Acrylic laser cutting — Perspex & Plexiglass
Acrylic is the showcase material for laser cutting. Cast acrylic comes off the laser with a flame-polished cut edge that looks injection-moulded — no sanding, no polishing, ready to go straight into the finished piece. We cut Perspex, Plexiglass and equivalent cast and extruded acrylics for signage, retail display, awards, model-making and product design.
Acrylic types we cut
- Clear cast — the cleanest cut edge. Best for premium signage and display.
- Coloured cast — full range from solid colours to translucents.
- Frosted / satin — diffused light, useful for backlit signage and lampshades.
- Mirrored — gold, silver, rose-gold. Cuts clean from the front; mirror back is unaffected.
- Fluorescent / edge-lit — glow on the cut edge, premium effect for signage and awards.
- Extruded — cheaper than cast but the cut edge is less polished. We'll usually recommend cast unless price is the main constraint.
Common thicknesses
1.5 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 8 mm, 10 mm, 12 mm. We stock the most popular gauges; for unusual colours or sizes we'll source within a day or two.
Common uses
- Internal and retail signage — letters, logos, panels
- Awards and trophy components — clear acrylic blocks with engraved text
- Point-of-sale displays, menu holders, sneeze guards
- Wedding signage, table numbers, name place cards
- Prototype enclosures and product visualisations
- Architectural model glazing and window panels
- Edge-lit signage with LED strips on cut edges
What the cut edge looks like
On cast acrylic the laser flame-polishes the cut edge — it comes off looking glassy and clear. On extruded acrylic the edge is slightly cloudier. For raster engraving we get a frosted-white mark on clear, and a brighter contrast mark on coloured sheets.
Engraving on acrylic
Surface engraving on acrylic gives a frosted-white mark that looks like a sandblast etch. Reverse engraving (engraving from the back so the light catches the marks through the material) is a premium technique used in awards and signage.
Capability
- Bed area: 680 x 360 mm
- Maximum thickness: 12 mm cast acrylic
- Kerf: typically 0.2–0.3 mm; we account for this on tight assemblies
- Files: SVG, AI, DXF, PDF
Pricing
Most jobs start from £100, dependant on sizing.. Larger runs price per sheet. If you're laying out multiple parts on one sheet, ask us for a nesting check — we usually find some space savings.
See also our broader CO₂ laser cutting page.