# How thick does plexiglass/acrylic need to be?



## The_Universe (Jun 5, 2007)

I'm building my game table, and I'm getting ready to buy a 4'x6' sheet of plexiglass to use as a dry erase surface over maps, mats, etc. 

But how thick would such a piece of plexiglass have to be in order to be easily removable for map/mat placement, but still strong enough that it's not going to crack any time I pick it up? 

Any idea?


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## Cabled (Jun 5, 2007)

The_Universe said:
			
		

> I'm building my game table, and I'm getting ready to buy a 4'x6' sheet of plexiglass to use as a dry erase surface over maps, mats, etc.
> 
> But how thick would such a piece of plexiglass have to be in order to be easily removable for map/mat placement, but still strong enough that it's not going to crack any time I pick it up?
> 
> Any idea?




Plexiglass is remarkably strong, and if you don't get all crazy with it, 3/16" will probably suit you fine.


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## Festivus (Jun 5, 2007)

I am pretty sure that is what I use (I bought the thinnest I could find).  The only thing you really need to be careful about is dropping it... mind shattered the corner when I dropped it.  A little super glue fixed it just fine however.


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## The_Universe (Jun 5, 2007)

Festivus said:
			
		

> I am pretty sure that is what I use (I bought the thinnest I could find).  The only thing you really need to be careful about is dropping it... mind shattered the corner when I dropped it.  A little super glue fixed it just fine however.



 If I might ask, where did you acquire the plexiglass? So far, I haven't found anything but online retailers, and their prices are a little steep...

In any case, it appears that the thickness start as low as .06 inches at most places, and then go up incrementally from there (.08 inches, .1 inches, etc.)


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## stonehill_troll (Jun 5, 2007)

http://www.professionalplastics.com/cgi-bin/main/co_disp/displ/prrfnbr/85259/sesent/00

http://www.rplastics.com/plexiglas.html

The prices look pretty reasonable to me, the shipping costs will definitely push it up.  Recommend that you search for a source near you and borrow a pickup truck to go pick it up. A list of alternate sources http://www.thomasnet.com/products/plastic-sheet-sheeting-acrylic-60000403-1.html


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## The_Universe (Jun 5, 2007)

Thanks - the thomasnet site, in particular, looks pretty useful. Any recommendations on thickness?


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## stonehill_troll (Jun 5, 2007)

It's been many years since I used plexiglass (note that there are variations of plexiglass plastics, such as acrylic), when I was still in construction.  The worst part I remember is that it scratches very easily (acrylic sheets are more resistent to scratches and flexible versus hard plastic plexiglass) and with constant use becomes almost useless, losing much of its transparency.  On the other hand acrylic sheets are more easily permanently marked by some markers.

From memory
~1/16" is too thin IMO and can snap (hard plastic versions specifically), 1/8" is ok, 3/8"-1/4" is very good and durable, but a bit thick and heavy for some people.

For a hands-on review, go to a craft store that sells custom picture framing equipment, they should have small sheets (3'x4') of plexiglass for poster frames of various thickness and types.


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## dagger (Jun 5, 2007)

I have gotten mine from Lowes and Home Depot for very cheap.


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## Umbran (Jun 5, 2007)

dagger said:
			
		

> I have gotten mine from Lowes and Home Depot for very cheap.




If I recall correctly, either will also cut it into any basic rectangular shape you need.


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## Greylock (Jun 5, 2007)

Sounds like you could use some Transparent Aluminum.

That's the ticket, laddie.


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## Ender_rpm (Jun 5, 2007)

Ha, nice.

Also, you may want to pick up some angled steel, and epoxy it along the edges, make it more rigid, if at the expense of weight.


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## Andre (Jun 5, 2007)

Umbran said:
			
		

> If I recall correctly, either will also cut it into any basic rectangular shape you need.




Yep, tho the cost for cutting can exceed the cost of the original sheet in some cases.

BTW, take the recommendations for thickness with a grain of salt - it really depends on how much you'll be moving them around. I purchased four 36" x 30" pieces years ago and they're still going strong (1/16" thick). 

Also, the thicker the sheets are, the more distortion you get when trying to see where creatures are on the grid underneath (or in my case, counters from a wargame). I don't mean distortion as fuzzy - it's just that when viewing the table from the side (rather than straight above), it will seem like the pieces are off-center.


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## Nyarlathotep (Jun 5, 2007)

You might also check out using Melamine (I think that's what it's called). I bought a 4x8 Sheet for about $35.00 CAD, scored a one inch grid on it using a carpet knife and a T square and it's worked great with dry-erase for two years now.


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## The_Universe (Jun 7, 2007)

Well, I picked up some .093 inch lexan (Home Depot's plexiglass subsitute), and cut it to fit my table. It's got some warp in it, but I'm currently weighing it down with a significant portion of my gaming library, so that should help flatten it out. It only cost ~$21/sheet at 36"x48", which means eventual replacement is unlikely to break the bank. 

Apparently, neither home depot or lowes will cut plexiglass/acrylic anymore, so I had to get a plastic knife and a straight edge to do it myself. It's not great, but the jagged parts I hosed up are flush up against the lip of the table, so they're not overly noticeable.


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## Festivus (Jun 7, 2007)

I bought mine at a lumberyard, but only because I was looking for an 8 foot x 4 foot piece.  In hindsight, two smaller 4x4 foot ones could be obtained at Home Depot for less money (I think it was around $35 a sheet for the 4x4).  I paid close to $100 for my sheet.

To smooth out those rough edges you can wet sand it and you won't crack the surface.  For the warp... heat will flatten it out too.  You could try putting a towel over the area and ironing it but my best suggestion is to lay it flat in the sun for a little while and then bring it back in and weight it.


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## Nail (Jun 7, 2007)

dagger said:
			
		

> I have gotten mine from Lowes and Home Depot for very cheap.



Me too.

We have two sheets, the largest being 4 ft by 3 ft (roughly).


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