Glass is commonly used in glazing but acrylic can be a great alternative & in some situations, superior to glass. Acrylic is commonly used in museums & galleries, boats & as security screens.
The strength & the lightweight properties of acrylic as a material make it an excellent choice for security purposes. It is around 17x stronger than conventional glass & significantly lighter than security glass. Acrylic is used where the weight of the material used is an important factor such as police riot shields & in security vans. The strength & weight of the product will also reduce the risk of injury to those handling the material. The risk of back injury & dropping is reduced, & if it were to be dropped, the material would not shatter like glass, reducing the risk of cutting oneself. This risk is also reduced when the edges of acrylic are polished smooth. Glass cannot be polished like this & will still have sharp edges that are able to cut someone handling.
Finally, the clarity of acrylic is superior to glass. Approximately 80% of light is passed through a sheet of glass compared to 92% that passes through acrylic. This allows museum exhibits to be protected, whilst still allowing for optimal viewing from visitors. It also makes it the material of choice for boat windows & hatches where size is limited, so it is important they allow the cabin to be filled with as much natural light as possible.
