Acrylic vs polycarbonate (Lexan) for storm windows

CrankyDoug · 10-18-19, 06:34 PM

I have to make four removable storm windows for the skylight in my house. They are trapezoidal so there will be a lot of waste. I will need two 4X8 sheets.

Acrylic is less expensive than polycarbonate. I'm not concerned about impact damage. The question is which will hold up better under heavy sunlight and semi-regular cleaning.

Acrylic can be polished if it gets scratched. I've never had any luck removing scratches from polycarbonate but then maybe I didn't know what I was doing.

Any recommendations?

jjackstone · 10-18-19, 10:20 PM

Acrylic tends to shatter into shards if it breaks. Polycarbonate not so much. Lexan likely has better UV resistance also so should last longer in the sun.
JJ

johny5 · 10-23-19, 01:27 AM

Sheet grade polycarbonate and acrylic sheet are two of the most frequently used see-through plastics. Acrylic is shinier and polycarb is stronger. Acrylic is less expensive but easier to crack. Polycarb is more impact resistant but easier to scratch.

orange · 11-20-19, 12:28 PM

Acrylic. Acrylic Acrylic. Polycarb yellows in the sun and is much easier to scratch. When I built my first house, I used acrylic.

We are used to double pane glass which has a lot of reflections. When clean, the acrylic windows were so beautiful because they looked like there was nothing there. The garden looked like it was an extension of the house.

10-18-19, 06:34 PM	#1
CrankyDoug Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Georgia Posts: 100 Thanks: 6 Thanked 14 Times in 11 Posts	Acrylic vs polycarbonate (Lexan) for storm windows I have to make four removable storm windows for the skylight in my house. They are trapezoidal so there will be a lot of waste. I will need two 4X8 sheets. Acrylic is less expensive than polycarbonate. I'm not concerned about impact damage. The question is which will hold up better under heavy sunlight and semi-regular cleaning. Acrylic can be polished if it gets scratched. I've never had any luck removing scratches from polycarbonate but then maybe I didn't know what I was doing. Any recommendations?

10-18-19, 10:20 PM	#2
jjackstone Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sacramento,Ca Posts: 88 Thanks: 5 Thanked 32 Times in 23 Posts	Acrylic tends to shatter into shards if it breaks. Polycarbonate not so much. Lexan likely has better UV resistance also so should last longer in the sun. JJ

10-23-19, 01:27 AM	#3
johny5 Lurking Renovator Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: delhi Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Sheet grade polycarbonate and acrylic sheet are two of the most frequently used see-through plastics. Acrylic is shinier and polycarb is stronger. Acrylic is less expensive but easier to crack. Polycarb is more impact resistant but easier to scratch.

11-20-19, 12:28 PM	#4
orange frugal builder Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Bowen Island, BC Posts: 16 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Acrylic. Acrylic Acrylic. Polycarb yellows in the sun and is much easier to scratch. When I built my first house, I used acrylic. We are used to double pane glass which has a lot of reflections. When clean, the acrylic windows were so beautiful because they looked like there was nothing there. The garden looked like it was an extension of the house.