When it comes to architectural or DIY projects, there are two primary plastic materials that homeowners and builders choose between: Polycarbonate and Acrylic. Compared to glass, these two materials offer higher durability, better weather resistance, and greater impact protection. This makes them the top two choices for clear doors, windows, and even transparent roofing for more natural light. If you’ve been on the lookout for durable building materials, chances are you’re considering getting either. To help you decide, we’ll discuss polycarbonate vs. acrylic, what their strengths are, and which material you should use for any of your projects.
What Is Polycarbonate?
Polycarbonate plastic refers to a transparent material that’s well known for its versatility. It has been used for years in different industries, including the medical, architectural, and agricultural industries, for a multitude of purposes. From medical protective gear to greenhouse panels for maximum temperature control, polycarbonate plastic sheets offer materials that have incredible durability and longevity without the need for regular maintenance.
What Is Acrylic?
Similar to polycarbonate, acrylic plastic is a transparent material that offers a longer lifespan and excellent durability compared to glass. What sets it apart, however, is that it can be melted, molded, and recast several times without any signs of degradation. This makes it an extremely flexible material that builders use for a variety of purposes. Today, some of the most popular uses for acrylic sheets include lighting, transparent displays, furniture, and roofing – albeit in environments that are not exposed to potential heavy impact.
Polycarbonate Vs. Acrylic: What Are Their Differences?
Both polycarbonate and acrylic are durable plastic materials that are used for building construction and as an alternative to glass. Because they’re both lightweight and more durable, they are two of the top choices in architecture today, especially for demanding applications. However, while they are relatively similar to one another, they have specific differences that make them more appropriate for different projects.
1. Price Point
Polycarbonate and acrylic are both cheaper than glass, making them a low-cost alternative for homeowners and developers. However, when it comes to pricing, acrylic sheet prices are lower and more affordable. Polycarbonate sheets, on the other hand, cost about 35% more than acrylic plastic, which may take up a significant portion of your construction or project budget.
2. Resilience
In terms of resilience, both polycarbonate and acrylic sheets trump glass, especially since they’re both designed to withstand certain levels of impact and weather exposure. However, polycarbonate sheets are the clear winner in the talks of polycarbonate vs. acrylic resilience, since they offer almost 30 times the resistance of acrylic sheets. Compared to glass, polycarbonate is stronger by up to 250 times.
3. Transparency
Acrylic and polycarbonate sheets are both clear plastics that offer high transparency for more light dissipation in architectures and various types of furniture. However, they don’t have the same clarity, since cast acrylic sheets outperform polycarbonate thanks to their glossy and transparent appearance. Polycarbonate, on the other hand, is more translucent and may cause a bit of light distortion when looked through.
4. Reusability
When it comes to reusability, acrylic is much more flexible and easier to recycle than polycarbonate. It can be remelted and recast to make other building components without seeing much material degradation. However, polycarbonate may also be reused and reshaped but with more limited application uses because of its BPA content – a toxin that also makes polycarbonate not advisable for food contact.
5. Flammability
As mentioned in the previous section, polycarbonate has a high melting point, allowing it to withstand extreme weather and temperature without causing it to degrade or melt easily. This is why polycarbonate is the chosen material for roofing, especially in regions where temperatures can get higher than normal. Compared to polycarbonate, acrylic is flammable and has a lower melting point, making it unsuitable for high-temperature applications since it may cause significant damage or even building degradation if applied incorrectly.
6. Color Stability
UV radiation plays a big part in comparing acrylic and polycarbonate. Long exposure under the sun, where majority of UV radiation come from, can cause discoloration and brittleness of the materials. To be used efficiently as a construction material, it must be UV resistant, so that it can be placed anywhere you want it to. Compared to polycarbonate, acrylic has an innate characteristic of being UV-resistant, which helps it retain its color even for long periods of time. This is why it is commonly used as outdoor signages, and why a business store logo can retain its colors. The effects of UV on your materials matter a lot, so you should check if your polycarbonate has a UV protection layer, to make it last for years.
Are Polycarbonate Sheets More Durable Than Acrylic?
When it comes to durability, polycarbonate may be your top choice because of its resistance to high-impact damage. It can withstand exposure to blows and extreme weather phenomena – offering you maximum protection at all times. Polycarbonate can also withstand extreme temperatures with little to no effect on its hardiness even after long exposures. While acrylic offers a more durable material than glass, it’s easily trumped by polycarbonate since acrylic has a higher chance of cracking or splintering if exposed to high-impact blows.
When it comes to scratches, acrylic may be hardier since they are essentially scratch-resistant, unlike polycarbonate which is highly susceptible to scratches. This means that polycarbonate sheets still need to be handled carefully, especially during delivery and installation. But not to worry since there are numerous tools and coatings that can help installers avoid accidentally scratching polycarbonate surfaces, including installation bars and abrasion hard coats.
Polycarbonate and Acrylic Offer Different Benefits for Your Projects
As two of the top glass alternatives in the architectural industry, the topic of acrylic vs. polycarbonate has been a popular subject, especially for suppliers and customers looking for the best materials for their projects. Both glass alternatives offer multiple benefits that make them the perfect choice for different applications. If you’re a homeowner who is looking for affordable solutions for your home updates, acrylic may be the recommended material. But if you’re a developer looking for high-quality and durable roofing solutions, polycarbonate may be the better option.
If you’re still at a loss on which material to use, you can contact us at Polylite. We’ll be more than happy to answer your queries and questions, and our specialists may even have recommendations for your upcoming plans.
