Polycarbonate Sheet: Grades, Uses and How to Order It

Polycarbonate sheet is the go-to plastic when a part has to be see-through and survive a knock. It is tougher than acrylic and glass, it forms and machines well, and it handles heat better than most clear plastics. But "polycarbonate sheet" covers a few different grades and constructions, and picking the wrong one is how you end up with a yellowed skylight or a scratched machine guard. This guide covers what polycarbonate is, the options, where it is used and how to order it from Holland Plastics.

What is polycarbonate sheet?

Polycarbonate is a transparent engineering thermoplastic known for its impact strength. Unlike acrylic, which can crack or shatter when struck, polycarbonate tends to flex and absorb the impact. That is why it is used for protective screens, guards and glazing in places where breakage is a safety or security risk. You can see the full range on our polycarbonate material page.

Its main trade-offs are surface hardness and UV resistance. Polycarbonate scratches more easily than acrylic, and untreated sheet will degrade outdoors over time. Both problems have solutions in the form of coated and UV-protected grades, covered below.

Polycarbonate sheet options

Solid vs multiwall

Solid polycarbonate sheet is a single clear layer, used for guards, windows, covers and fabricated parts. Multiwall (twin-wall) sheet has internal channels, making it lighter and better insulating, and it is mostly used for roofing and greenhouse-style applications. For fabrication work, solid sheet is almost always what you want.

UV-protected and standard grades

If the sheet will sit in direct sun, specify a UV-stabilised grade. Standard sheet is fine for indoor use, such as machine guards inside a factory, but it can yellow and lose toughness with long-term sun exposure.

Hard-coated and abrasion-resistant sheet

Hard-coated polycarbonate has a surface treatment that improves scratch and chemical resistance. It suits screens that get wiped down often or exposed to harsh cleaners. Coating options vary, so confirm what suits your application when you enquire.

Clear, tinted and opal

Clear sheet gives maximum visibility. Tinted sheet reduces glare and light transmission, and opal (diffuse) sheet hides what is behind it while still passing light, which makes it useful for lighting covers and backlit signage. Availability of specific colours and thicknesses changes, so check with us before you design around one.

Polycarbonate or acrylic?

This is the most common question we get. As a rule of thumb: choose polycarbonate when impact resistance is the priority, and choose acrylic sheet when you want a harder, more scratch-resistant surface, excellent clarity and good weathering at a lower cost. Acrylic also polishes and glues beautifully, which makes it the better choice for display cases, signage and decorative work. If the part could be hit, dropped or tampered with, polycarbonate is the safer pick.

Where polycarbonate sheet is used

Because it combines clarity with toughness, polycarbonate turns up across trade, industrial and commercial work:

Machine guards and safety screens that need to withstand swarf, tools and accidental impact.

Protective covers and enclosures for electrical equipment, control panels and instruments.

Vandal-resistant glazing for sites where glass or acrylic would be easily broken.

Thermoformed parts such as covers, shields and housings, formed through vacuum forming.

Lighting, signage and display components where a tough, light-transmitting panel is needed.

Cutting and working polycarbonate sheet

Polycarbonate machines well, but it needs the right approach. For sheet cut to your sizes, our cut-to-size service covers straight cuts, and CNC router cutting handles shapes, cut-outs and holes with a clean edge. We do not recommend laser cutting for polycarbonate, as it tends to discolour the edge.

If you are fitting sheet yourself, drilling is where most DIY and trade jobs go wrong. Our guide on how to drill polycarbonate sheet covers bits, speeds and how to avoid stress cracks. Also leave allowance for thermal expansion when fixing larger panels, and keep the protective film on until the job is done.

How to order polycarbonate sheet from Holland Plastics

Ordering is simple. To get an accurate quote quickly, send us:

The grade and finish you need (clear, tinted or opal; UV-protected or hard-coated, if relevant).

Thickness, sheet dimensions or finished part sizes, and quantity.

A drawing or file for any shapes, holes or cut-outs (DXF or similar works well for CNC routing).

A short note on the application: indoors or outdoors, exposure to chemicals, and any impact or heat concerns.

If you are not sure which grade or thickness fits, tell us what the part has to do and we will recommend an option. We supply trade, industrial and commercial customers from our Molendinar workshop on the Gold Coast, and can supply sheet as full sheets or cut and fabricated to your specification.

Need polycarbonate sheet cut to size or fabricated to your drawings? Request a quote from Holland Plastics with your grade, thickness and dimensions, and we will get back to you with the details.