are starting points. Size, span and how the sheet is held all matter. Tell us the job and we’ll confirm the thickness.
Cast or extruded?
We stock both. Extruded acrylic holds a more even thickness from sheet to sheet and usually costs less, which makes it a good choice for frames, glazing and covers. Cast acrylic machines, polishes and laser engraves more cleanly and handles cements and solvents better, so it’s the usual pick for display cases, fabrication and engraving.
Good to know
Sheet thickness is nominal. A “1/8 inch” sheet is often 3 mm (0.118″), and cast sheet can run thinner or thicker than its label. If an exact fit matters, like a frame groove or a replacement panel, bring the old piece or measure the opening.
Thin sheet moves in Hawaii’s humidity. Sheet thinner than 1/4″ can warp in our humidity. In a frame or lying on a table, it stays flat. For a big piece standing on its own, go thicker or plan a way to support it.
Need more strength without going thicker? Polycarbonate is much tougher at the same thickness. See Acrylic vs. Polycarbonate.
Common questions
What thickness is best for a sneeze guard?
3/16″ for most countertop guards. 1/4″ for larger or freestanding guards.
What thickness for a tabletop or desk cover?
3/16″ for a desk or dining table, 1/8″ for smaller side tables, and 1/4″ for outdoor tables. It lies flat and holds up to daily use.
What thickness do you stock?
Clear acrylic from 1/16″ up to 2″ thick, in full and partial sheets, plus colors, mirror and specialty sheet.
Short answer: pick acrylic when you want the clearest, best-looking sheet: display cases, signs, picture frames, sneeze guards and tabletop covers. Pick polycarbonate when the sheet has to survive a hit: machine guards, security glazing, skylights in exposed spots, and anything kids, carts or forklifts might run into.
Both are clear, light plastics that people often call “plexiglass.” They look alike on the rack, but they behave very differently once they’re in use.
How they compare
Acrylic (Plexiglas)
Polycarbonate
Clarity
About 92% light transmission, the clearest
About 86–88%, slightly less clear
Impact strength
Stronger than glass, but can crack under a hard hit
Roughly 30 times tougher than acrylic, very hard to break
Scratch resistance
Harder surface, scratches less
Softer surface, scratches more easily (coated grades help)
Sun and weather
Stays clear outdoors for years
Needs a UV-protected grade outdoors, or it can yellow
Heat
Good to about 160–180°F
Good to about 240°F
Edges
Can be polished to a glass-like clear edge
Edges stay frosted, can’t be flame polished
Bending and forming
Heat-bends and thermoforms well
Can be cold-bent on site; also thermoforms
Price
Usually costs less
Usually costs more
Typical published values for standard sheet. Exact numbers vary by grade and thickness.
Where each one makes sense
Acrylic is the go-to for anything people look at: museum and retail display cases, signs, frames, shelving, tabletop protectors and sneeze guards. It polishes to a clean, clear edge and cements into seamless joints, which is why most display work is acrylic.
Polycarbonate is the go-to for anything that takes abuse: machine and equipment guards, protective barriers, security and vandal-resistant windows, and covers in busy or exposed areas. It flexes instead of shattering.
A note for Hawaii
Our sun is strong year-round. For outdoor work, acrylic holds its clarity well. If you need polycarbonate’s toughness outdoors, ask for a UV-protected sheet, or it may yellow and turn brittle over time. Thin sheet of either can also move with heat and humidity, so leave room for expansion when you mount it.
Common questions
Is polycarbonate the same as Lexan?
Lexan, Makrolon and Tuffak are all brand names for polycarbonate sheet, the same way Plexiglas is a brand name for acrylic. We carry Tuffak.
Which is better for a sneeze guard?
Usually acrylic. It stays clearer, scratches less with daily cleaning and costs less. Choose polycarbonate if the guard will get bumped hard.
Can you cut both to size?
Yes. We stock both in Iwilei and can cut, CNC route, polish or fabricate either one. Call (808) 847-1511.
Which is better for a boat or outdoor window?
It depends on what it has to survive. Tell us about the job and we’ll help you choose.