Does Home Depot Cut Plexiglass?

Suppose you decided to do some interesting projects, and you need to get your plexiglass cut. So, the question does Home Depot cut plexiglass is completely reasonable and good to know. Although the process itself may look to most people quite easy, keep in mind that it can be quite a chore.

Does Home Depot cut plexiglass? Unfortunately, they no longer offer the service of cutting plexiglass. You could enjoy this service in the past, but since it wasn’t successful, it was removed from their standard services. However, at Home Depot, you’ll find a wide range of tools, best materials, and services to improve your project.

The Home Depot store

If you wish to find out more about this widely used material for all kinds of items and how to get it cut by size, keep reading.

What Is Plexiglass?

Known as acrylic glass, plexiglass became one of the most popular materials that make the best alternative to glass. It’s a cost-effective and synthetic material used for designing LED screens, windows, aquariums, and windscreens. Typically, it is manufactured in sheets, and it’s lightweight, shatterproof, and durable, but much more rigid compared to other materials.

Over the years, acrylic usage has become more popular precisely because of its features. Check some of them and ensure why plexiglass is the best alternative for glass:

  • Money-saving – plexiglass as a non-brittle material is better compared to its alternatives. However, if you’re looking for a cost-conscious material, this is it. It’s because it takes a lot less energy and money to produce sheets of plexiglass. And because of its lightweight, the shipping and transportation costs are lower.
  • Easy to use – as already mentioned, the plexiglass is lightweight, and it’s one of the greatest advantages this material will offer you. Moving and installing it will be a piece of cake, while doing the same things with glass will require quite an effort.
  • Light transmission – glass doesn’t eliminate reflection and glares as the plexiglass does. In fact, more than 90% of the light will go through the acrylic that it would do with glass. Also, as the glass is thicker, the possibility for light distortion rises. While with plexiglass, there’s no such risk.
A table with a protective plexiglass

Reasons Why Home Depot Stopped Offering the Plexiglass Cutting Service

Getting the perfect cuts of this rigid and stiff material can be quite challenging. When it comes to professional cutting, as Home Depot once offered, it’s even more tricky because numerous other factors play a big role in a venture. One of them is most certainly the profit and possible risks.

Although Home Depot offers cutting services such as woodcutting, plexiglass cutting is no longer in its service section. And here are some of the most important reasons why that is.

ReasonDescription
Hiring full-time employeesIt takes a lot of training to avoid terrible mistakes. As a result, Home Depot would have to change the cutting fee, and then the real question would be: how many customers will actually pay for that service.
The accuracy issueThis material breaks easily, and it has to be cut with accuracy. That’s why many hardware stores are having trouble explaining to customers they won’t be responsible should anything go wrong.
Company’s money lossSince they were held responsible when a customer’s plexiglass gets damaged, the costs were high.
Safety concernsBesides being too demanding, this service also opened many safety concerns from their workers.
Limited floor spaceThe company sells numerous items, and the physical space is limited. To be more precise, there’s never enough floor space for this process.

Does Home Depot Sell Plexiglass, and How Much Will It Cost?

Understandably, not everyone can do a DIY project like this one. Luckily, some alternatives will help you if you can’t use professional cutting services. In that case, you should look for a pre-cut acrylic sheet at a hardware store like Home Depot. They come in various sizes and have cuts that can be used for all kinds of things. However, double-check the size and ensure you got the right one for your project.

A Home Depot store

Can You Cut Plexiglass or Acrylic on Your Own – Use Some Safety Measures

If you’re willing to learn some new stuff, like cutting acrylic glass, then you have to consider some facts before you roll up your sleeves. It’s extremely important to be aware of the possibility of hurting yourself, especially if you don’t have the patience and expertise.

The first thing you should do is get the right tools and techniques for cutting. Although it’s a synthetic material, getting a clean cut can sometimes be tricky and hard to achieve. It all depends on the piece of plexiglass you like to cut – you’ll need different tools for tin and a thick piece of acrylic:

  • Power saw, circular, saber or table one,
  • Jigsaw,
  • Plexiglass knife or a straight razor,
  • Marker.

Before you start, don’t forget to wear protective equipment – safety glasses and gloves. Only then can you proceed with the cutting process. So, you’ll need a power saw or jigsaw for thicker pieces and a plexiglass knife or a straight razor for thinner ones. Also, know that when you’re using a knife, you’ll have to do at least a dozen passes in order to cut through the material.

In the video below, check out three super easy methods on how to cut thin plexiglass at home and improve your skills.

Buy Plexiglass at Home Depot and Get It Cut by a Professional or DIY

It would be best if you just could pay for a reliable service that will help you and do everything right away in one place, right? But, considering all the downsides Home Depot had to face, it’s completely reasonable why they don’t do it anymore. Luckily, you can buy pre-cuts there or DIY if you’re into crafty stuff. I personally prefer buying the acrylic sheets, I just make sure the sizes are perfect.