How to Cut Plexiglass & Acrylic Sheets (Straight and Curved Lines)

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Plus, how to sand and buff the edges for a smooth finish
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If you're a do-it-yourself-er, you've likely needed to use acrylic sheeting in a project. Acrylic sheets are fairly simple to cut. If your sheet is relatively thin (less than ¼ inch or 0.6 cm), you can easily score and snap it with a utility blade. For thicker sheets or curved lines, a circular saw, table saw, rotary tool, jigsaw, coping saw, or band saw can easily get the job done. In this article, we’ll show you how to use all of these tools and polish the edges of your freshly cut plexiglass for a professional, finished look.

Easiest Way to Cut Acrylic Sheets and Plexiglass

  1. Lay the acrylic on a flat surface and mark your cut line with a straight edge.
  2. Clamp the sheet to a work table (or hold it down firmly if it’s a small piece).
  3. Score your cut line with a plastic scoring blade, using a straightedge as a guide.
  4. Score the line 5–10 more times to deepen the cut.
  5. Flip the acrylic over and score the other side along the same line.
  6. Position the sheet so the scored line aligns with the edge of your work table.
  7. Put pressure on the edge of the sheet to snap the acrylic along the line.
Section 1 of 4:

Cutting Thin Acrylic Sheets by Hand

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  1. To make it easier to work with, find a flat surface big enough to accommodate your plastic sheet. Keep in mind that you can't use the floor, as you need an edge to break the acrylic over later.
    • If your sheet is extra large or unruly, place a protective sheet of wood or other firm material over the acrylic and clamp both layers to your work table to hold the sheet in place. Just make sure to leave the area you need to cut visible.
    • Scoring and cutting acrylic by hand is best when the sheet is about ¼ inch (0.6 cm) thick or less.
    • Safety tip: Wear protective gloves and goggles. Even though you’re making a simple straight cut by hand, there’s always the chance a sharp shard of acrylic could break off and go flying.
  2. Begin by deciding where you want to cut the acrylic. Measure it out and use a ruler to make a perfectly straight line. Mark the line with a permanent marker or grease pencil , or just use the ruler as a guide for your blade if it’s a shorter cut. [1]
    • If you plan to keep your straightedge on the acrylic to guide your cut, clamp it down on top of the acrylic so it doesn’t move.
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  3. Score the line in the acrylic with a plastic scoring blade or utility knife. Using your straightedge as a guide, run a plastic scoring blade along the cutting line, trying to make one continuous line with gentle, even pressure. Pull the blade towards you along the line. It's especially important to get a straight line on the first go-round, as that line guides your subsequent lines. [2]
  4. Once you have a substantial groove on the top side, unclamp the sheet (if needed) and flip it over. Secure it to your work table again and then score a line along the backside that follows the line on the other side. [3]
    • Scoring on both sides makes it easier to snap the acrylic into pieces, making for a cleaner cut.
    • For super thin sheets, you may only have to score one side before the score line is breakable. [4]
  5. Place the line you've scored directly along the edge of the table. Using clamps to hold the sheet, break the sheet at the scored line by pressing down on the outer edge in a quick motion. You can wrap your hand around one edge and use your body weight to push down. [5]
    • The acrylic should give fairly easily. If it seems too difficult, score the cut line even deeper and try snapping it again.
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Section 2 of 4:

Making Straight Cuts with a Saw

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  1. Circular and table saws are ideal for making perfect cuts through thick material. For plastic, you need a blade with a high tooth count. Look for a blade that’s made for acrylic or plexiglass , or use any metal-cutting blade with carbide tips. Also check for evenly spaced teeth of a uniform height with no rake (teeth that lean forward or backward). [6]
    • If you use a regular saw blade, the cut will be jagged and harder to smooth later.
  2. Make sure the surface is large enough to support your sheet and to run it through the saw in one, continuous motion. If you have to stop and reposition the sheet, you risk cutting a line that’s not perfectly straight or smooth. [7]
  3. Before beginning, mark where you want to cut with a permanent marker, using a metal straightedge or ruler to make a perfectly straight line. If you’re making multiple cuts that intersect, use different colored markers for each line to help you keep track of them. [8]
    • To make a cleaner cut and prevent cracking, cover the area you want to cut with painter’s tape, then mark your cut line over the tape. This helps protect the surface of the plexiglass or acrylic from scratching and reduces the amount of sanding and buffing you’ll have to do later.
  4. Push the acrylic through the saw to make a straight cut . If you’re using a table saw , secure your sheet to the saw table and line up the blade with your cut mark. Start at one edge of the mark you made and push the acrylic through the table saw at a steady pace, being sure to keep your fingers out of the way of the saw. Don't move too quickly, as you'll create a rougher edge. [9]
    • If you’re using a circular saw , clamp the sheet so the cut line sits just off the surface of your table and place a soft surface like a moving blanket on the ground underneath to catch the cut piece. Run the blade of the saw along the cut line, using the edge of the table as a guide. If needed, put painter’s tape on the bottom of the saw’s housing so it doesn’t scratch the plexiglass as it moves. [10]
    • For the cleanest cut, make sure the blade doesn’t overheat. Saw slowly and take breaks or water-cool the blade. Otherwise, the acrylic is more likely to chip or crack.
    • Pro tip: Using a table saw is a great way to cut multiple acrylic sheets at once.
    EXPERT TIP

    Eric Shipe

    Home Improvement Specialist
    Eric Shipe is a Kitchen and Bath Designer and the Owner of Bath + Kitchen based in Washington DC. Eric and his team specialize in cabinetry, design, and remodels. They serve homeowners, interior designers, architects, and contractors with a refined process, creative ideas, 4K photo-realistic renderings, and 360 Panoramic views. Bath + Kitchen was featured in Best of Houzz 2017-2020. Eric holds a BA in Economics and Business Administration from Ursinus College.
    Eric Shipe
    Home Improvement Specialist

    Cut acrylic with a table saw. With the right blade, preferably a plastic-cutting blade with a high tooth count, a table saw can make sure your acrylic is cut clean and straight. Remember to go slow so it does not heat up too much and make a messy cut or crack the tubing.

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Section 3 of 4:

Making Curved Cuts with a Saw

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  1. All of these tools are powerful enough to cut through acrylic sheets, but give you the control and finesse to cut curved or intricate lines. Like with a table or circular saw, use a blade that’s meant for acrylic or thin metal (a high tooth count with evenly spaced teeth of uniform height).
    • Jigsaws and rotary tools are handheld electric saws that allow you to easily follow curved or straight lines.
    • A coping saw is a handheld manual saw that’s great for intricate lines.
    • A bandsaw is like a jigsaw, except stationary (you’ll have to push the plexiglass through the saw, similar to a table saw).
  2. Use a permanent marker to draw your curved lines (you can do this freehand or with a template—whichever works best for your project). Draw on top of the protective film if it’s a new acrylic sheet, or cover the areas you want to cut with painter’s tape and then draw your cut lines. Having a layer of tape prevents the surface of the acrylic from getting scratched and makes for a smoother cut. [11]
    EXPERT TIP

    Eric Shipe

    Home Improvement Specialist
    Eric Shipe is a Kitchen and Bath Designer and the Owner of Bath + Kitchen based in Washington DC. Eric and his team specialize in cabinetry, design, and remodels. They serve homeowners, interior designers, architects, and contractors with a refined process, creative ideas, 4K photo-realistic renderings, and 360 Panoramic views. Bath + Kitchen was featured in Best of Houzz 2017-2020. Eric holds a BA in Economics and Business Administration from Ursinus College.
    Eric Shipe
    Home Improvement Specialist

    Need to cut an acrylic tube? Use painter’s tape as a cutting guide. Wrap the tape around the tubing, making sure it lines up with the mark you made. With a mark in place, you can use a saw to cut through the tube.

  3. Place the beams as close together as you can while still giving yourself enough room to move the saw freely in as few, continuous cuts as you manage. If the beams are too far apart, the acrylic can bounce and vibrate from the saw’s action, making for messier cuts, chipping, or breaking. Clamp the sheet in place.
    • For small designs, you could clamp the sheet to a work table and leave the portion you want to cut hanging off the edge slightly. [12]
    • If you’re using a stationary band saw, you’ll be guiding the sheet through the saw by hand and don’t need to support it.
  4. Keep your eye on the blade and cut line to stay on course. Try to make as few, continuous cuts as possible (the more you have to stop and reposition the saw blade, the less clean and precise your cut will be). If you get stuck at an angle, pull the jigsaw out the way you came, and cut from the other edge. [13]
    • If you’re using a band saw, guide the sheet through the saw at a consistent rate and rotate it as you push to follow your curved lines. [14]
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Section 4 of 4:

Sanding & Polishing the Edges

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  1. File down any sharp burrs with a metal file . Check for any large chunks that the saw or scoring method left behind on the edge. Use a metal file to smooth them out so they are even with the edge you cut.
    • When it comes to filing and smoothing, you’ll start with your roughest tools to take care of the biggest and sharpest burrs. Then, you’ll gradually use finer tools for an ultra-smooth finish.
  2. With the sandpaper on a sanding block, apply water to the sandpaper. Use enough to get the sandpaper thoroughly wet. Then, sand down the edge of your acrylic. Move to finer and finer sandpaper to refine the edge, ending up with 600-grit sandpaper. [15]
  3. Attach a buffing edge to an electric drill. Rub the buffer with a polishing compound , and then buff down the edge until it is smooth and shiny. This step really refines the edge, but it is not absolutely necessary. [16]
    • If you don't have a buffing edge, you can stop with fine sandpaper.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    I want to round the edges of 1/4" Plexiglas for a tabletop. Any suggestions?
    T. Chinsen
    Top Answerer
    Make the original cut as clean as possible. This will reduce the sanding time significantly. Start with rough paper ~180 grit and a foam sanding block. Sand until the edge is uniform and relatively smooth. Switch to fine, then finer paper (360 and 600 grit) to get a satin finish. When using 360 grit, start wet-sanding. With the foam block and sand paper, cup the edge to smooth it round.
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  • Question
    What color acrylic sheet is used in making an LED light box?
    PLASTIC JUXIN
    Community Answer
    Milky-white acrylic sheet is used the most because it is translucent.
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      Tips

      • New acrylic sheets often have a protective film on them to prevent scratches while cutting. Don’t remove this layer if you plan to cut your new sheet.
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      • It’s better to cut slightly outside your cut line than inside of it. You can always sand off more material later.
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      Warnings

      • Always wear protective gloves and goggles when cutting acrylic to shield yourself from flying chips or shards of sharp plastic.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://makezine.com/2015/10/29/skill-builder-acrylic/
      2. ↑ https://makezine.com/2015/10/29/skill-builder-acrylic/
      3. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-cut-plexiglass/
      4. ↑ https://youtu.be/CRFEVggauTQ?t=183
      5. ↑ https://makezine.com/article/workshop/skill-builder-acrylic/
      6. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-cut-plexiglass/
      7. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-cut-plexiglass/
      8. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-cut-plexiglass/
      9. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-use-a-table-saw/
      1. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-cut-plexiglass/
      2. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-cut-plexiglass/
      3. ↑ https://youtu.be/lGkjEDorCJw?t=79
      4. ↑ https://youtu.be/lGkjEDorCJw?t=121
      5. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/tools/21145915/how-to-use-a-band-saw
      6. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-cut-plexiglass/
      7. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-cut-plexiglass/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To cut acrylic sheets, start by marking the line you want to cut using a ruler and a permanent marker. Then, score the line using a plastic scoring blade, using the ruler as a guide so your line is straight. Once you've scored the initial line, go over it a few times with the blade until a groove forms. Next, repeat on the opposite side of the acrylic sheet over the same line. Finally, place the line you scored over the edge of a table and press down on the part of the acrylic that's hanging off of the table to break it off. To learn how to cut acrylic by sawing it, scroll down!

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