As a versatile material, acrylic sheets are now used across a wide range of industries. Due to their durability and aesthetic appeal, this material is also popular among manufacturers. However, cutting acrylic sheets well is not an easy task. Below, I will introduce several methods for cutting acrylic sheets to help you master the techniques more quickly.
Understanding Acrylic Sheets
Acrylic is also called PMMA or plexiglass. This material has the characteristics of high transparency, lightweight and good weather resistance.
Additionally, there are two main types of acrylic sheets. Cast acrylic sheets are harder and more brittle, have cleaner cutting edges.This make them suitable for precision machining. On the other hand, extruded acrylic sheets are softer and more ductile. Therefore, when cutting, this material tends to stick to the blade, but is more affordable.
Tools You Can Use to Cut Acrylic Sheets
First of all, if you want to have professional acrylic sheet cutting skills, you can’t do without the right tools. The right choice of tools depends on your specific application requirements. Below, I will list these detailed acrylic cutting tools for you.
Scoring Knife
This is a great tool for DIY enthusiasts. This tool is cheap, safe, and does not generate high temperatures to melt plastic. With a scoring knife, you only need to repeatedly score the acrylic sheet to create stress, and then you can snap it.
Pros: No power tools required, and simple to operate.
Disadvantages: The scoring knife can only make straight cuts, it doesn’t work on thick sheets.
Jigsaw
Jigsaw is suitable for cutting curves or irregular shapes. However, this tool requires a fine-toothed blade, and the speed should not be too fast to prevent friction from melting the edges of the acrylic sheet.
Circular Saw
The circular saw is ideal for cutting long, straight lines in large quantities. It requires a blade with fine, triangular teeth, and the more teeth, the better.
Advantages: High efficiency, straight cut lines.
Disadvantages: The edges of acrylic sheets may require post-sanding.
CNC Router
CNC router is suitable for making acrylic parts with complex shapes, high precision and requiring mass production. Here, I recommend you to use a single flute upcut because it has good chip removal and is not easy to melt. And during the processing process, you should also pay attention to multiple shallow cuts.
Spindle speed: 18,000–24,000 RPM
Feed rate: 2,000–4,000 mm/min
Laser Cutter
Laser Cutter is well-suited for intricate patterns and small-batch production of acrylic components. And this process delivers high-quality edges. After laser cutting, the edges of these parts have a polished effect.
Band Saw
Band saws are ideal for cutting curves and thick sheets of material. You can choose between fine-toothed or skip-toothed blades. This process is quite flexible, but the edge quality of the processed parts is generally poor and requires further finishing.
Tool Comparison Overview Table
| Tool | Best For | Thickness Range | Edge Quality | Cost Level |
| Scoring Knife | Simple straight DIY cuts | ≤3mm | Fair | Very Low |
| Jigsaw | Curves & irregular shapes | 3–10mm | Good | Low |
| Circular / Table Saw | Long straight & batch cuts | 3–20mm | Good | Medium |
| CNC Router | Complex shapes & precision machining | 1–50mm+ | Excellent | High |
| Laser Cutter | Fine details & polished edges | 1–15mm | Outstanding | High |
| Band Saw | Curves & thick sheets | 5–30mm | Fair | Medium |
Step-by-Step Cutting Acrylic Sheets Instructions
Once you have selected the appropriate tools, you can follow the correct steps to cut the acrylic sheet. Next, I will explain the detailed cutting steps to you one by one.
How To Cut Acrylic Sheet By Hand
For acrylic sheets less than 5 mm thick, cutting by hand is not only safer and produces less dust, but also allows you to control the details with precision.
1. Score and Snap
This is the most elegant and efficient method.
Tools you need to prepare:
- Scoring tool
- Ruler/triangle ruler or long ruler
- Marker or Oil-based Pencil
- Clamps (optional)
- Solid flat edge
Step 1: Throughout the entire period, you should not tear off the protective film on the acrylic surface, and also draw lines directly on it with a marker. This is to prevent the tool from slipping and scratching the surface.
Step 2: Next, you align a thick metal ruler with the cutting line and use C-clamps to secure both ends of the ruler firmly to the table.
Step 3: This step is crucial. You need to use an acrylic scoring knife or a utility knife to repeatedly score along a ruler, at least 7-10 times, until the depth reaches 1/3 of the sheet thickness.
Step 4: You align the lines with the edge of the table, then apply even downward pressure with both hands to quickly break the acrylic sheet.
Step 5: Finally, you can use fine-grit sandpaper to gently smooth out any rough edges on the cut surface.
2. Hand Sawing
If your acrylic sheet is thick (more than 5mm), or you need to cut an arc, a hook knife won’t work. This time, you need to use a hand saw.
Hacksaw
The teeth of a hacksaw are very fine, making it ideal for cutting hard plastics. When cutting, you need to keep the saw blade at a 45-degree angle to the sheet, and saw with a smooth, slow motion. If the speed is too fast, the frictional heat will melt the acrylic edges and even jam the saw blade.
At the same time, I also suggest that you can apply a layer of masking tape along the cutting line to prevent slipping and chipping.
Coping Saw
The blade of a scroll saw is extremely fine. With it, you can hand-cut complex shapes and internal openings. You need to hang the acrylic board on the edge of the table, and don’t push it forward when sawing. Instead, you should control the cutting direction by pulling up and down.
How To Cut Acrylic Sheet With A Jigsaw
It can be said that the greatest advantage of a jigsaw lies in its flexibility. Whether it’s an elegant curve, a complex irregular shape, or cutting a hole in the middle of a panel, a jigsaw can handle these cutting tasks with ease.
Tools you need to prepare:
- Jigsaw (requires a fine-toothed blade)
- Marker pen or grease pencil
- Clamp
- Sturdy flat surface/workbench
- Sandpaper (180–400 grit)
- Safety glasses
Step 1: You should choose a fine-toothed saw blade designed specifically for cutting metal or plastic, and the ideal parameter is 10 to 24 TPI. Because The higher the tooth density, the cleaner the cut on the acrylic sheet.
Step 2: The protective film on the acrylic sheet must be protected from scratches and debris contamination. Additionally, you must secure the sheet with clamps to reduce vibration.
Step 3: When cutting, the jigsaw should be operated at medium to low speeds to prevent friction-generated heat from melting the edges of the sheet. Additionally, you should ensure a steady feed rate for the band saw without pauses, as pausing can also cause localized overheating of the sheet.
Step 4: Once the cutting process is complete, don’t forget to sand the edges of the acrylic sheet with 180–400-grit sandpaper.
How To Cut Acrylic Sheets With Circular Saw
The premise of using this method to cut acrylic sheets is that you do not need to choose the right saw blade.
Tools you need to prepare:
- Circular saw or table saw
- Masking tape
- Rip fence
- Safety glasses & ear protection
- Push stick
- Sandpaper or scraper
- Flat surface
Step 1: You must use a fine-tooth blade. For a standard 7-1/4-inch circular saw, you should use a carbide-tipped blade with at least 60 teeth, preferably 80 teeth. And the best saw blade for cutting acrylic sheets uses TCG tooth shape.
Step 2: The saw blade should be about 3-5mm higher than the sheet, it does not need to be too high.
Step 3: At the same time, you also need to apply a wide strip of masking tape on both the front and back sides of the cutting line on the acrylic sheet (keeping the original protective film). Then, draw the precise cutting line on the tape.
Step 4: During the cutting process, you need to advance the circular saw at a constant speed and never push it forcefully. Additionally, keep in mind that acrylic tends to vibrate easily under the high-speed impact of the circular saw, so you must not allow the cutting line to be suspended in mid-air. You can place a flat piece of scrap wood or high-density extruded polystyrene board underneath the acrylic and use C-clamps to securely fasten both the acrylic and the support board to the workbench.
Step 5: Finally, you still need to use sandpaper or a scraper to finish the edges of the acrylic components.
How To Cut Acrylic Sheets using a CNC Router Machine
CNC machine tools can cut extremely complex shapes with extremely high precision, and can even easily process very thick sheets.
Tools you need to prepare:
- CNC router machine
- Clamps / Vacuum table
- Router bits
- Safety glasses & hearing protection
- Spoilboard / sacrificial board
- Flat surface
Step 1: What preparations should you make before starting a CNC machine? First, you need to use a clamp fixture or a vacuum table to secure the acrylic sheet, ensuring it does not move. Secondly, you also need to choose the appropriate milling cutter. Here, I recommend O-flute single flute upcut milling cutter with a diameter of 6mm or 8mm.
Step 2: Next, you need to set the spindle speed of the machine tool. Generally, it is recommended to set the spindle speed between 15,000 and 18,000 RPM. This is to prevent excessively high speeds from generating heat and causing the material to melt.
Step 3: As for the feed rate, for thin sheets (≤6 mm), you can set it to 3,000–4,000 mm/min; for thick sheets (>6 mm), you can set it to 2,000–3,000 mm/min.
If you still don’t understand, please be sure to remember this golden rule. If the chips produced are fine, white, and powdery, it means that the machine’s feed rate is too slow or the spindle speed is too high, causing the material to melt. However, if the chips produced are flaky or curled, it means your settings are just right.
Step 4: Additionally, in CAM software, you must enable the ramp-in function. This allows the tool to slide into the material at a gentle angle. The benefit of doing this is that it greatly extends the tool’s lifespan and prevents chipping at the bottom.
Step 5: During CNC machining, you must ensure that each cutting depth does not exceed 50% of the acrylic thickness. Thicker sheets can be cut in 2–3 passes. Meanwhile, a continuous high-pressure air flow is essential. It not only cools the cutting tool and workpiece but also quickly blows chips away from the cutting groove.
Step 6: Finally, the workpiece will be left with an allowance of 0.1–0.2mm for a final finishing pass. Through surface finish, the edges of the acrylic sheet will also be smoother.
How To Cut Acrylic Sheets With Laser
Among all cutting methods, laser cutting is undoubtedly the best way. Therefore, laser cutting can not only accurately cut out extremely complex hollow patterns, but also use high temperature to smooth the edges of the acrylic board at the moment of cutting.
In addition, cast acrylic sheets are the preferred material for laser processing. Its molecular structure is more stable, and the edges are extremely smooth and transparent when cut. While extruded acrylic sheets are relatively cheaper, they are more prone to melting during cutting.
Tools you need to prepare:
- CO₂ laser cutter
- Fume extractor
- Focus gauge
- Masking tape (optional)
- Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) + cloth
- Laser-safe safety glasses
Step 1: Preparation work before laser cutting. If your acrylic surface is covered with kraft paper film, please keep it. If the acrylic sheet surface is covered with transparent plastic film, please tear it off before cutting.
Step 2: Please ensure that the exhaust system is operating properly, because the fumes produced by acrylic are harmful to human health. Additionally, you must pay attention to precisely adjusting the focus to the surface of the material.
Step 3: In this step, you need to set the power and speed parameters. For 3mm Cast Acrylic, power 60–70%, speed 15–20 mm/s. For 6mm Cast Acrylic, power 80–90%, speed 8–12 mm/s.
Of course, the specific parameters still need to be tested and adjusted according to different machine models.
Step 4: You can also test the parameters with scrap material first to confirm the edge quality.
Step 5: You should try to adjust the parameters to achieve one-pass cutting. When cutting acrylic sheets, please set the air assist flow to minimum. As for acrylic thicker than 5mm, I recommend setting the laser focus inside the material (at 1/3 or 1/2 of the thickness).
Step 6: After cutting is complete, you still need to clean the cutting residue with isopropyl alcohol (IPA).
Tips for a Clean, Chip-Free Cut
I’m sure you all want your cut acrylic panels to have perfect effect. Achieving this is not difficult; the key lies in successfully following these steps.
1. Keep the Protective Film
Many beginners make the first mistake of tearing off the protective film from the acrylic sheet, causing scratches on the surface of the sheet. In fact, the protective film also serves to dampen vibrations, reducing the likelihood of edge chipping.
However, it’s important to note that laser cutting is an exception: the film must be removed before cutting, otherwise residue will contaminate the edges.
2. Control Your Feed Rate
Because the thermal conductivity of acrylic is very poor (about 0.19 W/m·K), heat does not dissipate very fast. Because of this, you need to control feed rate to avoid heat build-up. If the feed rate is too fast, the acrylic sheet is prone to chipping and cracking; if the feed rate is too slow, the material may melt.
For CNC, I recommend a feed rate of 2,000–4,000 mm/min, while a hand saw should maintain a constant speed without stopping.
3. Use Multiple Shallow Passes for Thick Sheets
For thick acrylic sheets, my recommendation is that the cutting depth each time should not exceed 50% of the sheet thickness. For CNC, it is recommended to complete the cut in 2–3 passes. This is because shallower cuts reduce the cutting force per pass, thereby reducing sheet vibration and stress concentration.
4. Apply Cooling
Keep in mind that dry-cutting acrylic with a machine tool can easily result in white, mist-like melting marks. Air blast is the simplest and most effective solution. In addition, I do not recommend using water cooling, because acrylic may still produce stress cracks after absorbing water.
5. Zero-Clearance Support
Do not let the cutting line hang in the air. You can place a flat piece of scrap wood or high-density extruded board under the acrylic board. Of course, you can also use C-clamps to secure the acrylic plate and backing plate to the workbench, so that the saw blade can cut through the acrylic plate and base plate at the same time.
6. Finish the Edge After Cutting
After cutting is completed, it does not mean that the entire workpiece machining process is over. You also need to pay great attention to the edge treatment of the acrylic sheet, which is very important to the quality of the finished product.
You can first use 80-grit sandpaper for rough sanding, then use 220-grit sandpaper for fine sanding, and finally use 400-grit sandpaper for polishing. Of course, you can also choose flame polishing. However, this process is only suitable for experienced professionals. Beginners are still advised to use sandpaper first.
Conclusion
The above is the complete acrylic sheet cutting process. I believe that if you follow the specific steps step by step, you can cut the acrylic sheet very well. In addition, our DSR company is a professional CNC processing manufacturer, and we can also provide you with professional CNC cutting services and CNC acrylic services. If you have such needs, you are welcome to contact us.
FAQ
Q1: How to cut perspex acrylic sheet?
A: Cutting Perspex acrylic sheets is the same as cutting standard acrylic sheets. For thin sheets (≤3mm), you can directly use a scoring knife to repeatedly score lines and then break. For medium-thickness sheets (3–10 mm), a fine-toothed jigsaw or circular saw is recommended. For thick sheets or complex shapes, I recommend using a CNC milling machine or a CO2 laser cutting machine.
Q2: Can you cut acrylic with a regular saw?
A: Yes, but the results will depend on the choice of saw blade and your specific technique. In theory, a standard hand saw can cut acrylic, but a blade with too wide a tooth pitch will cause severe chipping.
Q3: How do you cut acrylic without cracking it?
A: The key is to properly manage stress and heat. Before cutting, you need to secure the acrylic sheet and also choose the right tools. Thick sheets must also undergo multiple shallow cuts, with each cut not exceeding 50% of the plate thickness. Meanwhile, the machine’s feed rate should be maintained at a constant speed.
Q5: Can a Cricut or vinyl cutter cut acrylic?
A: No.
Q6: What’s the best blade for cutting acrylic?
A: This depends on the type of tool you are using. For table saws or circular saws, a 60–80-tooth triangular-tooth fine-tooth saw blade is preferred; for a jigsaw or jigsaw, a 10–14 TPI fine-tooth blade is preferred; and for a CNC milling machine, the best choice is an O-flute single flute upcut end mill.
Q7: How do you safely cut your acrylic?
A: For personal protection, you must wear safety glasses, dust masks, and earplugs, and please be sure to wear gloves while working.
Q8: What are common mistakes when cutting acrylic?
A: These are the main common mistakes:
- Using the wrong blade
- Tearing off protective film before cutting
- Uneven feed rate
- Cutting through in one pass
- No edge processing
- Material not securely fixed
- Immediately rinsing with cold water after cutting
- Laser cutting without exhaust ventilation
- CNC without air blow cooling
- Using hand pressure instead of fixtures
Q9: Can you cut acrylic sheets with scissors?
A: It’s basically impossible.
Q10: Can you cut acrylic with a box cutter?
A: Yes, but only for sheets thinner than 3 mm, and the correct method is to score and snap them.
Q11: How to cut acrylic sheet in round shape?
A: The most precise method is using a laser cutter. The most common DIY method is using a jigsaw or a scroll saw. The simplest, low-cost method is using a Acrylic circle cutter.
Q12: How to cut acrylic sheet with dremel?
A: This method is completely feasible, but you need to choose the right accessories and control the speed well. My most recommended accessories are the No. 561 Multipurpose Cutting Head or the No. SC476 Plastic Cutting Blade. For cutting speed, I suggest setting it in the medium-high speed range of 25,000–35,000 RPM.
Q13: What are acrylic sheets used for?
A: Acrylic sheets are used in the following industries:
- Architecture and Interior Design
- Automotive
- Aerospace
- Commercial Display
- Industry and Manufacturing
- Medical and Research
- LED and Lighting
- DIY
