Acrylic has become a staple in a variety of industries due to its versatility, durability, and clarity. Acrylic and its trade names, Plexiglass or Perspex, are broadly used in high-end interior designing through to extreme industrial engineering fields.

Sourcing an acrylic tube with a ‘one-size-fits-all’ mentality in diameter and wall thickness will result in failure. At Wholesale POS, we mean precision down to the last measurement.

This guide will assist in making detailed industry-specific cut size determinations on the varying thicknesses and diameters of acrylic tubes, to aid in the succeeding of your projects.

Basic Terminology: Diameter and Wall Thickness

Before focusing on a specific industry application, it is important to confirm an understanding of two acrylic tube measurements:

1. Outer Diameter (OD)

This refers to the encompassing tube wall. This measurement influences the overall appearance and design of the tube with respect to fitment and housing to accommodate wire management and other housings.

2. Wall Thickness

The space between the inner and outer surfaces of a tube comprises the wall thickness. It is the most important measurement concerning a tube’s pressure rating, rigidity, and weight.

It is generally noted that with an increase in tube diameter, the wall thickness should also increase to maintain structural integrity, especially when the tube is meant to hold liquids or be subject to external pressure.

1. Retail and Point of Sale (POS) Displays

The retail industry utilizes acrylic due to its quality of being “invisible,” allowing the product to be the center of attention.

Best Sizes:
 For retail displays, a most small to medium diameter sizes are typical spin tube selections. For example, tubes with an OD of 20mm to 50mm are perfect for riser stands, shoe pedestals, and jewelry holders. For bulk gravity-feed dispensers (like those used for candy or grain), standard practice is to use large diameter tubes with an OD of 100mm to 200mm.

Recommended Thickness:
 Since the primary purpose of the tubes is aesthetic, and they do not support extreme weight, a wall thickness in the range of 2mm to 3mm is usually adequate. This thickness range is enough to provide adequate “bite” for an adhesive bond while maintaining a lightweight and crystal clear unit.

2. Aquarium and Aquatic Engineering

In the aquatic industry, Acrylic is the top choice for building materials because it is 17 times more impact resistant than glass, offers better thermal insulation, and provides 92% light transmission.

Best Sizes:
 Aquarium protein skimmers and calcium reactors, as well as custom cylindrical tanks, require quite a bit more size. Common ODs start at 150mm and can go up to 600mm and beyond for large public display features.

Recommended Thickness:
 Water creates a tremendous amount of outward pressure, so safety is the primary concern here. A 5mm wall is standard for small filtration components. When it comes to large-scale cylindrical aquariums or water features, don’t use anything less than 10mm to 12mm. Very tall columns can use thicknesses of 20mm or more to prevent bowing or crazing under the weight of the water.

3. Interior Design and Architectural Lighting

Acrylic tubes are used by architects for light installations, stair balustrades, and contemporary furniture legs.

Best Sizes:
 For light fixtures, designers typically go for tubes of 10-40mm OD. For furniture, like a “ghost” table or chair, much more massive tubes are used 60-100mm OD to give an added feeling of luxury and scale.

Recommended Thickness:
 In lighting, a preferred wall thickness of 2mm is often desirable as it provides better light diffusion with frosted or opal acrylic. For furniture or structural architectural elements, a heavy-wall tube is needed. 5mm to 8mm thickness assures that the tube won’t flex or crack when carrying a tabletop or being used by the patrons.

4. Laboratory and Medical Equipment

In scientific settings, acrylic tubes function as chambers, housings, and fluid sight glasses.

Best Sizes:
 Precision is fundamental in these applications. For fluid transfer visualization, smaller diameters between 6mm and 25mm suffice, while larger diameters are suitable for “glove box” ports or vacuum chambers.

Recommended Thickness:
 In the lab, acrylic’s chemical resistance (within limits) and durability are of great importance. 3mm to 5mm is the standard wall thickness. For sight glass applications under any level of pressure, a High Pressure cast acrylic tube with a wall thickness greater than or equal to 6mm is mandated for the technicians’ safety.

5. Industrial Manufacturing and Dust Extraction

In the woodworking and manufacturing industry, clear acrylic tubes are used in dust collection systems, so that operators can see if there are any clogs.

Best Sizes:
 These tubing options need to align with standardized ducting dimensions, so their ODs must be set to industry standards of 100mm (4 inches) and 150mm (6 inches).

Recommended Thickness:
 Industrial settings can be tough on tubing as they can be shoved by machines or come into contact with fast-moving debris. A wall thickness of 3mm to 4mm gives the required impact resistance to survive the daily bumps and scrapes of industrial warehouse settings without breaking.

What Should You Choose: Extruded or Cast Acrylic?

Within the options of each size and thickness, you must also choose Extruded acrylic or Cast acrylic.

Extruded Acrylic Tubes

Easily the cheapest of the options and show excellent dimensional tolerance (meaning thickness is very consistent throughout) making them great for POS displays, various types of lighting and even for DIY projects. These are, however, more likely to be prone to “crazing” driven by chemical exposure or elevated temperatures.

Cast Acrylic Tubes

These tubes are produced by combining a piece of acrylic into a specific “tube” mold and they tend to be more pricey. They do, however, have excellent optical clarity, resistance to heat, and are able to be machined (drilled, milled, or turned on a lathe without the need to melt). These tubes can be used for aquariums, industrial and heavy-duty applications, as well as in high-end furniture.

Things to Keep in Mind Before Ordering

For you to get the most out of your acrylic tube, consider the following factors:

1. Temperature Fluctuation

Acrylic has a relatively higher thermal expansion compared to metal or glass. When fitting a 1000mm tube into a rigid frame, you should allow some movement, usually a 2-3mm gap, otherwise, the tube is likely to warp or crack.

2. Supporting Weight

If the tube is a vertical support, the wall thickness is more important than the diameter. A 50mm tube with a 5mm wall will support significantly more weight than a 100mm tube with a 2mm wall.

3. UV Exposure

Use UV-stabilized acrylic if your application is outdoors, for example a decorative garden feature. Most good quality acrylic has some sort of UV resistance, but if not specified, the thin-walled tubes will be more prone to becoming brittle after years of direct sunlight.

Why Obtain Your Acrylic Tubes from Wholesale POS?

At Wholesale POS, we focus on high-clarity acrylic products and specialize on meeting the specific, exacting needs of varied industries. If you require a thin-walled tube for a sophisticated retail display or a tough cast tube for an industrial use, we offer precision-cut lengths and a broad range of diameters.

Selecting a tube involves consideration of its visual appeal, physical attributes, and cost. When you align the diameter and thickness to your specific industry’s requirements, you guarantee a finished product that looks good and is durable. Contact us today to start your project with the perfect acrylic sheet thickness.