How to Easily Mold Acrylic Plastic Sheets

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Last Updated: February 15, 2022 Approved

This article will teach you a super easy way to form acrylic plastic sheets without cracking, splintering, or destroying the sheet. Note that this is not on the level of mixing and pouring a fluid for intricate forms. Instead, this is for taking an existing plastic sheet and cutting and bending it to a form. You'll need cold weather gloves, strong scissors, your mold and an oven.

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As you'll need to put the plastic sheet into the oven, this is your size limitation.
The example here is the outside of a mold, but it can work inside, too.

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The only major variable that can affect the forming process is the thickness of the plastic sheet. This article uses a sheet about 1/4" thick, so all times are about 10 to 15 minutes per step. For thicker sheets, it will take longer, and for thinner sheets, it will take less time. Modify the timing as necessary.^{[1]
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Make sure the sheet is just big enough for the form. Use a plastic cutting knife to cut the sheet down to the general overall size.^{[2]
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This should include any interior cutouts, corners, etc.
Wait about 10 minutes for it to warm fully. When it's ready you'll find it flexible when you try to pick it up.^{[3]
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It's hot and will burn you if you're not careful.^{[4]
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using the heavy shears or scissors. You'll have about 2 minutes before it cools and hardens too much to cut. If it gets too hard, put it back in the oven to warm up again.^{[5]
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At 300 F. it will begin to stick to the cookie sheet. Above that temperature it can melt and/or begin to bubble.^{[6]
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Use your fingers and firm pressure to press into any corners, fold, bends, etc. Continue to hold and press into shape until it begins to harden.
If there are a few curves or bends that need correcting, you can turn on a burner on low to pass the piece back and forth over to SLOWLY heat it up for localized bends.

Expert Q&A

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Question

Is there another method that can be used to bend acrylic?

Abraham Schwartz
Handyman
Abraham Schwartz is a handyman and the owner of Fixin’ To Do, a home improvement service in Austin, Texas. Abraham specializes in both small to medium residential and commercial sized jobs, ranging from TV mounting to furniture assembly to home automation setup. Prior to starting Fixin’ To Do, Abraham worked for over 10 years as a handyman for third party services and had a lifetime of learning how to improve houses. He holds both his TSBPE Plumbing Examiners and Electrical Apprentice (TX) Licenses. In 2018 and 2019, Fixin’ To do was rated as a Top Pro by Thumbtack.

Abraham Schwartz

Handyman

Expert Answer

It depends on the thickness of the acrylic and the key is to warm it up slowly. If you do it in any cold environment, it is more likely to crack. It's a matter of trial and error and being patient with it. Start with a blow dryer at a medium setting to soften it and then once it gets soft enough to where it's pliable, gently bend it.

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Are there any health/safety precautions to be taken? Is it safe to just put the plastic in the oven?

Community Answer

In most cases yes, but if you're using a kind of plastic that either has a very low combustion temperature, or gives off nasty fumes when heated, then I would suggest using an air mask to protect yourself. Look online to see whether this sort of thing would happen with your specific type of plastic. This will not happen for acrylic sheets, as they are safe to mold.

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Question

If my mold is made of plastic, will it melt or get stuck in the plastic that I'm molding?

Yonaton Chanowitz

Community Answer

Depending on what type of plastic it is, it probably will stick to it. You can put parchment paper sheets between the mold to avoid this, but the heat from the thermoplastic may warp the mold.

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Tips

If the area to bend is on an outer curve or bend, or if you want to create a tighter corner, try using a frying pan on LOW heat to hold the plastic area to bend. Once heated it will bend easily.

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The reason this works is because acrylic plastic actually melts at 405 F. Try to actually melt plastic waste pieces to see if they will join and pour or flow into tighter molds.

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Warnings

Don't heat to more than 300 F. or you will begin to create bubbles in the plastic.

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Make sure you use heat (cold) resistant gloves. They will still get hot as you work.

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