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How To Paint MDF

MDF is a versatile and cost-effective material that is commonly used for various woodworking applications, including furniture, cabinetry, trim work, and more. One of the

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MDF v Plywood FAQs

MDF, Medium-Density Fiberboard and Plywood are two popular materials that at-home DIY-ers and commercial builders commonly use. Both materials can often be used for the

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FAQ: ABS Sheet

ABS stands for Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene and is a durable thermoplastic polymer. It is an extremely strong and resilient plastic that is renowned for its

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How To Drill Holes Into Your Acrylic

Once you have chosen your acrylic, arranged for it to be cut to the required size and had it safely delivered, it is time to fix your material into place. Depending on your project, you will have the choice of doing this with adhesives or by drilling holes and using fixings.  If you already know […]

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How to Clean your Acrylic Panels

Once you have your acrylic panel in place it is important that you are able to retain the flawless look and finish, regardless of any wear and tear that it may receive. You should try to give your acrylic a little more attention than you would give to glass, as scratches can be more noticeable, […]

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Using Foamex Foam PVC to Make Track Car Door Cards

Fixing up cars is a hobby that many people, young and old, have in common. In particular the trend for working on racing cars has increased, with many forums and YouTube videos available for even the most novice of petrol-heads to follow. You may think that this kind of hobby is expensive and difficult. However, […]

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Using Clear Acrylic For Wall Protection

As hard as we try, sometimes it is impossible to keep walls and surfaces clear and clean from debris and dirt. After a period of time, such exposure can cause irreversible damage, leading to costly repairs or the need to replace entire sections of plaster, wallpaper and any other unprotected surface.  Some of our customers […]

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Acrylic Mirror vs Glass Mirror

Using acrylic mirror in place of a glass mirror is becoming an increasingly popular trend for DIY and construction projects. We take a closer look at the acrylic material to see what makes it such a popular alternative and to see whether glass can still be useful. Acrylic Mirror Acrylic mirror is lightweight, making it […]

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Aluminium Composite Panels vs Aluminium Sheeting

When we think of aluminium the words strong and durable come to mind. This makes it suitable for a wide variety of projects, but which type of aluminium is the best? In this months blog we take a look at some of the pros and cons of two variations of the material, comparing them to […]

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Foamex vs Dibond

Foamex and Dibond are both popular materials, with many similarities in their characteristics and in their uses. This can make it hard to decide which is better for your particular project, so we take a closer look at each material, to see if there is a way of separating the two in order for them […]

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How to Remove Scratches from your Plastic

As hard as we try to avoid it, scratching plastic items is sometimes inevitable. Just as with glass and other DIY products, life takes over and we can become careless about how we treat things. That is until we notice a big scratch on the surface and we kick ourselves for becoming complacent. So is […]

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Using Acrylic Mirror Sheet For Horse Stable Mirrors

Unless familiar with caring for horses; if asked to list all of the things you’d expect to find in a horses’ stable, very few people would come back with a mirror. A saddle, a trough and plenty of horse-poo perhaps, but a mirror? – That being said, when you understand the psychological benefits for horses […]

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Using Anti-Reflective Acrylic For Picture Framing

Picture framing, whether for a hobby or as a profession, has a lot of benefits. It’s relaxing, it’s creative, it makes people happy to have their treasured images framed beautifully, and it focuses the mind and keeps it active. It’s not something that everyone has the skill or the patience to do, but if you […]

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How To Make Mirrored Wardrobe Doors

Do you want to give your wardrobe doors a revamp? It is an easy and simple home improvement that will turn your plain wardrobe in to mirrored wardrobe doors. Not only is it handy for you to check your outfit before leaving the house but having mirrors in a room really opens it out and […]

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Making an Infinity Mirror with Two Way Acrylic

Ever feel that you need to create the impression of extra space at home? Want to add a quirky feature to your furnishings? Then building your own LED infinity mirror is just the project for you. Whether displayed as an infinity mirror table or as an artistic twist to a bathroom mirror, infinity mirrors give […]

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Laser Cutting In To Acrylic Perspex

Laser cutting in to a variety of materials is becoming increasingly popular, most often used within industrial manufacturing companies the laser cutter is starting to make its way over to small design businesses, artists and schools as well as being a sought after piece of equipment within universities for art and design students. Using a […]

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Raspberry Pi Magic Mirror Project Gallery

At Cut Plastic Sheeting we love to see our materials being used in clever and creative ways. One of our favourite uses for two-way mirror is to create a magic mirror powered by the tiny and affordable Raspberry Pi computer. Most people only know about two-way mirrors from the interrogation rooms in crime dramas. They […]

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Dibond Painting Substrate: The Ideal Art Surface?

A poor painter should never blame their tools, however only with the right materials can an artist truly realise their vision. For artists looking for a new surface to work on, Dibond painting substrate is quickly becoming a popular choice, not only for its stiffness, but also due to its supreme smoothness and the superb results of its graphic […]

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How To Build A Drinks Bar With Acrylic

Over ten times stronger than glass and available in a range of different colours and finishes, acrylic plastic is the ideal material for fabricating bar tops and bar shelves. Acrylic is an easy material to work with and can can be cut to size using common household tools, not to mention it can be installed […]

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Specialist Engineering Plastics Vs Metals

From as far back as 3300BC – at the dawn of the bronze age – the human race has relied on metallic materials to assist them in their day to day lives. Despite its long history of use, we are still finding new uses for the metals we have access to and new alloys are […]

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DIY Guide – How To Fit An Acrylic Kitchen Splashback

Two of the most frequently asked questions we get at Cut Plastic Sheeting are “how easy is it to fit an acrylic kitchen splashback?” and “how do I install an acrylic splashback in my kitchen?”. The answer is simple: fitting one of our cut-to-size plastic kitchen splashbacks is an incredibly straight forward process, especially if you […]

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The 5 Most Common Plastics & Their Everyday Uses

Despite being all but unheard of until the 1920’s, plastic materials have effectively permeated every aspect of modern day life, from the microchips in your computer to the bags you carry your shopping in. The reason why it seems like plastic can be used just about everywhere is that it is not actually just one […]

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21 Facts About Recycling Plastics

Plastics are amongst the most versatile and commonly used materials in the world, and whilst no one can deny the profound impact they have had on the last 100 years of human history, our reliance on the various forms of plastic has made developing an efficient method of plastic recycling essential. We have come a […]

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Using Acrylic To Build Aquariums & Fish Tanks 

The ideal material for Aquariums and fish tanks, acrylic is sturdy, durable, waterproof, and has the same crystal clear transparency as glass so that you can watch your fish as they go about their day. Even more importantly, sheets of acrylic can be bonded together through various methods, and once they have been, the area […]

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What is Nylon?

First produced in 1935, Nylon is one of the most common plastics in the world and has been used to create everything from clothes and parachutes to food packaging and guitar strings. Nylon can also be used in conjunction with other materials, such as glass and carbon fibre, as its wide range of qualities are […]

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The Benefits Of PETG

Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol-Modified (also known as PETG, PETE or PET to its friends) hits something of a middle ground between acrylic and polycarbonate and therefore it is probably best to look at it in relation to the two, as well as independently. Needless to say if PETG is capable of going up against these two […]

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Winter Preparation: Perspex Shed Windows

A house is often relatively safe from leaks or external damage, as when an issue occurs it will be flagged up and addressed almost as soon as they happen by those who live there. This however is not the case with garden fixtures, especially not the shed; which is often left cluttered, unorganised and, for […]

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Draught-Proof Your Home With Acrylic

A house, like the human body, is a sum of its parts; something happening in one room can often have an effect on another. This is obvious in certain instances, for example a loud TV in the lounge might impair the silence of the bedroom above and a hot hob or few in the kitchen […]

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How To Glue Polycarbonate

Despite being almost 30 times more sturdy than glass and extremely resilient to damage, you cannot simply adhere two pieces of Polycarbonate together using regular solvents, as this will cause the material to craze. Crazing occurs when the bonds that hold the material together at a microscopic level are damaged or broken, causing the material […]

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How To Make An Acrylic Table Protector

Whether it is in the dining room, kitchen, lounge or bedroom, wooden furniture has the uncanny knack of being able to bring out the best in a space by complimenting the room’s other features. Sadly, wooden furniture is notoriously easy to scratch and stain, leading to them quickly accumulating damage and loosing their aesthetic charm. This is […]

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What Is Dibond & How Can It Be Used?

When asked ‘What is Dibond’ there are a number of possible answers, all of which are different but true. Dibond can be summed up simply as an extremely rigid yet lightweight material which excels at indoor or outdoor signage, as well as in the fabrication of various temporary or semi-permanent installations. But that is a […]

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How To Install Acrylic Sheets: The Installation Process

Continuing on from our previous article ‘Preparing for installation‘ we shall now be detailing to you the best method of installing acrylic sheets onto a substrate surface. To quickly recap, ensure that both your acrylic and substrate are properly readied, and that all the machining has been fully carried out; if you have not done […]

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How To Glue Acrylic Edges With Acrylic Cement

Gluing acrylic sheets on to other acrylic surfaces, or surfaces made from other material for that matter, is not as simple or as straight forward as it sounds. This is not to say that it is difficult or arduous in anyway, but you will need to meet several specific conditions before you can go ahead […]

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How To Smooth & Polish Acrylic Edges

Above: Un-polished acrylic edge as it is after being cut by a saw Above: Perfectly clear edge after polishing   Being an extremely versatile material acrylic can be used for any number of projects and in many different ways. It is safe to assume that different facets of acrylic’s resume will be focused upon, depending […]

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How To Build A Cold Frame

During the winter months it is essential to protect seedlings, new plants or those susceptible to frost, from the cold. While it is perfectly acceptable to take them indoors, this is often impractical. There is another popular solution that is cost-effective, doesn’t take up too much space, and is extremely efficient at keeping plants warm […]

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New Product: Perspex Spectrum LED Light Diffusing Acrylic

LED (Light Emitting Diodes) lighting solutions have been growing in popularity for many years now and are continuing to show signs of increasing popularity. This is no doubt due to the aesthetic, cost and environmental benefits intrinsic to LEDs that so many other light sources sadly lack. The growing popularity of LED lighting presents an […]

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Acrylic Vs. Polycarbonate

Often seen as direct competitors, acrylic and polycarbonate do have a lot in common at face value and do occasionally bump into each other whilst performing the same tasks. But how can you pick between the two when at a glance you may not be able to differentiate between the two?  The answer is straight […]

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Plastic: Why & How It Is Recycled

You may not realise it but we are living in a plastic society. Nearly everything contains plastic, the clothes you are wearing, the screen you are reading this on, the car you use to drive around in; plastic is everywhere. But what happens to these things once they are no longer needed? The answer may […]

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FAQ: Does Acrylic Plastic Look Like Glass?

Many people use clear plastic sheet as an alternative to glass for many different reasons. It might be to take advantage of the low weight of plastic compared to glass, or for safety reasons but even where practicality is the chief concern there may still be a need for the aesthetic of glass to be […]

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Using Acrylic with Other Materials

Acrylic is a versatile sheet plastic material which can be used in all kinds of domestic and commercial projects. But how well does it work with other materials such as glass, wood, metal and other plastics? In this guide we are going to tackle this big question and go through some tips of how to […]

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FAQ: How Weather Resistant is Clear Acrylic?

Some of the most common queries about our clear acrylic sheeting are about the weather resistance of the material. Acrylic is used for many outdoor projects – including as replacement panels for shed windows and greenhouses – and it is therefore very important to know how long the material is expected to last in high […]

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Installing Polycarbonate Greenhouse Panels

Now the warmer weather has finally arrived here in the UK, plenty of people are getting back out into the garden and tidying things up in preparation for the summer. If you’ve been a little late in getting out and tidying up after the cold and wet winter, it’s not too late to transform your […]

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Expert Guide: How to Cut Acrylic Perspex

One of the key benefits of acrylic Perspex in many practical and aesthetic applications – beyond its strength, impact resistance and incredible clarity – is how easy it is to work with. Acrylic sheets may be cut with standard workshop equipment including hand saws and power saws, and Perspex dowel or blocks may be machined […]

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Polycarbonate vs. PETG

Our most popular products are often our cut to size clear plastic sheets, so today I thought I’d blog about our two high performance clear plastics and their unique advantages in certain applications. Both of these materials are championed for their toughness and great optical clarity. These key features make them ideal replacements for standard […]

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Acrylic vs Glass Splashbacks

If your kitchen is looking as drab as the weather, why not consider giving it a new lease of life with a modern and colourful Splashback.  An inexpensive way to brighten up the home, Splashbacks are now favoured over the more traditional tile surfaces we chose in the 1990’s, and most interior designers recommend these […]

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FAQ – Acrylic Splashbacks

If you are installing a new kitchen, an acrylic Splashbacks is vital if you want to stay ‘on trend’.   Modern, colourful and adding that ‘designer effect’, acrylic Splashbackshave changed the way we decorate our kitchens today, and are the easiest way to update a tired looking room and dated cabinets. What are Acrylic Splashbacks? Acrylic […]

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How To Clean Your Acrylic Mirrors

  Acrylic Mirror is widely uses as a glass mirror replacement due to its impact resistance and shatterproof qualities as well as it’s great value for money. Easy to work with, acrylic mirror can be cut to size with almost any conventional tool, while its lightweight qualities let you mount it to any surface with […]

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Making an Acrylic Mirror Ball

I was recently surprised when my daughter asked if I could help her make a mirror ball for her bedroom.  To many of us, a mirror ball takes us back to the Disco’s of the 70’s and the fashion that went with it (not a good thought!), so I was quite surprised to learn that […]

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How to mount Cut Plastic, Acrylic and Foamex

Cut plastic is one of the easy materials to work with, be it Acrylic, Foamex or Perspex; it can be cut, drilled, sawn or formed with heat to give you the best possible finish. As all of the above-mentioned materials are extremely lightweight (when compared to glass or wooden alternatives) they are relatively easy to […]

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Acrylic vs. Glass Glazing

Acrylic is almost shatterproof, it is extremely resistant to impact and has even been known to withstand an earthquake (not that we get many of those in the UK – but you never know!) A fragile material, we know that glass shatters easily and can be difficult to transport. Broken glass is an extremely hazardous […]

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What is Dibond?

  Dibond is the brand name of brushed Aluminium composite sheeting. Other common names include Dilite, Dibond Digital and Raybond. Lightweight and rigid, this cut plastic material consists of a flexible polyethylene core covered with a thin aluminium sheet on each side, and is finished with a high quality lacquer that guarantees perfect printing. What […]

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Extruded vs Cast Acrylic

When choosing Acrylic sheet for your next project you need to consider which type of Acrylic is the most suitable for that particular job – Cast Acrylic or the lower cost alternative Extruded Acrylic. So what are the differences between Extruded Acrylic and Cast Acrylic sheets? The differences are few and far between, but they can […]

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Mirrored Acrylic vs. Polycarbonate Mirrors

With so many different types of materials available to us today, how do we know which material we should use for which project? Prices can vary greatly so you need to make sure that you are choosing the right mirrored plastic for the job at hand. Here we list some comparisons between Mirrored Acrylic and Polycarbonate […]

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What is Foamex?

Here we take a look at Foamex, what it is and what it is used for.   What is Foamex? Foamex is a superior quality, extremely versatile PVC foam sheet that is fabrication friendly.  It is easy to bend, cut, drill and glue and you can print on it. What is it used for? Foamex […]

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