# Need Plexiglass like substance for table top



## MikeAndrews (Jun 4, 2012)

Hey everyone, sorry if this was posted in the wrong section or if this has been asked before.

What I need is an 8' X 3' sheet of plexiglass(or material you know of) that will be used as the top of a table I'm making.

Here is the idea so far:

Frame out a 8' X 3' large rectangle with 2' X 4's

The sides and bottom I will attach some sort of sheet wood that I can paint / stain.

The top I want to attach the plexiglass to, through screws?

My main question is where can I get a strong enough piece to support weight (I understand that I will need supports in the middle of the table no matter what).

I've looked at a few websites and they say 150-200 dollars a sheet for .25" thickness.

Is that a good price? Should I look at other alternatives to plexiglass?


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## DanLyke (Feb 8, 2007)

¼" of plexi doesn't seem like it'd support much weight, that's pretty flexible stuff.

I'd talk to your local glass place about getting a reasonably thick (3/8 or thicker) piece of tempered glass. It'll be stiffer and stronger. Build the frame with an inset for the glass, use gravity to hold it in there, if you must use something, use silicone caulk as an adhesive to help hold it in place.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

I agree with Dan. The tempered glass would support more weight at the same thickness and plexiglas scratches easily and it's nearly impossible to fix that.


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## lumberjoe (Mar 30, 2012)

Plexiglass is terrible for that application. As others mentioned it scratches very easily. In addition it yellows over time. I don't like the idea of the entire surface of the glass making contact with the frame. The slightest movement at any point could break the glass, not to mention you will need to ensure everything is completely flat and square to avoid gaps. I would attach some stick-on felt feet at points in side the frame and simply lay the glass on them. An 8×3 sheet of glass is going to be sufficiently heavy to keep it in place.


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