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Cast or extruded, and the difference shows at the edge of every cut

The best acrylic sheets for 2026

Acrylic makes signs, displays, keyrings and enclosures, and it is one of the materials a laser cuts most cleanly — with a condition the listing has to state. Cast or extruded is the first specification: cast acrylic engraves to a frosted white and cuts with a polished edge, extruded acrylic engraves clear and cuts with a smooth edge but melts more readily. Thickness and tolerance are published, and extruded sheets hold thickness more evenly. Sheet size should suit the bed. Colour and transparency matter for lasers: a diode laser passes through clear and many light-coloured acrylics without cutting, so dark or opaque sheets suit diode machines while CO2 lasers cut clear ones. The protective film on each face keeps the surface clean, and whether it is paper or plastic affects laser use. Material labelled as acrylic but actually another plastic behaves differently, and PVC in particular must never be laser cut. Acrylic fumes need extraction, and cutting it with an unattended laser risks fire. We compare cast or extruded, thickness and tolerance, sheet size, colour and transparency, film and laser suitability.

The parts and materials worth a place on the bench

  1. Three stacked acrylic sheets with rounded corners, in white, clear and black

    Lieblingsmensch Acrylic sheet 5 mm, laser-cut to order, colour and corners chosen

    A 5 mm PMMA acrylic sheet from Lieblingsmensch, laser-cut to the buyer’s length, width and corner shape in a choice of colours, described as weatherproof and UV-resistant, with protective film on both sides, made in Germany.

    Cast or extruded
    Absent from the listing — PMMA acrylic, title
    Thickness and tolerance
    5 mm, title and first bullet; no tolerance given
    Sheet size
    Length, width and corner shape chosen by the buyer, title and first bullet
    Colour and transparency
    Choice of colours, high gloss in every colour, first and second bullets
    Film
    Protective film on both sides, fourth bullet
    Laser suitability
    Laser-cut by the seller to order, first bullet; engraving by the buyer not described
    Amazon reference
    B0DWZ4Q9KM (same reference on 2 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    4062488826851
    • Cut to the buyer’s dimensions and corner shape
    • Protective film on both sides
    • Cast or extruded not stated

    Best for: A maker who needs one 5 mm panel cut to an exact size and shape rather than a stock sheet.

    ≈ 5 €
    Check price on Amazon
  2. Clear acrylic panels of increasing size standing in a slotted orange base, with a Made in Germany stamp

    EH Design Clear acrylic sheet 20 × 20 cm, 3 mm, laser-polished edges, cut to order

    A clear 3 mm acrylic sheet from EH Design, 20 × 20 cm, cut to size with laser-polished edges, UV-protected and stated to stay free of yellowing for up to 30 years, made in Germany.

    Cast or extruded
    Absent from the listing
    Thickness and tolerance
    3 mm, title; cut “to the millimetre”, second bullet; no tolerance figure
    Sheet size
    20 × 20 cm, cut to order, title and second bullet
    Colour and transparency
    Clear and transparent, first bullet
    Film
    Absent from the listing
    Laser suitability
    Edges laser-polished by the seller, second bullet; engraving not described
    Amazon reference
    B07QHX8KFF (same reference on 5 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    4251393305081
    • Laser-polished edges, no finishing needed
    • UV protection with a stated 30-year yellowing figure
    • Cast or extruded not stated

    Best for: A maker needing a small clear panel with finished edges, ready to fit.

    ≈ 9 €
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  3. Clear acrylic sheet with its protective film peeled back at one corner

    TUIPATE Clear acrylic sheet 50 × 50 cm, 3 mm, film on both sides

    A clear 50 × 50 cm acrylic sheet from TUIPATE, 3 mm thick, with protective film on both sides, described as having high light transmission and UV and weather resistance, and as easy to saw, drill and mill.

    Cast or extruded
    Absent from the listing
    Thickness and tolerance
    3 mm, title; no tolerance given
    Sheet size
    50 × 50 cm, title
    Colour and transparency
    Clear, high light transmission, title and first bullet
    Film
    Protective film on both sides, third and fourth bullets
    Laser suitability
    Absent from the listing — sawing, drilling and milling named, third bullet
    Amazon reference
    B0GX7FWCL7 (same reference on 5 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    0768152861619
    • A 50 × 50 cm sheet
    • Protective film on both sides
    • Laser use not mentioned

    Best for: A maker with a large laser bed or a CNC router who wants one big clear blank to cut down.

    ≈ £14 / 15 €
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  4. Four clear sheets fanned out on a white background

    nattmann Clear acrylic sheet XT, 8 mm, 300 × 200 mm

    A clear PMMA acrylic sheet from nattmann marked XT, 8 mm thick and 300 × 200 mm, from a range of 2 to 10 mm, described as scratch-resistant and easy to drill, bend and glue, though the third bullet calls it polycarbonate.

    Cast or extruded
    Absent from the listing as a statement — “XT” in the title, the usual trade abbreviation for extruded acrylic
    Thickness and tolerance
    8 mm for this sheet, from a range of 2–10 mm, title and first and fourth bullets; no tolerance
    Sheet size
    300 × 200 mm, title
    Colour and transparency
    Clear, transparent and glossy, title and second bullet
    Film
    Absent from the listing
    Laser suitability
    Absent from the listing — drilling, bending, gluing and mounting named, fifth bullet
    Amazon reference
    B07Q2YRCWQ (same reference on 5 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    7141049879646
    • XT in the title points to extruded acrylic
    • A thick option: 8 mm
    • PMMA in the title, polycarbonate in the third bullet

    Best for: A maker needing a thick clear panel for drilling or gluing who can confirm the material on arrival.

    ≈ 17 €
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  5. Stack of white opal sheets seen edge-on

    VITAdisplays PLEXIGLAS opal sheet 500 × 700 mm, 2 mm, diamond-polished, cut to order

    An original PLEXIGLAS PMMA sheet from VITAdisplays in an opal milk-glass look, 500 × 700 mm and 2 mm, diamond-polished with protective film on both sides, cut to a requested rectangular size, described as UV-stable and food-safe, made in Germany.

    Cast or extruded
    Absent from the listing — original PLEXIGLAS (PMMA), first bullet
    Thickness and tolerance
    2 mm, title and first bullet; no tolerance
    Sheet size
    500 × 700 mm; a custom rectangular or square size cut to the millimetre on request, first, second and fifth bullets
    Colour and transparency
    Opal, milk-glass look, title and first bullet
    Film
    Protective film on both sides, first bullet
    Laser suitability
    Absent from the listing — sawing, drilling and bending named, fourth bullet
    Amazon reference
    B0F1Z2WS99 (same reference on 5 Amazon marketplaces)
    EAN
    4250169922934
    • Original PLEXIGLAS PMMA named
    • Cut to a requested size, diamond-polished edges
    • Rectangles and squares only

    Best for: A maker building a light box or diffuser panel who wants an opal sheet cut to size.

    ≈ 23 €
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A price quoted in the text of a MakerVerdict page dates from the day that page was written; the live figure beside each product is fetched while you read and replaces it.