Perspex questions

[johnnymachin]

I'm framing quite a few pictures for a cruise ship corridor(public area).I think I'm going to go with plastic over safety glass.
The frames are 1200mm x 500mm(outside measurements).Is the thickness of the plastic an issue?
Also,as it's a public area,maybe scratch resistant plastic glass would be the way to go.Can I add a scratch resistant coating or
is it done at the manufacturers?
From what I can tell plastic is cheaper and lighter than safety glass but scratches more easily.I'm hoping the scratch resistant type
will solve this but maybe adds too much to the cost?.Any help or opinions appreciated.
Thanks,Johnny.

[Graysalchemy]

acrylic or perspex will scratch much more easily especially cleaners over zealous use of cleaning solvents and cloths. However having said that I have a whole load in a very popular bar in Manchester which still look as fresh as the day they were put up and that was eight years ago.

I take it there is a stipulation not to use standard glass in board the ship. Otherwise the majority of my work for hotels and bars is in bogstandard 2mm float only mirrors are safety backed.

[johnnymachin]

I can't use standard float glass for safety reasons so it's got to be safety glass or some kind of plastic.
I'm trying to find the best value I can.Some of the safety glass quotes have been reasonable but I thought plastics
may be better value(and lighter).I've searched online and made some calls but seem to get different info each time.
Some companies advertise scratch resistant perspex,others have told me there is no such thing(and directed me to very expensive
alternatives).

[David Jarvis Gunnar]

Lexan Margard is about as good as scratchproof optical plastic gets. Trouble is it is about £300 per square metre. But it is almost impossible to mark or break.
Failing that 4.2mm laminated glass might be ok for you this should not set you back more that £40 per square metre this behaves like windscreen glass if it is broken and holds together because of the plastic layer between the two layers of glass. Difficult to get it totally scratch free though. If the Lexan is not too much then Robert Horne Group distribute the Lexan range and there are cheaper products with the same strength but not the hard coating. Most high street glaziers keep laminated glass in stock. It is hard to cut so would be worth ordering your sizes cut to size.

[Jonny2morsos]

Have you spoken to Glass & Morror? I remember them demonstrating an acrylic at Springfair that is scratch proof by rubbing it with wire wool.

I think you are talking ££££'s though which might be a problem if you have already committed yourself to a price.

[Roboframer]

Wessex Glass & Mirror do a good Abrasion Resistant (not 'scratch resistant') acrylic 'Artshield' or 'GM artshield UV' - either may be cleaned with 0000 grade steel wool, not that you should need to.

At one time the UV version was cheaper than the non-UV version, maybe it still is - I suppose it was because one comes from the US and one doesn't.

Below that the least prone to abrasion from regular cleaning, as long as a good micro-fibre cloth is used, is cast acrylic.

3mm should be fine for the size you want.