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Acme Plastics Cut-to-Size Acrylic Sheets vs TAP Plastics Cut-to-Size Acrylic vs OPTIX by Plaskolite Acrylic Sheets
| Specification | Acme Plastics | TAP Plastics | OPTIX by Plaskolite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.3 |
| Price | About $5 per sq ft at 1/4 in | Quote in store or online | $156 for a 4×8 ft 1/8 in sheet |
| Category | Supplier | Supplier | Supplier |
| Details | |||
| Founded | 1943 | 1952 as Taylor & Art Plastics, Oakland, CA; first retail store 1961, Hayward | — |
| Headquarters | Woodland Park, New Jersey | San Leandro, California | — |
| Ordering | Enter dimensions, price updates on the page | — | — |
| Price | 1/4" × 24" × 48" clear extruded, $41.52 sale ($55.37 regular) | — | 48 × 96 × 1/8 in, $156 at The Home Depot |
| Materials | Extruded and cast acrylic, colors, polycarbonate, PETG, HDPE, greenhouse panels | — | — |
| Fabrication | CNC cutting, milling, lathe work | — | — |
| Shipping | Free freight available on qualifying orders | — | — |
| Promotions | 10% off marine plastics with code MARINE10 (at time of writing) | — | — |
| Reviews | 3.2 stars from 26 reviews (Chamber of Commerce); BBB A rating, not accredited | — | — |
| Stores | — | 14 in California, Oregon, and Washington, plus web store | — |
| Brands | — | Chemcast, ACRYLITE, Spartech | — |
| Extruded | — | 1/16 to 1/4 in clear | — |
| Cast | — | 1/8 to 3 in clear, plus colors and grades | — |
| Specialty | — | AR abrasion-resistant sheet, mirror, tints, polycarbonate | — |
| In-store cutting | — | Typically under 5 minutes | — |
| Online cut orders | — | 2 to 3 business days | — |
| Also sells | — | NOVUS polish, restoral kits, solvent cement, fabrication supplies | — |
| Type | — | — | Extruded acrylic (PMMA); OPTIX Super high-impact grades also made |
| Light transmission | — | — | 92% at 3 mm, haze under 1% |
| Density | — | — | 1.19 g/cm³ (about half of glass) |
| Hardness | — | — | Rockwell M 95 |
| Heat deflection | — | — | 95 °C at 1.82 MPa; 70 °C continuous service |
| Fire | — | — | UL 94 HB |
| Thickness | — | — | 0.7 to 30 mm from the factory; 1/16 to 1/4 in common at retail |
| Warranty | — | — | 10-year non-yellowing |
| Made in | — | — | Columbus, Ohio, USA |
Acme Plastics Cut-to-Size Acrylic Sheets
Pros
- Instant price on cut-to-size orders, no quote request
- A 1/4-inch 24×48 extruded sheet was $41.52 on sale, about $5 per square foot
- Free freight available on qualifying orders
- Greenhouse panels, polycarbonate, and multi-packs in the same cart
- BBB A rating, one complaint in three years
Cons
- House-stocked sheet rather than named brands
- Few edge-finishing options compared with a fabricator
- Modest and mixed online reviews, mostly about responsiveness
- East Coast shipping origin
TAP Plastics Cut-to-Size Acrylic
Pros
- Cut-to-size at the counter, often in under five minutes
- Chemcast, ACRYLITE, and Spartech sheet; cast from 1/8 to 3 inches
- Abrasion-resistant sheet, NOVUS polish, and solvent cement on the same shelf
- Staff who will talk you out of the wrong thickness
- Online cut orders ship nationwide in two to three days
Cons
- Stores only in California, Oregon, and Washington
- Quote pricing rather than an instant online calculator
- Generally higher prices than online-only suppliers
- Service quality varies by store
OPTIX by Plaskolite Acrylic Sheets
Pros
- In stock at every Home Depot, in sizes from small panes to 4×8 sheets
- 92 percent light transmission, inherent UV resistance, ten-year non-yellowing warranty
- Made in the US by Plaskolite, the largest thermoplastic sheet maker in North America
- 90-day returns; in-store cutting at many locations
- Well-documented technical data sheet
Cons
- Extruded only at retail; chips on the saw and scratches more easily than cast
- Common stock tops out at 1/4 inch
- Saw-cut edges, no polishing
- Not a hard-coated or marine grade