Perspex® is a trade name of Lucite International and is polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) acrylic sheet which is manufactured from methyl methacrylate monomer (MMA).

What's the difference between Perspex® and acrylic?

Perspex® and acrylic are essentially the same thing. Perspex® is a premium branded acrylic and, as such, is manufactured to the highest industry standards possible. Perspex® has an enviable reputation as the very best acrylic available.

Available in cast and extruded sheet, we can supply Perspex® in a wide range of sheet sizes, cut to size panels, blocks, thicknesses, colours and textures. Perspex® also offers exciting effects such as gloss, silk, matt, frosted, fluorescent & live edge, and pearlescent - as well as a diamond surface texture.

We supply Perspex® in the following standard sheet sizes of:

2030mm x 1523mm and 3050mm x 2030mm

Also available as cut to size panels to your exact requirements

We supply Perspex® sheets in the following standard thicknesses of:

Clear Perspex® : 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 15mm, 20mm, and 25mm thick

Thick acrylic sheet is also available (up to 200mm thick block)

Opal Perspex®: 3mm, 5mm, 10mm, 20mm

Coloured Perspex®: 3mm and 5mm (some Perspex® colours are available in 10mm and 20mm subject to availability)

Frosted Perspex® (Crystal Clear, Polar White, Glacier Green): 3mm, 5mm, 10mm, 20mm

Other Perspex® Frosted Colours: 3mm and 5mm

Acrylic | Perspex® is extremely versatile and can be used in applications as diverse as signs, POS, visual communication, window glazing, acoustics, design, architecture, furniture, boat and car windows, kitchen and bathroom splash backs - the list is almost endless.

The main advantages of acrylic | Perspex® sheets are:

-high shock, abrasion and flex resistance

-excellent weather and UV resistance (applies to clear only)

-low density / light weight compared with glass

-clear sheet offers excellent optical clarity

-comprehensive range of colours and finishes

Cast Perspex® sheet is produced directly from monomer, cast between two sheets of high quality glass and is polymerised in batches in specially developed ovens and water baths in a carefully controlled manufacturing process.

Extruded Perspex® sheet is produced from the acrylic polymer Lucite Diakon in the form of granules, and extruded into sheet.

This means that the Perspex® colour does not allow transmission of light (e.g. if you held your hand up behind a solid colour sheet you would not see a shadow).

This means that the although the Perspex® colour allows transmission of a minimal amount of light you are unable to see through the material (eg if you held your hand up behind a translucent colour sheet you would see a shadow, but you would not be able to see your hand). Translucent Perspex® is frequently used for light-boxes.

This means that the Perspex® colour is see through. So in effect, the sheet is clear but tinted with a colour.

This means that the Perspex® has a frosted (anti-reflective) finish on one side of the sheet.

This means that the Perspex® has a frosted (anti-reflective) finish on both sides of the sheet.

This is a relatively new addition to the Perspex® range with an exciting fluorescent live edge, and is available in a range of colours.

Perspex® VA is a special UV grade acrylic sheet which has excellent ultraviolet absorbing properties to block damaging UV rays. This is a best-selling item to museums and art galleries.

Our pollicising techniques allows us to polish out most minor surface scratches and imperfections from Perspex® and acrylic sheet

Cast Perspex® is manufactured in accordance with ISO7823-1, which means for the thickness range of 2 to 25mm, a production tolerance of +/-10% plus 0.4mm (e.g. 8mm cast sheet could vary from 6.8mm to 9.2mm).

Extruded Perspex® is manufactured in accordance with ISO7823-2, i.e. to a thickness tolerance of +/-10% for sheet thicknesses below 3mm and +/-5% for sheet thicknesses of 3mm and above.

CAST Perspex® achieves a UK Class 3 fire rating. EXTRUDED Perspex® achieves a UK Class 4 fire rating.

The best method for cleaning acrylic | Perspex® sheet is by washing with a solution of lukewarm water with a drop of washing-up liquid, using a soft cloth to loosen any dirt and grime. Then, rinse with cold water and dry with a very soft cloth to prevent water spotting.

You can also use standard glass spray but make sure that there is no wax within the sprays contents. You should not use chemicals, cleaning products with wax, or other abrasive cleaning materials, nor should you use any form of scraper or squeegee or other sharp instruments.

When light transmission values are given, they are for a nominal 3mm thickness. The light transmission of Perspex® varies according to thickness. Colour numbers with the letter "T" are constant transmission products. This means that the product has the same light transmission throughout the thickness range.

Yes, Perspex® Black 962 will only transmit infra-red light.

By using the specific gravity of Perspex® sheet (1.19) you can use the following simple formula to work out the weight of any given sheet size:

Length (in metres) x Width (in metres) x Thickness (in mm) x 1.19 = Weight in kg

Many of our customers have used our range of acrylic | Perspex® colours to make modern splash backs for kitchen areas. We can cut acrylic | Perspex® sheets to almost any custom size - and we can also include cut-outs for sockets etc if required (we just need a drawing from you showing dimensions). To discuss your project in more detail, please contact us.

Please note that acrylic | Perspex® must not be positioned near to any naked flame (e.g. gas hobs), nor exposed to temperatures in excess of 75 degrees C.

Acrylic | Perspex® can certainly be used in bathrooms. You can also use a range of adhesives and sealants to mount and seal around the edge of the acrylic | Perspex® sheets to ensure a water-tight finish. Depending on your wall surface, you may need to pre-mount your acrylic | Perspex® sheet to a board (e.g. MDF) prior to fixing to achieve a sound, flat finish.

If you would like more detailed information, pricing information, or have any other question about acrylic | Perspex®, drop us an email at marvin@weloveacrylic.co.uk, or call us on 0790-520-4986 and we'll be happy to help.