Perspex fills a huge range roles, and it can be great for covering a cold box, as the lid of a shadow box and in multiple other situations. However, if it gets scratched, that can mar your display. Wondering what to do about a scratch in your perspex? Take a look at these steps to try to remove or minimise the appearance of scratches.
Sand Off Small Scratches
If you just have a handful of small scratches, you may be able to sand them off. Buy a fine-grit sandpaper, add a little moisture, and gently rub around the scratch. The moisture helps to prevent the sand paper from adding new scratches. Repeat this process twice, and use a finer-grit sandpaper for the second round. Once the scratch is gone, this part of your perspex may appear a bit dull, but you can polish it up with a metal polishing rub.
Try Triple Sanding for Larger Scratches
For slightly larger scratches, try the technique described above, but this time repeat the steps three times. When you go to the hardware store, find the three finest-grit sandpapers you can. When you're ready to attack the scratch, start with the coarsest grit. Then, move on to the option with middle grit. Finally, follow up the process with the finest-grit sandpaper. Again, don't forget to use moisture during this process.
When you start to apply the metal polish, rub in circles and be patient. This step can take as long as it took (or longer) to remove the scratches.
Know When to Replace the Perspex
In some cases, you may just need to replace the perspex. Luckily, perspex generally isn't that expensive, and when you buy it, the shop should be able to cut it to size for you. Here are some signs that you should replace the perspex:
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It has scratches all over.
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The scratches are deep enough to catch your nails when you run your finger over them.
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It's yellowing from age.
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It's brittle.
Explore Other Options
If buying new perspex simply isn't in the budget, you may want to look into alternative solutions. For instance, could you swap the scratched piece of perspex with another, less-prominent piece from the same item? Alternatively, could you flip or turn the scratched perspex so that the scratch is less noticeable. You may want to consider options like that.
To learn more or to get prices on new perspex, contact a sales rep directly. They can answer your questions and help you find the right products for your needs.
