How to Cut Acrylic Diffuser Panels

Acrylic diffusers allow light to shine through them while hiding unsightly bulbs and wiring.

Acrylic diffuser panels are used to hide unsightly lighting hardware such as bulbs and wiring. Diffuser panels are made from thin sheets of acrylic, which can crack easily. Finding replacement diffuser panels can be difficult, especially if the original panel is from an older lighting system. Use a few simple tools and sheet acrylic to cut acrylic diffuser panels, saving time and money in the process.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Table saw
• Jigsaw (optional)
• Plywood (optional)
• Clamps (optional)
• Scrap lumber (optional)
• 120-grit sandpaper

Instructions

1. Measure the diffuser panel being replaced. Write down the length and width. If the panel is broken into too many pieces to accurately determine its length and width, measure the frame that the diffuser panel fits into. The panel's size needs to be slightly smaller than the actual measurements because acrylic expands and contracts with temperature changes. As a rule of thumb, subtract 1/32 to 1/16 inch from the length and width of the measurements. Measure a piece of the original diffuser to determine the correct sheet thickness to use. Most diffuser panels are between 1/16 inch and 1/8 inch thick.

2. Cut the acrylic diffuser panel to the measurements taken in Step 1. The best way to cut acrylic is with a table saw, especially if the acrylic is thin. Check that the fence and the table saw's blade are parallel. If the fence and blade are not parallel, the acrylic can crack because the blade will bind against the plastic. Refer to the table saw's instruction manual to adjust the blade and fence. If using a jigsaw, go to Step 3. Otherwise, continue to Step 4.

3. Apply a small amount of double-stick tape to the acrylic diffuser panel. A 2-inch strip on each corner of the panel is enough to hold it to the plywood. Apply the diffuser panel to a piece of plywood that is approximately the same length and width. The plywood keeps the thin acrylic sheet from vibrating up and down which can lead to cracking. Use a pencil to mark the location of the cut lines.

4. Clamp a piece of lumber on to the acrylic panel and plywood to act as a guide for the jigsaw. This ensures a straight line when you cut the acrylic panel. The jigsaw has a flat bottom called a shoe that allows the jigsaw to travel across the surface of the material its cutting through. When clamping the guide to the panel being cut, take into consideration the distance between the blade and outer edge of the shoe when setting the guide in place. After setting the guide, the jigsaw's blade should line up with the pencil mark made in Step 3.

5. Clean up the edges of the acrylic diffuser panel with 120-grit sandpaper. If rough edges are left on the panel, they could get caught on the diffuser panel's frame. Because the panel is thin, this could lead to tearing or cracking. After sanding wipe down with a cotton cloth and mount the diffuser.

Tips & Warnings

• Acrylic diffuser panels can be cut with the score and snap method. In this method, a line is scored into the plastic repeatedly until it is cut half way through the plastic's thickness. Then the acrylic is snapped in half along the scored line. A heavy-duty box cutter will work for this type of cutting.

References

• FINS: Tools For Working With Acrylic
• YouTube: How to Cut Plastic Sheets
• Plexiglasssheets Info: Acrylic Fabrication Guide: PDF Download