FAQs

Cast and extruded acrylic are manufactured in different ways using the same components. Either will be acceptable in many use cases, however there are some important differences between the two.

Optical clarity and surface quality

Cast acrylic has better optical clarity and surface quality. It is also harder which makes it slightly more scratch resistant.

Fabrication

Cast acrylic will cut and machine more cleanly and is easier to glue. When used for thermoforming, extruded acrylic will expand or shrink differently relative to the extrusion direction which can make bending more complicated. Extruded acrylic is easier to flame polish because of a lower forming temperature.

Laser cutting and engraving

At the same speed and power level, cast acrylic will give cleaner edges, which makes it easier to cut. Adding a little more power will give extruded a smoother edge as if it was flame polished. Cast turns matte white when engraved which can make the engraving stand out more from the acrylic depending on the color. Extruded does not change color when engraved.

Thickness tolerance

Extruded acrylic has better thickness tolerances – usually +/- 5% or better across the sheet, while cast acrylic can be +/- 10% or more. This can cause issues in certain cases where the tolerance is important, such as installing the sheet into a pre-existing frame, or a precise model where many pieces need to fit together.

In the plastics industry, some sheet material such as acrylic is produced to a metric specification such as 3.0mm, but is marketed with an imperial measurement like 1/8". Confusing? Yep. Here is a chart to help you convert the marketed measurements to the actual measurements:

Note that tolerances still apply to the actual thickness numbers.

General purpose acrylic sheets of the same grade from different manufacturers have very similar physical properties and are interchangeable for the majority of applications. The primary difference between brands relates to manufacturing tolerances. For example, one sheet might have a +/- 10% thickness tolerance while another might have +/- 8%. Colors may vary slightly as well. We only carry brands that meet our standards for quality, including Acrylite, Optix, Lucite, Plexiglas, Chemcast, Astariglas and Margacipta MC.

Many cutting tools will easily cut acrylic – table saws, band saws, circular saws, saber saws, jig saws etc. The most important factor in getting good results is using the right blade. A fine tooth carbide blade will work well. Blades specifically designed for plastic will give you the cleanest cuts; these can be found at many industrial supply shops. See our fabrication guide (PDF) for more information.

Clear acrylic sheet has excellent weather resistance and UV stability. It will last many years in the sun without yellowing or losing its light transmission properties. Many colored sheets will also have the same resistance to yellowing and fading. Some colors are more susceptible and this will be noted on their respective product pages.

Acrylic sheeting as a material generally does not affect most foods. However, except for special food grade sheets, it is not certified food safe and not recommended for uses where it is in contact with food. Acrylic can safely be used for presentation purposes such as displays, cases and trays as long as it is not in contact with food.

Acrylic pieces can be bonded together with liquid solvent cements such as Weld-On #3 and #4 or thickened solvents such as Weld-On #16 or Craftics #33. Please remember to read the warnings and instructions carefully when using solvent cements as the chemicals they contain are hazardous materials. See our fabrication guide (PDF) for more information.

Acrylic should be cleaned with soap or dishwashing detergent and water. Use only a soft cloth to avoid scratching the surface. Optionally, you may follow up with Brillianize or Novus #1 to reduce static and give the surface a polished feel. Don't use window cleaners as they will damage the plastic.

Compared to glass mirrors, acrylic mirrors are lighter and more shatter-resistant. It is a better choice in cases where safety is the primary concern as it breaks into large chunks rather than tiny sharp pieces. Its ease of fabrication makes it great for design projects. On the other hand, the reflection quality is lower than that of a glass mirror. Acrylic is less rigid than glass, and this tends to cause distortions in the reflected image. Choosing a thicker sheet as well as mounting to the flattest possible surface will also minimize, though not compltely eliminate the effect. The distortion is more noticeable the larger the sheet becomes, so 1/4" is recommended for large mirrors (greater than 24").

Custom cut-to-size tolerance: +/- 1/32"

Custom acrylic fabrication tolerance: +/- 1/16"

For your convenience, we recommend creating a customer account on our website. An account will allow you to track the status of your orders and see your order history. You'll also save time by having your billing and shipping addresses on file. Business customers who wish to create an account must use their corporate email address.

We collect New York sales tax for all orders picked up in-store or shipped to the state of NY. We also collect sales tax for orders shipped to the states of Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Virginia. If you are tax exempt, you must provide us with appropriate documentation of your tax status before placing an order. A tax ID number alone will not suffice. For more information, please see our Tax Exempt Information page.

Sheets up to 24" x 48" can be shipped via UPS Ground. USPS Priority Mail is also available which may be more economical for small items. At this time, all custom fabrication and laser cutting orders as well as sheets larger than 24" x 48" must be picked up at our store.Most items are in-stock and will ship within 1-2 business days. Same day shipping is not guaranteed. Business days do not include weekends. We will let you know if any items are out of stock or if there are any other issues that might delay your order.Due to shipping regulations, adhesives and other select items can only be shipped via UPS ground to locations in the lower 48 states. These items can not be shipped to Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico.We do not ship to P.O. Boxes.

To determine the shipping costs for an order, add the desired items to your cart and follow the link to the shipping estimate page above the checkout button. You will be shown a list of shipping options and their associated costs. Note that these are estimates and the actual cost will be calculated at checkout.

Ground shipments will generally take between 1-5 business days to reach you after being handed off to UPS. An estimated arrival date is shown on the checkout page next to each shipping option and is also available on your cart page. After your items have shipped, you will receive a shipping confirmation e-mail which contains a link to track the shipping progress of your order.

We now offer shipping to Canada in addition to the USA. For more information, please visit our Canadian Shipping Policy page. At this time we do not ship to any other international destinations.

If you're located in or are visiting the NYC area, you may pick up your order at our store in Manhattan. Just select the "NYC In-Store Pickup" option on your shopping cart.Orders with stock items and cut-to-size sheets will generally be ready within an hour. You will receive an email when your order is available for pickup. Please bring that email or your order number as well as an ID to pickup your items. You may also send a friend or family member to pickup for you - just remember to give them the order number. If a courier or messenger is picking up, they must provide the order number as well as a messenger service ID, manifest or bill of lading.As some items can be rather large, be sure to arrange appropriate transportation beforehand. We can help you load your car as long as you stop in front of our store - street parking is available before 1:00PM. If you're parked on a side street or around the corner we will not be able to load your items for you. It is highly recommended that you pick up any large orders early in the morning before 1:00PM.Orders will be held for pickup for 30 days. If an order is not picked up within 30 days the items will no longer be available and a new order must be made.

We now ship to Canada! The following shipping methods are available:

USPS First-Class Package International: The most economical option. Available for small orders under $50 and items that have a maximum dimension of 18" or under. Orders that weigh more than 4 lbs. will not qualify. Our checkout system will automatically display this option if it is available for your order. The transit time is generally 7 - 21 business days.

USPS Priority Mail International: Available for most orders with items that have a maximum dimension of 36" or under. Estimated transit time for most destinations is 6 - 10 business days.

UPS Standard: Available for most items that we normally ship (see below for exceptions). Estimated transit time for this ground-based service to most destinations is 3 - 5 business days. Some orders shipped via this service may be subject to extra customs fees - please contact UPS to learn more.

UPS Worldwide Expedited: Available for most items that we normally ship (see below for exceptions). Estimated transit time for most destinations is 2 - 3 business days.

Note that USPS shipments will be handed off to Canada Post who will make the final delivery to your destination.

All prices on our site are listed in USD.

Please note that duties, taxes or customs fees for your order are not included in the shipping cost. You will be responsible for paying any duties or taxes that are assessed by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) for your order, including GST + PST or HST (depending on your province of residence) as well as any customs fees for importing the items. Your shipping carrier will contact you to arrange payment of these charges. If you have chosen UPS as your shipping method, we recommend registering for an account at UPS.com so that you can receive advance notifications of any charges that may apply.

All our products are eligible for shipping to Canada with the exception of adhesives and pickup-only products (full-size sheets, sheets over 24" x 48" and custom fabrication / laser cutting orders).

Our standard return policy applies, with the exception of shipping costs. Due to the high cost of international shipments, in case of returns or replacements for damaged merchandise, we are not able to provide free return shipping. The customer will be responsible for the cost of shipping both to and from Canal Plastics for returns or replacements.

Due to the custom order nature of our products, most items that we sell are not returnable. Certain items may be returned to us for refund or exchange within 14 days of purchase. Please contact us for a return authorization first before sending anything back. Items must be unused and in the same condition that you received it in. Packaging and shipping costs for returns are the responsibility of the customer. It is highly recommended that the package be shipped via a method that is insured and trackable such as UPS Ground, as we are not responsible for any returned packages that are lost or damaged in transit. You may also bring items back to our NY store for a return. For refunds, we will credit your original form of payment minus shipping costs which are non-refundable.

• Pre-cut acrylic sheets
• Stock size rods and tubes

Sheets MUST have original masking present as well as any product or item labels. Any products that have the masking removed or that have been cut, installed or modified can not be returned.

All other items are not returnable, including custom orders, decorative film, hardware, consumables, sneeze guards / barriers, cut items, full-size sheets and any other plastic sheeting not listed above.

We reserve the right to refuse the return or charge a restocking fee of up to 25% if items are not returned to us in their original condition.

For large quantity, high value or special orders, we may charge a restocking fee of up to 20% at our discretion.

Be sure to inspect your order for any damage or defects as soon as possible before use. If you find a defect, please let us know within 3 business days of receipt and provide photos of the item and packaging as-is that document the problem. We may request that you return the item to us for inspection, so please do not discard the items or packaging before the return process is complete. Based on our evaluation we will determine whether a refund or replacement is appropriate.

In case of replacement, we will fulfill the replacement using the same delivery method as the original order, either shipped to you or prepared for pickup at our store. Please note that we are not responsible for any fees or expenses incurred due to transportation, labor or other reasons as a result of defective items. Our responsibility is limited to the monetary value of the merchandise.

Canal Plastics Center, Inc.
Attn: Returns
345 Canal St
New York, NY 10013