Polycarbonate vs Acrylic for Signs: Which Should You Use?
Acrylic and polycarbonate are both clear or white rigid plastic sheets used for sign faces, lightbox panels, sign covers and displays. The short answer: use acrylic when you want a hard, glossy, rigid face at a lower cost, and use polycarbonate where the sign may take a hit. This guide compares the two side by side, covers where each one belongs, and clears up the plexiglass, Lucite and Lexan names you will hear in the trade.
The Short Answer
- Choose acrylic for illuminated channel letter faces, lightbox panels, backlit signs, point-of-purchase displays and display covers that are out of harm’s way.
- Choose polycarbonate for low-mounted, high-traffic or vandal-prone locations, and anywhere breakage is a real risk.
- Choose neither for plain non-illuminated flat panels. ACM and PVC sign sheets are the usual picks there.
What Is Acrylic?
Acrylic is PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate). Most shops call it plexiglass, after the Plexiglas brand, and Lucite is another brand name for the same material. Our acrylic sign sheets are sign-grade cast acrylic with a high-gloss finish, UV-stable for indoor and outdoor sign work.
Acrylic is more impact resistant than glass at about half the weight. It takes digital printing, vinyl and screen printing without extra surface preparation, and it can be thermoformed for curved work.
What Is Polycarbonate?
Polycarbonate is a tougher clear plastic built for impact. Lexan and TUFFAK are brand names for it. Our polycarbonate sign sheets are sign grade and UV-stabilized for outdoor signs, which helps them resist yellowing. Adhesive vinyl, screen printing and direct UV or digital printing all work on it.
Polycarbonate vs Acrylic Side by Side
| Acrylic | Polycarbonate | |
|---|---|---|
| Material | PMMA (cast, sign grade) | Polycarbonate (sign grade) |
| Also called | Plexiglass, Plexiglas, Lucite | Lexan, TUFFAK |
| Face | Harder, glossier, more rigid | Tougher, less rigid |
| Impact | More impact resistant than glass | The better choice where a sign may take a hit |
| Cost | Lower | Higher |
| Outdoors | UV-stable | UV-stabilized, resists yellowing |
| Best for | Illuminated faces, lightboxes, displays | Impact and security applications |
| 4x8 sheets we stock | 1/8" and 3/16", Clear and White 7328 | 1/8" and 3/16", Clear and White |
Acrylic also comes in larger sheets in 3/16" White 7328: 4x10, 6x8, 5x10 and 6x10 ft.
When to Use Acrylic
Acrylic is the standard substrate for illuminated channel letter faces, lightbox panels, backlit signs, point-of-purchase displays and dimensional letters. White 7328 is a common sign white for illuminated faces because it spreads LED light evenly across the face. For colored backlit graphics, apply Oracal 8500 translucent vinyl directly to the face.
Clear acrylic works for display cases, sign covers and second-surface graphics. Its hard, glossy face holds up to cleaning and handling better than polycarbonate, so it keeps a cleaner look on signs that are mounted out of reach.
When to Use Polycarbonate
Pick polycarbonate when the sign is likely to be hit, kicked, struck by a ball or a cart, or targeted by vandals. Common examples are low-mounted panels, signs in parking areas and high-traffic entrances, and covers over printed graphics in public spaces. Both materials work outdoors, but for impact and security work polycarbonate is the safer specification.
The trade-off is the face. Polycarbonate is softer than acrylic, so it scratches more easily and does not have the same hard gloss.
Cutting and Fabrication
Acrylic cuts cleanly with standard panel saws, routers and laser cutters, and it thermoforms for curved applications. Polycarbonate is cut on the same saws and routers, but it is not a laser material: it tends to scorch and discolor at the cut edge. If your shop cuts letters or shapes on a laser, plan on acrylic.
Because polycarbonate is tougher, it is less likely to crack when drilled near an edge or fastened tight, which is one more reason it suits signs that get handled or hit.
No saw in your shop? We cut every substrate we sell to size, acrylic and polycarbonate included. Contact us with your sizes.
Lucite vs Acrylic: Is There a Difference?
No. Lucite and Plexiglas are brand names for acrylic sheet, so “Lucite vs acrylic” is a comparison between a brand and the material it is made of. The same goes for Lexan and polycarbonate. When you compare quotes or specs, compare the material, the thickness and whether the sheet is cast or extruded, not the brand name on the masking.
Polycarbonate vs Acrylic: FAQ
Is polycarbonate stronger than acrylic?
Polycarbonate is more impact resistant, so it is the better choice where a sign may take a hit. Acrylic is harder and more rigid, with a glossier face that resists scratching better.
Is Lucite the same as acrylic?
Yes. Lucite and Plexiglas are brand names for acrylic (PMMA). Plexiglass is the common shop name for the same material.
Which is better for outdoor signs, acrylic or polycarbonate?
Both work outdoors. Use polycarbonate for impact and security applications, and acrylic for a harder, glossier face where breakage is not a risk.
Can you print on polycarbonate?
Yes. Adhesive vinyl, screen printing and direct UV or digital printing all work on sign-grade polycarbonate.
What sizes and thicknesses do you carry?
Acrylic and polycarbonate both come in 4x8 sheets in 1/8" and 3/16", in white and clear. Acrylic also comes in 4x10, 6x8, 5x10 and 6x10 sheets in 3/16" White 7328.
Do you cut acrylic and polycarbonate sheets to size?
Yes. We cut every substrate we sell to size, including acrylic and polycarbonate. Contact us with your sizes.
Get Help Choosing a Sign Sheet
Central Sign Supplies is a family-owned distributor in Omaha, Nebraska, supplying sign shops and fabricators since 1951. Call 1-800-999-3160 to talk through which sheet fits the job or to get a freight quote on full sheets, pick up at 4222 D St in Omaha, or shop acrylic, polycarbonate and all sign substrates online.