Duco Plastics & Supply Duco USA-Made Clear Cast Acrylic Sheet 1/8 Inch Thick 12" x 12" - 1 Pack of Transparent Plexiglass Sheet - Lightweight Acrylic Board for Window Replacements, Displays, Signs, and More

What it is and why I used it

I picked up the Duco acrylic sheet as a small-format, clear panel for a few shop tasks: a tabletop protector for a side table, a replacement pane for a shed window, and some quick laser-cut labels. The square 12 x 12 format and 1/8-inch thickness make it a handy stock size for prototyping and small projects without committing to a full sheet. It’s cast acrylic, made in the USA, with a protective film on both faces, and it promises the usual benefits over glass: lighter, clearer, and far more impact resistant.

Build quality and consistency

Out of the package, the sheet arrived flat and unwarped with intact protective film. After peeling, the clarity is excellent—color-neutral and free of the wavy distortions you sometimes see in lower-grade extruded acrylic. Measured with calipers, my sheet was right around 0.118 inches thick across the board, which is spot-on for 1/8-inch nominal and, importantly, consistent across the surface. Edge squareness was good.

A quick note on size: Duco publishes a ±1/8-inch cut tolerance. My piece measured just shy of a true 12 inches on one axis (about 11-7/8), which is within that tolerance. If you’re building a tight-fitting insert or frame, plan accordingly—either order a size up and trim, or leave yourself a little play in the design.

Working with the sheet

Acrylic rewards proper technique. This sheet, being cast, machines and lasers cleanly when you do your part.

• Cutting: On a table saw with a fine-tooth, triple-chip grind blade and the protective film left on, I got clean, chip-free cuts. Support the work fully and feed steadily; acrylic hates chatter. A straightedge and scoring knife will work for very narrow strips, but at 1/8-inch thickness I prefer the saw.

• Drilling: Use a plastic-specific bit or a standard bit with a very light touch. I drilled 3/16-inch clearance holes at low RPM with backer scrap, and the holes came out clean—no star cracking. For any fastened installation (window frames, guards), oversize your holes slightly and use nylon or rubber washers to accommodate thermal expansion.

• Routing/CNC: An O-flute bit, high RPM, and moderate feed produced smooth edges without melting. Keep the chips moving; if the chips linger, the material heats and smears.

• Laser cutting and engraving: Cast acrylic engraves with a frosty, high-contrast mark and leaves polished edges off the laser. My small CO2 unit cut the 1/8-inch panel in one pass with crisp corners. As always, remove the char and adhesive residue with a mild plastic cleaner after you peel.

• Edge finishing: Saw-cut edges sand to a uniform matte quickly (220 > 400 > 800), and flame-polishing restored a glassy finish without crazing. Laser-cut edges were already glossy.

The protective film did its job—no transit scuffs—and peeled cleanly without residue. Leave it on through fabrication whenever possible.

Optical clarity and UV performance

Visually, this is what you want acrylic to look like: bright, clear, and color-true. As a tabletop protector, it disappears over light and dark finishes alike. As a small window replacement, it offers a clear view with no distracting tint. Duco states UV resistance, which is consistent with cast acrylic generally; it’s far better than polycarbonate in terms of yellowing over time. For outdoor exposure, you still want to design for expansion—acrylic moves with temperature swings—but the material itself handles sun well.

Strength, stiffness, and practical limits

Acrylic is often described as “strong,” and Duco echoes the usual “10x impact resistance of glass” claim. That’s fair for impact; a dropped tool will almost certainly chip glass but bounce off this sheet. That said, stiffness is a different story. At 1/8 inch thick, a 12-inch span has noticeable flex. That’s fine for a small picture frame, table protector, or equipment guard, but if you’re building a wider barrier or an unsupported lid, you’ll want additional support ribs or a thicker sheet (1/4 inch carries loads much better). Over humid or warm environments (above an aquarium, near a heat source), expect some bowing over time unless supported.

Scratch resistance is better than polycarbonate, worse than glass. On a coffee station table, coasters and a gentle cleaner kept it looking new. On a workbench, you’ll see light scuffs with casual tool contact. The good news is that fine scratches can be polished out if the surface matters to you.

Real-world uses I tested

• Tabletop protector: Cut to fit, set on felt dots, and it blended right in. The slight flex actually helped it conform to a less-than-perfect antique top. Hot mugs didn’t cause any clouding or imprinting, but I wouldn’t place a hot pan directly on it—acrylic softens with heat.

• Shed window pane: I cut the sheet to size and used oversized screw holes with weatherstripping. It’s half the weight of glass and safer to handle on a ladder. Clarity is excellent, and after one windy week with debris, no stress cracks.

• Laser-cut labels and a small sign: Engraving was crisp and white, edges polished off the laser. Cast acrylic is the right choice for this kind of work; extruded tends to engrave poorly.

• Aquarium lid insert: A narrow strip worked nicely, but a full 12-inch span with only two edges supported will bow from humidity and light heat. Use cross braces or a thicker sheet for wider spans.

Finishing, adhesives, and cleaning

For bonding, water-thin solvent cement (Weld-On 4/SCIGRIP 4) wicks into joints and makes a strong, clear bond. If you’re adhering it to wood or metal, VHB tape or a flexible construction adhesive is often safer than screws, which can create stress risers if holes are too tight.

Cleaning is simple: a soft microfiber cloth and a plastic-safe cleaner. Avoid ammonia-based glass cleaners; they can cause surface crazing over time. The protective film reduces fabrication scratches; don’t peel it until the last possible step.

Value and who it’s for

A single 12 x 12 panel is an easy buy for DIYers, makers, and small shops that need a clear, machinable material without buying and storing a full sheet. For one-off replacements, templates, craft projects, CNC/laser prototyping, and small protective screens, this thickness and format hit a sweet spot. If your application needs high rigidity or spans more than a foot without support, step up in thickness or add structure.

The made-in-USA angle matters for consistency; the cast stock I received was flat, clear, and machined predictably. Packaging was thoughtful, and the masks peeled cleanly.

Caveats

• Dimensional tolerance: Plan around the ±1/8-inch size tolerance. If a true 12 x 12 is mission-critical, order larger and trim or allow clearance in your design.

• Not glass: It scratches more easily and doesn’t like concentrated heat. Treat it as a durable plastic, not a glass panel.

• Fastening needs care: Oversize holes, low clamping pressure, and compliant washers keep cracks at bay.

None of these are unique to this sheet—they’re the realities of acrylic—but they’re worth keeping top of mind.

The bottom line

The Duco acrylic sheet did exactly what I needed it to do: it arrived flat and protected, cut and drilled cleanly, laser-engraved with high contrast, and presented glass-like clarity at half the weight and much better impact resistance. Within its thickness limits, it’s reliable and easy to work with. The only operational gotcha is the published size tolerance; it’s within spec, but you need to design for it if you’re chasing a friction fit.

Recommendation: I recommend this sheet for small-scale glazing, protectors, signage, and general shop use where clarity, clean machining, and ease of handling matter. If your project requires perfectly exact dimensions out of the package or a rigid panel over long spans, order oversized and trim or step up to a thicker sheet. For most DIY and maker tasks in the 12-inch range, it’s a solid, no-drama choice.