Cast Acrylic Sheet
The fabricator’s grade — machines cleanly, engraves sharply, flame-polishes to an optical edge.
Acrylic for Display & Retail
Sheet for the fabricators who build display cases, stands, shelving and shop fittings — cast for machining, extruded for laser work.
We supply the sheet, not the finished case. If you fabricate display cases, plinths, stands, shelving or shop fittings, this page covers what to specify and why — because in display work the material choice shows up directly in the finished edge, and a customer rejecting a case over a hazy edge is an expensive way to learn it.
Display is also the application where acrylic beats polycarbonate outright: better clarity, a harder surface that survives daily handling, and a far better finished edge.
Cast or extruded — decided by how you cut it
This single decision causes more display-trade complaints than everything else combined:
| Your process | Specify | What happens if you get it wrong |
|---|---|---|
| CNC routing, engraving, flame polishing | Cast | Extruded gums behind the cutter and leaves a rough, welded edge |
| Laser cutting for a clear polished edge | Extruded | Cast lasers cleanly but the edge comes out frosted, not clear |
| Solvent bonding boxes and cases | Cast | Extruded is prone to crazing at bonded joints under stress |
| Thermoforming curved fronts | Either — cast has a wider window | Extruded needs tighter temperature control |
If your workshop does both laser and router work, order both. They are not interchangeable and treating them as one line item is a false economy.
Thickness by product
| Product | Typical thickness |
|---|---|
| Small display boxes and cases | 3 mm |
| Larger cases, plinths, counter units | 5 mm |
| Shelving under load | 8–10 mm (deflection, not strength, is the limit) |
| Sign faces and lettering | 3–5 mm |
| Freestanding stands and screens | 5–10 mm |
Acrylic shelving fails by sagging long before it breaks. If you are quoting shelf units, send us the span and the load and we will tell you the thickness that will not bow in six months — including when the honest answer is that acrylic is the wrong material for that span.
Finishes that sell
- Clear — up to 92% light transmission, the default for cases and covers.
- Frosted — hides fingerprints, which is why it dominates on anything at hand height.
- White opal — for illuminated plinths and backlit product walls.
- Coloured and fluorescent — brand colours through the full thickness, plus edge-glow grades for lit displays.
- Mirror — half the weight of glass mirror and it will not shard in a busy retail space.
Buying as a display fabricator
Two things matter more to a fabrication shop than the sheet price:
Consistent thickness. Bonded boxes need repeatable dimensions. Extruded acrylic holds roughly ±5% against cast at ±10% — if your jigs are fixed, that difference decides whether the joints close.
Film that survives the workshop. Sheet arrives filmed both faces; tell us if you need low-tack film for laser work or a heavier film for routing, and we will match it rather than shipping the default.
We also cut to size on 22 CNC centres at ±0.1 mm — see cut to size. Ordering nested blanks instead of full sheets removes your offcut waste and the freight you paid to ship it.
Typical applications
- Display cases, boxes and covers
- Retail plinths, risers and product stands
- Shelving and shop fitting components
- Point-of-sale holders and dispensers
- Sign faces, lettering and illuminated panels
Minimum order and lead time
This grade ships from 100 m² or 1 tonne — a trial pallet, not a full container. Standard sizes and stock colours run in 7–10 days; non-standard thickness or width in 12–18 days; add 3–7 days for CNC cut-to-size work. Quoted in USD on FOB, CIF or DDP terms. Full detail on the MOQ, lead time & shipping page.
Questions buyers ask
Do you make finished display cases?
No. We manufacture and machine the sheet; you build the product. We will cut blanks to your drawing at ±0.1 mm, but we do not bond, assemble or brand finished cases.
Which acrylic gives a clear polished edge straight off the laser?
Extruded. Cast acrylic laser cuts cleanly but leaves a frosted edge, which then needs flame or diamond polishing to clear. If a polished edge straight off the machine is the goal, order extruded.
Why do my bonded display boxes crack at the joints?
Usually solvent crazing on extruded sheet, made worse by stress from a tight jig. Cast acrylic has better chemical resistance and is the correct material for solvent-bonded work.
Can you supply sheet already cut to my box net?
Yes. Send the DXF and we nest and cut the blanks, so you receive parts ready to bond rather than sheet to break down.
From the factory
Acrylic for Display & Retail — production & application photos
Photographs taken at our plant in Jiangsu. Sample pieces of any standard grade are available free — you cover the courier.
Where to look next
Related pages
Clear Acrylic Sheet
Up to 92% light transmission — clearer than glass, half the weight, and it does not yellow.
CNC & Laser Cutting
Profiles, cut-outs, holes and engraving from your DXF, DWG or STEP files — 22 machines, ±0.1 mm.
Acrylic Mirror Sheet
Shatter-resistant mirror at half the weight of glass — for retail, gyms, and anywhere breakage is a risk.