EcoRenovator  

Go Back   EcoRenovator > Improvements > Renovations & New Construction
Advanced Search
 


Blog 60+ Home Energy Saving Tips Recent Posts Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 10-18-19, 05:34 PM   #1
CrankyDoug
Apprentice EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Georgia
Posts: 100
Thanks: 6
Thanked 14 Times in 11 Posts
Default 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?

CrankyDoug is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-18-19, 09:20 PM   #2
jjackstone
Helper EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Sacramento,Ca
Posts: 88
Thanks: 5
Thanked 32 Times in 23 Posts
Default

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
jjackstone is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-19, 12:27 AM   #3
johny5
Lurking Renovator
 
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: delhi
Posts: 2
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

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.
johny5 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-20-19, 11:28 AM   #4
orange
frugal builder
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Bowen Island, BC
Posts: 16
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

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.

orange is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:27 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Ad Management by RedTyger
Inactive Reminders By Icora Web Design