# how badly will acrylic warp?



## goof901 (Jan 9, 2012)

i keep hearing people say that acrylic will warp and stuff, but what will cause it to warp? and does anybody have pics of warped acrylic?


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## fishman9809 (Dec 8, 2008)

Depends what you're using it for. If you're using it as a tank, that's fine. They don't warp much. But if you use it for a top, it will warp like no tomorrow. Unless you have very thick acrylic, you will see significant warping. 

I believe that warping is caused by differences in heat and humidity (outside vs. inside) but you should check my facts.


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## kgb (Aug 2, 2011)

Regular acrylic will warp under any heat or any humidity regardless of what u use it for. U can use lexan/polycarb, but it gets expensive and is hard to work with. Glass is easiest to work with in my opinion.


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## mark c (Jun 17, 2010)

My first lid was made of 3/8 inch thick acrylic. It has suffered very little warp and is still working fine. Anything thinner than 3/8 would not be stable enough.

My next lid was glass, as will be the next. I have gotten good results with cutting and drilling after very little practice.


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## B-NICE (Jul 15, 2011)

It works bad enough that its not worth buying lol. The money you waste getting it and cutting it, you might as well buy glass to save you time and money. Wrapping of a top can lead to escape, and has the ability of the top falling in the viv.


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## Pawky (Jun 10, 2009)

It's not worth buying if you intend to use it as a lid. I've tried using it as a lid and it did not take long before it warped and the top did not seal.


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## fishman9809 (Dec 8, 2008)

kgb said:


> Regular acrylic will warp under any heat or any humidity regardless of what u use it for. U can use lexan/polycarb, but it gets expensive and is hard to work with. Glass is easiest to work with in my opinion.


It will warp, but if used for a tank, the sides and corners are sealed and bonded in place so warping isn't really as much a problem as when acrylic is used for tops.


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## brosta (Oct 25, 2011)

I have an acrylic on my tank as a lid right now. I was able to get a big piece (3/8" thick I believe). for free. Due to the humidity in the tank, versus my apartment it warps enough that I have to flip it about every other day. 

It works, but it is annoying. I will probably be switching to glass in the near future. The worst part is when leaving for a long weekend, because the frogs are fine but the lid warps enough that I have to worry about coming back to a fly infested apartment. It would take probably a week for the top to warp enough for a frog to get out. 

So it is more of a pain than anything.


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## Roadkillstewie (Feb 15, 2012)

Here's part of an article that will, somewhat explain why acrylic (lids in particular) tend to warp...



> That is a very common question. The material is not defective, as many fabricators have claimed. That is the nature of the material. Acrylic is a hydroscopic material, that is to say, it has an affinity for water and it will absorb moisture into the microscopic pores in its surface. Normally, in the cast of clear acrylic without the mirror backing, it absorbs moisture evenly on the face side and the backside and releases it evenly depending on the relative humidity.
> 
> The bowing in the material occurs when you seal the backside with a non-porous coating, which prevents the normal absorption or release of moisture on the coated side. This produces an imbalance within the sheet, which may be exacerbated by conditions of high humidity during the summer months, or near coastal areas where humidity is highest.


 Hope that helps a tad...not a great or detailed explanation, but hopefully it helps convey the gist.


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