How to sand plexiglass to make it transparent. How to sand plexiglass at home

Over time, the surface of the plexiglass becomes covered with scratches, loses its luster, various flaws begin to appear on it, and the reflection in it is significantly distorted. But it is still possible to return the glass to its previous appearance, although the process itself is laborious and rather lengthy. The main thing is to know how to polish plexiglass, be patient and not let the material become completely unusable.

Features of plexiglass

Organic glass is a synthetic polymer composed of thermoplastic resin. It has many other names:

plexiglass;
acrylic glass;
transparent plastic;
carboglass;
acryplast, etc.

In Europe, plexiglass has been known since 1933, although it was created back in 1928. At that time, plexiglass found its way into the aviation industry. Its properties, such as transparency, shatterlessness and insensitivity to the effects of aviation gasoline, were excellent for the design of the cockpit.

Domestic plexiglass appeared in 1936, and modern developments made it possible to use its composite versions even for MiG aircraft. What then to say about the domestic use of plexiglass, which is widely used:

in interiors;
when glazing openings and making transparent domes;
as decorative partitions;
in the production of shower cabins;
as a diffuser for fluorescent lamps and decorative elements with illumination;
for aquariums and molded products.

It is impossible to list all areas of application of Plexiglas, especially in industry. It is released:

colored;
transparent;
matte;
corrugated.

We can say with confidence that plexiglass looks great in any case, has a lot of advantages, but is prone to scuffs and scratches, which can be removed if you learn how to polish plexiglass. At a positive result it will last for a long time.

How to restore transparency and shine to plexiglass

To begin with, it should be remembered that when polishing organic glass, one should not use highly abrasive compounds, aggressive chemicals and coarse-grained emery skins. All of them will surely lead to tarnishing of the surface and loss of aesthetics.

There are several ways to give plexiglass a second life, each of which has the right to exist. It should be noted that it is most convenient to work with glass that is removed from the structure. In this case, adhesive tape is glued to the ends in such a way that it goes a couple of millimeters onto the main surfaces of the plexiglass.

If it is not possible to remove plexiglass for a number of reasons, then the surfaces of other materials adjacent to it will need to be pasted over with the same adhesive tape. Next, the glass is cleaned of dust and dirt with a piece of soft cloth.

It is important to know that the prepared plexiglass is polished only by hand. Any machine processing leads to its deterioration due to the relatively fast processing.

Option 1

For the process of polishing plexiglass you will need the following materials and tools:

emery skin - with a grain size of 2000 and 800;
soft cloth, which can be replaced with felt or felt;
polishing paste.

Polishing is started using 800 sandpaper and a small amount of water. It is necessary to monitor the accuracy and uniformity of stripping. surface after finishing this stage It turns out matte, but that's how it should be. The main thing is that there are no ruts left. The glass is wiped with a soft cloth and the Plexiglas is processed with a finer sandpaper with a grain size of 2000, as a result of which it becomes more transparent, and scratches disappear on the surface.

Next, a polish in the form of a paste is applied to the plexiglass with a soft cloth, which is offered in a wide range in building supermarkets, and polishing is continued, evenly rubbing the composition over the surface of the glass. The effect of the appearance of glitter on it can be seen after a few seconds.

Option 2

In this case, you will need:

paste GOI;
soft tissue, or felt, felt, cotton pads sold in cosmetic departments.

First, the paste is applied to plexiglass and polished using one of the above materials. Then it is processed with a fine skin soaked in water. Plexiglas is also sprayed with water, its surface should not remain dry during operation.

At the final stage, the glass is wiped with a soft cloth and again treated with GOI paste using felt. This option recommended for polishing old Plexiglas.

Option 3

There are a wide range of colorless car polishes on the market. various manufacturers. They are also suitable for polishing organic glass, but before starting the application process, it is not superfluous to check on a small area of \u200b\u200bplexiglass what the result will be, so that unforeseen situations do not occur.

With a successful check, you can safely apply the polish to the surface, carefully rubbing it with felt. After the end of this stage, it is recommended to grind the plexiglass with machine oil.

There are still quite a few options for polishing plexiglass. Home craftsmen will be able to talk about using a zero skin and a can with a burner, which is unsafe and, if used incorrectly, can lead to glass melting. Some craftsmen advise using self-prepared products, which include tooth powder or paste, wine vinegar or chalk.

But it's not worth the risk - it's better to use long-proven technologies for polishing plexiglass!

Plexiglas is an excellent replacement for conventional glass. Plexiglas has been used in various industries, including construction. The level of strength and transparency of plexiglass has good performance, so often not only shower cabins are made from it, but also lighting, aquariums, as well as various accessories for cars.

However, sometimes scratches and even chips can be found on Plexiglas. From scratches on plexiglass, it is quite possible to get rid of it on your own, at home. So, how is plexiglass polished at home? How to properly polish plexiglass, for example, on the doors of a shower cabin?

Having decided to polish plexiglass yourself, you need to learn more about how to properly polish plexiglass at home. The fact is that this is a very delicate process, during which you can both restore the former appearance of a Plexiglas product, and vice versa, completely ruin it.

First of all, you should know that the processing of plexiglass excludes the use of any aggressive substances for these purposes. If chemicals are used to polish plexiglass, then its appearance after processing will become dull and unsightly, and the product will be completely damaged.

In order to carry out the process of polishing plexiglass correctly, it is necessary to prepare the following tools for this:

Scotch tape and paper;
A sharp knife or scalpel;
Zero sandpaper (for 800 and 2000);
GOI paste.

Plexiglas polishing at home is done manually, without the use of any power tools. Using a power tool for polishing plexiglass, you can quickly overheat the surface, after which the plexiglass will no longer be usable.

To polish plexiglass at home, you first need to remove the product from which it is made and place it on a flat and durable surface. At the same time, the ends of the product must immediately be pasted over with adhesive tape or paper so that they are not damaged during the polishing of plexiglass.

After such simple preparatory work, you can polish the plexiglass with your own hands. To do this, with sandpaper (at 800) and with a small amount of water, a neat and uniform grouting of the Plexiglas surface is carried out.

Having thus cleaned the plexiglass, its surface is wiped off and the first assessment of the work performed is given. If the scratches on the plexiglass are not completely or completely removed, then you should continue polishing the plexiglass again.

As soon as large scratches from plexiglass are removed, sandpaper should be changed, replacing it with sandpaper (for 2000). After the Plexiglas surface is completely smooth and without defects, the result should be fixed using GOI paste or any other surface polishing paste.

GOI paste is applied to the glass surface with a soft cloth and carefully, it is rubbed into the plexiglass with uniform hand movements. After ten minutes, you can see how the surface of the plexiglass will take on a shiny and glossy look.

On this, the polishing of plexiglass at home is completed, and you can install the product in its rightful place for its further operation.

Plexiglas is widely used in various industries. Partitions, viewing windows, showcases, telescopes, accessories for Vehicle, microscopes, lamps, as well as building and medical equipment. Plexiglas has many advantages. However, the material must be well looked after. Only in this case the product will last long enough. So, how to polish plexiglass at home?

What is it for?

Plexiglas is considered a strong and reliable material. However, over time, small scratches, chips and cuts appear on it. This happens due to the mechanical impact on the product during its use. To restore the attractive appearance of plexiglass, it is necessary to polish it.

It should be noted that the procedure itself is simple. But at the same time, this is a meticulous and lengthy task that requires patience and endurance. In addition, strong, aggressive substances cannot be used to process plexiglass. As reviews show, after using such products, the material may become dull and cloudy.

What is needed?

So, how to polish plexiglass and what is required for this? Many people ask a similar question. Material handling is a simple process. The result after manual polishing is much better than after using special equipment that can heat the material and melt its surface. Before processing, prepare everything necessary materials and tools. This will require:

Preparing plexiglass for polishing

Since it is impossible to polish plexiglass without removing it from the product, it is worth carefully removing it. After that, you need to glue the edges with tape. This will protect them from chips and other damage.

You need to stick the adhesive tape with an overlap: from 1 to 2 millimeters. If the plexiglass cannot be removed from the product, then you will have to work with extreme caution. In this case, all the parts located next to the surface to be treated must be sealed with adhesive tape.

polishing process

How to polish plexiglass so that it is like new? First, the surface must be treated with sandpaper marked 800. In this case, it is worth adding a little water. Treat plexiglass evenly. In conclusion, the material must be wiped, and the result can be evaluated. The result should be frosted plexiglass. It `s naturally. If the surface is unevenly matte, then it is worth continuing processing. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that potholes do not form.

When the surface becomes completely matte, you can proceed to the next step. Since it is necessary to polish plexiglass until it is completely transparent, it is necessary to use sandpaper marked 2000. The material should be processed over the entire area. Plexiglas should become more transparent. At the same time, there should be no scratches on its surface. If a defect is found, then it is worth sanding it with sandpaper marked 800.

The final stage of polishing

How to polish plexiglass at home? In such cases, it is better to use a special paste. It is necessary to apply a small amount of polishing composition to a piece of soft cloth, and then process the plexiglass, making measured, neat movements. After a while, the material will begin to acquire a shine.

In conclusion, it is worth carefully considering the treated surface. If a scratch is found on it, then the product should be sanded and polished again. If the result completely satisfies you, then you can carefully remove the adhesive tape. After that, it is worth carefully polishing the edges of the part. As the reviews show, such processing allows you to return an attractive appearance to plexiglass products. The material becomes transparent and scratch-free.

Polishing with GOI paste

How to polish plexiglass with your own hands using GOI paste? Felt is required for work. If such material is not available, then it can be replaced with a woolen insole, a piece of felt boots or cotton pads.

The polishing process is quite simple. It is necessary to apply a little GOI paste on a piece of material and carefully treat the surface. You need to polish the plexiglass until you get the desired result.

If the material is very old, then it should be polished before processing with GOI paste. You can use sandpaper for this. In this case, the skin should be very fine. The surface of Plexiglas before grinding should be moistened with a spray bottle. It is necessary to ensure that the material does not dry out during processing. Otherwise, scratches will form on the surface. Only after grinding, you can start polishing the plexiglass with GOI paste.

In conclusion

Now you know how to polish plexiglass from scratches, chips and other mechanical damage. As the reviews show, you should work with the material carefully. After all, any awkward movement can leave a mark on its surface.

For polishing plexiglass, you can use a polish designed for the treatment of vehicles. It is enough to apply the product on the surface of the material, and then grind it with a piece of felt. However, before the procedure, experts recommend testing the polish on a small area. Finally, rub the surface with liquid oil.

In the process of processing Plexiglas, for example, sometimes rough, rough edges remain after cutting, or after some time of use, cracks and defects appear. Often, a product made of polymer glass may completely lose its original appearance, for example, become dull or distort the image. Therefore, the problem of returning Plexiglas to its original form will sooner or later affect many. For example, it is often necessary to clean and polish plexiglass in showers and other accessories in bathrooms.

How to polish plexiglass?*

One of the main features of plexiglass is its transparency, due to which synthetic glass is successfully used instead of real glass. Therefore, as soon as plexiglass loses its transparency properties, it turns into ordinary plastic. Of course, in some cases, for example, when the scratches are deep, and the surface has become too dull, you can no longer return the original state of the plastic glass, but it is not at all necessary to polish to a perfect shine. It will be possible to simply remove clearly strongly visible defects, and then update your surface with a color film. Properly glued film will change your product, and at the same time strengthen the glass.

If over time cracks, scratches form on your product, and the transparency property is no longer observed, then use the tips on the video and do your own polishing at home. Without a doubt, such work will require some patience from you and will take more than one hour of time, but all this will be replenished with an updated look of the plexiglass surface.

If there is not enough experience, then it is better to carry out the polishing procedures manually so as not to completely spoil the plexiglass.

In order to correctly complete all the steps, you need to prepare everything necessary tool, and remove the glass from the product. When the glass surface is outside the product, the process will be greatly simplified in time and will become much more convenient. The working surface is glued with adhesive tape, which must be of high quality so as not to leave traces with glue.

First, the surface must be sanded. To do this, you need a skin and water. You can choose the skin yourself, for example, 800 is suitable.
The grinding process begins with cleaning the surface with sandpaper. You need to work carefully, and most importantly evenly. The surface is sanded until the plexiglass becomes dull. In the process, you need to pay attention to the manifestation of various defects, for example, potholes.
After the glass has become completely opaque, change the number of the skin, now you need the number 2000. Already in the process of working, you will see how the glass becomes transparent.
Sand the surface until the plexiglass is as clear as possible. If at the end of the work you notice more defects, then switch back to the skin number 800 and repeat the operation.
Then the surface is wiped.

For the final step, additional tools will be required, for example, plexiglass polishing paste, it can be purchased at hardware store by consulting with the seller.

The polish is applied to a fabric with a soft base, with the help of which the surface is polished with uniform movements. The process is considered complete when the glass becomes shiny. We remove the adhesive tape and insert our plastic glass into the product.

The success of the entire enterprise depends largely on right choice polishing paste. The paste must match the brand of plexiglass, and reviews on the use of polish for surface treatment vary widely. Therefore, we recommend using proven products, in particular, GOI paste. GOI paste got its name in honor of the State Optical Institute, where it was developed in the 30s of the last century for polishing optical glasses, known for their highest requirements. Of course, GOI also has a number of disadvantages, for example, it contains chromium oxide, which should also not be forgotten when working.

For our needs, GOI of medium grain size is suitable, which can be recognized by its green color.

In fact, many modern facilities can cope with rubbing the surface, you just need to carefully read the instructions. So the polishing paste for plexiglass should not contain ammonia, which gives the surface a porosity that is incompatible with transparency. Excessive graininess also harms the surface.

To polish polymer glass, you can even use tooth powder, which is applied with a cloth.

Polishing methods

If you have sufficient skill, you can use a grinder, both special and improvised, for which you can adapt an electric drill by equipping it with a special nozzle. In this case, it is not necessary to use high speeds, in order to avoid overheating of the surface. Overheating can result in surface microcracks that adversely affect transparency.

And what to do in the case when all the above attempts did not bring the desired result? In this case, experts advise painting the surface or using a colored film.

Polishing can be divided into two ways:

Polishing plexiglass at home, i.e. what is at hand at home, without special equipment.
With the use of special pastes, fixtures, tools.

Created short video showing the process of grinding and polishing, and below is a description with a photo:

How to polish plexiglass at home

It is necessary to polish according to the same principles as polishing wood or iron. Those. first grinding - large irregularities on the surface of the material are removed, then smaller ones, and so on until a mirror shine.

Polishing flat plexiglass

May you have a flat piece or more complex shape plexiglass, scratched during operation, which must be brought into a divine form, i.e. polish. For example, I take this scratched piece:

How do we polish plexiglass? Since we work from home, I use what is at hand.

kit sandpaper different grit
toothpaste
pasta GOI
a rag, but rather a piece of felt

When choosing sandpaper, the grains should not be larger than the deepest scratches on the Plexiglas surface. to start polishing and finish with the finest sandpaper with No. 2000, which can even be rubbed together before working with glass. It is not advisable to take completely wiped paper, because. you will rub, but the glass will not be removed.

When restoring glass, you will have to go through a crisis, as often happens in the treatment of an illness. We clean the scratched surface with the roughest sandpaper and it all becomes matte. This is clearly visible in the video. Don't be scared. We make the surface smooth, evenly matte over the entire plane, so that scratches do not stand out.

Then we take an ever smaller skin and three, three, three. Until the glass after the “nulling” treatment acquires an almost transparent appearance.

After that, we begin to polish the plexiglass with toothpaste. The paste should contain at least some abrasive substances, so it is better not to take the gel. I used this one (obviously not the best for polishing), but you can use another one, but better tooth powder:

Three again. In this case, the surface acquires a shiny appearance, even if there are traces of scratches.

And before and after that, the glass can be washed with soap and water to wash off the dirt formed during processing, when one remaining pebble from the sandpaper will make a bunch of new scratches.

After that, if any, you can polish with GOI paste.

See that there are no deep scratches and no paste gets there. It is dark in color and it will be difficult to wash it out of them.

At the end, wash the glass with soap and water and look at the result:

The picture shows that the middle is more transparent than the edges. But in the beginning it was the other way around.

Therefore, in order not to rub once again what was already transparent, before processing, you can seal the places with a good surface with masking tape and clean only scratches.

Long-term and labor-intensive process, especially when large areas
It is difficult to achieve a perfectly smooth surface, as it was before processing. There are always micro-roughnesses, although they become transparent
In this way it is difficult to remove a single scratch on the surface without damaging the surface around it.

When polishing plexiglass with your own hands, you can not be afraid to melt and deform the material from strong friction, which can happen when polishing with a felt wheel on an electric motor.

With this surface treatment of plexiglass, no internal stresses, which may prevent its further gluing with other parts, which otherwise may lead to cracking of the material from the glue that has got into these places.

This is the easiest way to restore the transparency of the Plexiglas surface.

Plexiglas is a material that has consolidated its position both in everyday life and in production. His specifications(strength, transparency, thermoplasticity) are not inferior to the properties of ordinary glass. The operation of organic glass may lead to the need for its polishing. Is it possible to polish the material at home and how? What is included in the preparation and processing process? Everything is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.

Features of the material and scope of application

Organic glass is obtained from acrylic acid through the implementation of various chemical reactions. This material is similar in various parameters to ordinary glass, but its nature is organic (hence the name of the material). There are several synonymous words - plexiglass, acryplast, carboglass, etc.

Among the main characteristics of plexiglass can be highlighted:

ease;
softness;
the ability to easily transform;
malleability during processing;
high throughput;
When exposed to certain chemicals, plexiglass decomposes.

The impact resistance of many types of plexiglass is 5 times greater than that of ordinary

Polymeric transparent material is used in various areas of human life, so the operation of organic glass can lead to a change in its appearance- deterioration of transparency, decrease in gloss, appearance of scratches, roughness and other unfavorable moments. Carboglass with large damage from glass turns into ordinary plastic. In this regard, the question often arises of the need for polishing plexiglass at home.

Ways to polish plexiglass at home

It is possible to give plaxiglass products their original appearance without resorting to complex tools or expensive materials.

There are several effective methods combating the "non-commodity" type of plexiglass:

Felt + GOI paste.
The use of dichloroethane.
The use of polishes.
Home recipes (wine vinegar, toothpaste, etc.)

Using GOI paste, sandpaper and felt (with detailed video)

You should know that there are coarse, medium and fine types of GOI paste

Algorithm:

Isolation of plaxiglass from other structures and elements. If possible, separate the plexiglass from other structures (glue the adjacent areas with adhesive tape, detach the plexiglass parts, etc.)
Using 2000 grit sandpaper, sand the organic glass, periodically wetting the surface with water (under running water or using a spray bottle). Uniformity and slowness are the main characteristics in the performance of this work. A matt, uniform surface should be the result of this time-consuming step.
The part wiped dry is polished using felt with GOI paste applied to it. This should be done slowly, achieving the highest quality result.

This method of repairing plexiglass is suitable for plexiglass with large scratches on it.

By following the step-by-step instructions in the video, you can easily cope with the task of eliminating plexiglass defects.

Home helpers (toothpaste, chalk and others) + video

As a polishing agent, some craftsmen use chalk or toothpaste, applying these substances to a felt or other soft cloth. How to polish - manually or with the help of technology - each specialist decides independently. The main thing is to get the result in the form of a smooth and shiny surface.

You can use regular towels natural materials. Apply a little dentifrice paste on them and rub it in a circle into the surface to be treated. After that, rinse the plexiglass with plain water.

Below is a video demonstrating how to polish car headlights with toothpaste.

Is it possible to polish with your own hands using dichloroethane

The use of this substance is appropriate when processing small areas of plexiglass. Dichloroethane dissolves upper layer plexiglass, thereby improving its appearance, leveling the surface and eliminating scratches. The chemical is applied with a spray gun to the acryplast and wait for complete drying.

But the use of this method requires a good skill in work, because when removing scratches, you can add bumps to the glass, and chemicals are not useful for a craftsman who changes the appearance of plexiglass.

Other scratch remedies

To give a smooth and shiny look, the product can be treated with any automotive polishing products.

It is advisable to test the effect of auto polishes by trying to process first small plot so as not to damage the entire product.
If the result is satisfactory, then feel free to get to work. To do this, apply auto cosmetics to a soft cloth and wipe the product in a circular motion many times.

You can speed up the process with the help of power tools - a polishing wheel, grinding machines. When using such devices, do not forget that the rotation speed should not be too high so as not to "burn" the surface.

The Japanese Compound paste received good reviews in terms of polishing carboglass.

Also included is a special polishing pad.

Choice chemical substances for glass cleaning important process, because some chemicals, instead of being useful, can cause severe damage to the surface, simply destroying it. Therefore, be very careful when using these tools.

Any action to improve the appearance of acrylic glass will be in vain if it is harmful to your health. Therefore, when working, it is necessary to remember the safety precautions:

When working with a sandpaper or a grinder, wear protective goggles so that possible dust particles do not get into your eyes.
Do not neglect the use of gloves, they are indispensable for safe work (when sanding the surface, when using chemicals). Match them to the size of your hand to avoid getting excess cloth into the polishing wheel.
When using chemicals, do not forget about the intake fresh air in the room where the work is being done.
When working with special devices, be sure to check their serviceability and reliability. electrical wiring and sockets.
When spraying dichloroethane, use a respirator or medical personal mask.

The process of polishing plexiglass at home is time consuming and time consuming, especially if you work by hand. But the result will surely reward you for your efforts. The surface of plexiglass will become smooth, even, without nicks and scratches and will please you for a long time.

How to polish plexiglass with a good result?
What we have: here is a Plexiglas window on the cassette door of the player.

There are some, if I may say so, members who doubted, and even laughed at the word "skin" in the story about polishing plexiglass. Especially for the doubters and for all the other interested. I am posting my personal experience.

The glass is badly damaged, except for deep scratches, there are traces
aggressive chemical attack, perhaps someone tried to remove scratches with acetone (for example).

1. What we need: adhesive tape, paper, scalpel, spatula, sandpaper 800, 2000 and velvet or soft cloth.
If it is possible to dismantle the part, it is better to do this, it will be more convenient to work.
We paste over the working surface with an overlap of adhesive tape 1-2 mm. Adhesive tape should be used proven, there are aggressive adhesives that can damage the inscriptions. I use my professional tape for pasting baguettes. With a scalpel, carefully cut off the excess adhesive tape, with a spatula we make the correct roundings in the corners and push the excess adhesive tape into the gap between the glass and the case.
(if you can remove the glass, it is better to do so, in this case I did not do this and went the hard way)

2. Under water, carefully polish the entire surface of the glass with sandpaper 800 evenly. The key to success is accuracy and uniformity.
We wipe, look at the result, the glass has ceased to be transparent at all. Do not despair and do not panic, if your glass is uniformly opaque, then everything is fine. In my case, irregularities and cavities of the glass are visible, which are eaten away by an aggressive substance, “sand” everything until the glass becomes evenly matte, without ruts.

3. Now we continue polishing with sandpaper 2000. The result is encouraging, the glass begins to acquire a certain transparency. The glass must be absolutely evenly matte. scratches, stains and indentations should not be visible (if you see dark spots, then, most likely, these are potholes in the glass, they need to be removed, it is possible to return to the skin 800 again. If the result suits us, we wipe the entire surface dry.

4. We apply polishing paste on a soft cloth, now you can find many different polishing pastes (I have recently become addicted to Japanese, see photo). Uniform movements we polish the glass, it acquires a shine before our eyes.

Here is such a shine in 15 minutes. Compare before and after, 15 minutes, 3 of them I talked with my friend Ogonyok on the phone :)
And you can achieve more!