Acrylic windows
 

I currently have vinyl windows on my (Florida) porch. I've heard that the
latest acrylic windows are pretty good and I was thinking about replacing
the vinyl windows with them. Has anyone used the acrylic windows? If so, are
they pretty scratch resistant? Would you use them again?

Thanks,

Jean

Acrylic windows
 

On Jun 15, 9:45*am, "Jean" wrote:
I currently have vinyl windows on my (Florida) porch. I've heard that the
latest acrylic windows are pretty good and I was thinking about replacing
the vinyl windows with them. Has anyone used the acrylic windows? If so, are
they pretty scratch resistant? Would you use them again?

Thanks,

Jean

Do you mean acrylic in place of glass? I wouldn't. There's glass
windows that are 100 years old and still clear. Acrylic will never do
that.

Acrylic windows
 

On Tue, 15 Jun 2010 07:08:53 -0700 (PDT), jamesgangnc
wrote:

On Jun 15, 9:45Â*am, "Jean" wrote:
I currently have vinyl windows on my (Florida) porch. I've heard that the
latest acrylic windows are pretty good and I was thinking about replacing
the vinyl windows with them. Has anyone used the acrylic windows? If so, are
they pretty scratch resistant? Would you use them again?

Thanks,

Jean

Do you mean acrylic in place of glass? I wouldn't. There's glass
windows that are 100 years old and still clear. Acrylic will never do
that.
Acrylic windows may be OK facing a golf course - they apparently take
impact better than glass.

Acrylic windows
 

Jean wrote:
I currently have vinyl windows on my (Florida) porch. I've heard that the
latest acrylic windows are pretty good and I was thinking about replacing
the vinyl windows with them. Has anyone used the acrylic windows? If so, are
they pretty scratch resistant? Would you use them again?

Thanks,

Jean



Windows made out of vinyl?

I have one acrylic window and several that are polycarbonate. I used
them for impact resistance. Polycarbonate (Lexan is a brand) is much
more impact resistant than acrylic. I believe polycarbonate is more
scratch resistant - neither is particularly impressive. I don't believe
either has a problem with becoming less clear with age. Polystyrene
turns yellow with age - don't know if anyone made windows out of it.

Acrylic windows
 

On 6/15/2010 11:59 AM, bud-- wrote:
Jean wrote:
I currently have vinyl windows on my (Florida) porch. I've heard that
the latest acrylic windows are pretty good and I was thinking about
replacing the vinyl windows with them. Has anyone used the acrylic
windows? If so, are they pretty scratch resistant? Would you use them
again?

Thanks,

Jean


Windows made out of vinyl?

I have one acrylic window and several that are polycarbonate. I used
them for impact resistance. Polycarbonate (Lexan is a brand) is much
more impact resistant than acrylic. I believe polycarbonate is more
scratch resistant - neither is particularly impressive. I don't believe
either has a problem with becoming less clear with age. Polystyrene
turns yellow with age - don't know if anyone made windows out of it.

Cannot tell if she is talking about glass or trim. For trim both would
weather OK but acrylic glazing is better for impact resistance but will
haze with age due to abrasion by particulate but this could be buffed out.

Acrylic windows
 

On 6/15/2010 6:45 AM Jean spake thus:

I currently have vinyl windows on my (Florida) porch. I've heard that the
latest acrylic windows are pretty good and I was thinking about replacing
the vinyl windows with them. Has anyone used the acrylic windows? If so, are
they pretty scratch resistant? Would you use them again?

Just curious why ordinary window glass won't do for you. Obviously there
must be some reason. Hurricanes? wind-blown debris? birds?


--
The fashion in killing has an insouciant, flirty style this spring,
with the flaunting of well-defined muscle, wrapped in flags.

- Comment from an article on Antiwar.com (http://antiwar.com)

Acrylic windows
 

On Jun 15, 8:45*am, "Jean" wrote:
I currently have vinyl windows on my (Florida) porch. I've heard that the
latest acrylic windows are pretty good and I was thinking about replacing
the vinyl windows with them. Has anyone used the acrylic windows? If so, are
they pretty scratch resistant? Would you use them again?

Thanks,

Jean

Pollutants in air and water etch glass over time but it can be cleaned
with products like Zud that have oxalic acid, I just had workers clean
a greenhouses glass that would not come clean with windex, Plastics
age and could never take that cleaning and will show wear from
repeated cleanings, it will also likely yellow and need replacing in
20 years, glass will look good 10x longer. Ive seen old plexiglass on
a church covering the stained glass, it looked bad. Car headlights are
plastic, many are junk after 5-15 years, Stay with glass.

Acrylic windows
 

On Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:35:34 -0500, "DanG" wrote:

There is polycarbonate - Lexan is a major brand - that
is virtually indestructible. You can smash it with a sledge
hammer with no visible effect - great stuff, but it scratches
easier than the acrylic.

Lexan (bronze color) has been used in prisons (exterior cell windows)
for 30 years, depending on security levels. Those in the asylum are
not issued sledge hammers.

Acrylic windows
 

On 6/15/2010 9:35 PM DanG spake thus:

As others have said - consider real glass. For breakage you can
go to tempered or laminated glass. When tempered glass breaks it
disintegrates into fingernail sized pieces with relatively
non-sharp edges: it can take quite a beating.

I just replaced a friend's back door window with safety (laminated)
glass, for security (he had a double-cylinder lock in the door and I've
been after him for more than a year now to let me replace the inside
cylinder with a turnbolt so you can get out quick in case of a fire).
Great stuff. The glass shop has a sample piece they tried to break: the
outer layers have cracks in them, but the piece is totally intact. The
glass guy said you could hammer on it for half an hour and only succeed
in making a small hole in it. (Well, that might be a wee bit of an
exaggeration, but it's pretty damn strong stuff.)

Only problem is, it's damn expensive. My piece, about 20" x 32", as
about $80. So maybe not economical to replace large windows with it.


--
The fashion in killing has an insouciant, flirty style this spring,
with the flaunting of well-defined muscle, wrapped in flags.

- Comment from an article on Antiwar.com (http://antiwar.com)

Acrylic windows
 

On Jun 15, 8:07*pm, David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 6/15/2010 9:35 PM DanG spake thus:

As others have said - consider real glass. *For breakage you can
go to tempered or laminated glass. *When tempered glass breaks it
disintegrates into fingernail sized pieces with relatively
non-sharp edges: it can take quite a beating.

I just replaced a friend's back door window with safety (laminated)
glass, for security (he had a double-cylinder lock in the door and I've
been after him for more than a year now to let me replace the inside
cylinder with a turnbolt so you can get out quick in case of a fire).
Great stuff. The glass shop has a sample piece they tried to break: the
outer layers have cracks in them, but the piece is totally intact. The
glass guy said you could hammer on it for half an hour and only succeed
in making a small hole in it. (Well, that might be a wee bit of an
exaggeration, but it's pretty damn strong stuff.)

Only problem is, it's damn expensive. My piece, about 20" x 32", as
about $80. So maybe not economical to replace large windows with it.

Another problem is, the laminate is so strong that you can knock the
glass right through the frame.

Acrylic windows
 

On Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:35:34 -0500, "DanG" wrote:

Jean, if you are talking about the panes, I am surprised you have
acrylic. There is polycarbonate - Lexan is a major brand - that
is virtually indestructible. You can smash it with a sledge
hammer with no visible effect - great stuff, but it scratches
easier than the acrylic.

As others have said - consider real glass. For breakage you can
go to tempered or laminated glass. When tempered glass breaks it
disintegrates into fingernail sized pieces with relatively
non-sharp edges: it can take quite a beating.
It can take quite a beating, but NOT a shrp impact. An automatic
center punch will destroy even 1/4" tempered glass in an instant.

Acrylic windows
 

On 6/15/2010 7:51 PM spake thus:

On Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:35:34 -0500, "DanG" wrote:

Jean, if you are talking about the panes, I am surprised you have
acrylic. There is polycarbonate - Lexan is a major brand - that is
virtually indestructible. You can smash it with a sledge hammer
with no visible effect - great stuff, but it scratches easier than
the acrylic.

As others have said - consider real glass. For breakage you can go
to tempered or laminated glass. When tempered glass breaks it
disintegrates into fingernail sized pieces with relatively
non-sharp edges: it can take quite a beating.

It can take quite a beating, but NOT a shrp impact. An automatic
center punch will destroy even 1/4" tempered glass in an instant.

Tempered glass, yes, but not safety glass, which would crack but would
otherwise still be intact.


--
The fashion in killing has an insouciant, flirty style this spring,
with the flaunting of well-defined muscle, wrapped in flags.

- Comment from an article on Antiwar.com (http://antiwar.com)

Acrylic windows
 

On Jun 15, 10:51*pm, wrote:
On Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:35:34 -0500, "DanG" wrote:
Jean, if you are talking about the panes, I am surprised you have
acrylic. *There is polycarbonate - Lexan is a major brand - that
is virtually indestructible. *You can smash it with a sledge
hammer with no visible effect - great stuff, but it scratches
easier than the acrylic.

As others have said - consider real glass. *For breakage you can
go to tempered or laminated glass. *When tempered glass breaks it
disintegrates into fingernail sized pieces with relatively
non-sharp edges: it can take quite a beating.

*It can take quite a beating, but NOT a shrp impact. An automatic
center punch will destroy even 1/4" tempered glass in an instant.

So will a piece of spark plug ceramic.

Acrylic windows
 

On Jun 15, 11:09*pm, David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 6/15/2010 7:51 PM spake thus:



On Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:35:34 -0500, "DanG" wrote:

Jean, if you are talking about the panes, I am surprised you have
acrylic. There is polycarbonate - Lexan is a major brand - that is
virtually indestructible. You can smash it with a sledge hammer
with no visible effect - great stuff, but it scratches easier than
the acrylic.

As others have said - consider real glass. For breakage you can go
to tempered or laminated glass. When tempered glass breaks it
disintegrates into fingernail sized pieces with relatively
non-sharp edges: it can take quite a beating.

*It can take quite a beating, but NOT a shrp impact. An automatic
center punch will destroy even 1/4" tempered glass in an instant.

Tempered glass, yes, but not safety glass, which would crack but would
otherwise still be intact.

They are both considered "safety" glass.

Acrylic windows
 

On 6/15/2010 8:17 PM Ron spake thus:

On Jun 15, 11:09 pm, David Nebenzahl wrote:

On 6/15/2010 7:51 PM spake thus:

On Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:35:34 -0500, "DanG" wrote:

Jean, if you are talking about the panes, I am surprised you have
acrylic. There is polycarbonate - Lexan is a major brand - that is
virtually indestructible. You can smash it with a sledge hammer
with no visible effect - great stuff, but it scratches easier than
the acrylic.

As others have said - consider real glass. For breakage you can go
to tempered or laminated glass. When tempered glass breaks it
disintegrates into fingernail sized pieces with relatively
non-sharp edges: it can take quite a beating.

It can take quite a beating, but NOT a shrp impact. An automatic
center punch will destroy even 1/4" tempered glass in an instant.

Tempered glass, yes, but not safety glass, which would crack but would
otherwise still be intact.

They are both considered "safety" glass.

Yes, but the stuff I'm typing about is laminated glass, not tempered glass.


--
The fashion in killing has an insouciant, flirty style this spring,
with the flaunting of well-defined muscle, wrapped in flags.

- Comment from an article on Antiwar.com (http://antiwar.com)

Acrylic windows
 

On Jun 15, 11:29*pm, David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 6/15/2010 8:17 PM Ron spake thus:





On Jun 15, 11:09 pm, David Nebenzahl wrote:

On 6/15/2010 7:51 PM spake thus:

On Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:35:34 -0500, "DanG" wrote:

Jean, if you are talking about the panes, I am surprised you have
acrylic. There is polycarbonate - Lexan is a major brand - that is
virtually indestructible. You can smash it with a sledge hammer
with no visible effect - great stuff, but it scratches easier than
the acrylic.

As others have said - consider real glass. For breakage you can go
to tempered or laminated glass. When tempered glass breaks it
disintegrates into fingernail sized pieces with relatively
non-sharp edges: it can take quite a beating.

*It can take quite a beating, but NOT a shrp impact. An automatic
center punch will destroy even 1/4" tempered glass in an instant.

Tempered glass, yes, but not safety glass, which would crack but would
otherwise still be intact.

They are both considered "safety" glass.

Yes, but the stuff I'm typing about is laminated glass, not tempered glass.

And it was tempered glass that was being discussed above...not
laminated.

Acrylic windows
 

Jean, if you are talking about the panes, I am surprised you have
acrylic. There is polycarbonate - Lexan is a major brand - that
is virtually indestructible. You can smash it with a sledge
hammer with no visible effect - great stuff, but it scratches
easier than the acrylic.

As others have said - consider real glass. For breakage you can
go to tempered or laminated glass. When tempered glass breaks it
disintegrates into fingernail sized pieces with relatively
non-sharp edges: it can take quite a beating.

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DanG
Keep the whole world singing . . .


"Jean" wrote in message
net...
I currently have vinyl windows on my (Florida) porch. I've heard
that the latest acrylic windows are pretty good and I was
thinking about replacing the vinyl windows with them. Has anyone
used the acrylic windows? If so, are they pretty scratch
resistant? Would you use them again?

Thanks,

Jean

Acrylic windows
 

On Jun 15, 11:59*am, bud-- wrote:
Jean wrote:
I currently have vinyl windows on my (Florida) porch. I've heard that the
latest acrylic windows are pretty good and I was thinking about replacing
the vinyl windows with them. Has anyone used the acrylic windows? If so, are
they pretty scratch resistant? Would you use them again?

Thanks,

Jean

Windows made out of vinyl?

Could be what he means. There are sun rooms that use a panel window
system glazed with soft vinyl (approx .030" thick). The glazing
material is held in with a plastic spline, sort of like for a window
screen.

Acrylic windows
 

For clarification: In the current windows in my Florida sun room, the
transparent portion is made of clear thin vinyl (the material is kinda like
heavy duty freezer baggies). What I'm interested in doing is changing the
transparent part to hard acrylic. I am NOT interested in changing to glass
windows.

Jean


"Frank" wrote in message
...
On 6/15/2010 11:59 AM, bud-- wrote:
Jean wrote:
I currently have vinyl windows on my (Florida) porch. I've heard that
the latest acrylic windows are pretty good and I was thinking about
replacing the vinyl windows with them. Has anyone used the acrylic
windows? If so, are they pretty scratch resistant? Would you use them
again?

Thanks,

Jean


Windows made out of vinyl?

I have one acrylic window and several that are polycarbonate. I used
them for impact resistance. Polycarbonate (Lexan is a brand) is much
more impact resistant than acrylic. I believe polycarbonate is more
scratch resistant - neither is particularly impressive. I don't believe
either has a problem with becoming less clear with age. Polystyrene
turns yellow with age - don't know if anyone made windows out of it.

Cannot tell if she is talking about glass or trim. For trim both would
weather OK but acrylic glazing is better for impact resistance but will
haze with age due to abrasion by particulate but this could be buffed out.

Acrylic windows
 

"David Nebenzahl" wrote in message
.com...
On 6/15/2010 6:45 AM Jean spake thus:

I currently have vinyl windows on my (Florida) porch. I've heard that the
latest acrylic windows are pretty good and I was thinking about replacing
the vinyl windows with them. Has anyone used the acrylic windows? If so,
are they pretty scratch resistant? Would you use them again?

Just curious why ordinary window glass won't do for you. Obviously there
must be some reason. Hurricanes? wind-blown debris? birds?


--
The fashion in killing has an insouciant, flirty style this spring,
with the flaunting of well-defined muscle, wrapped in flags.

- Comment from an article on Antiwar.com (http://antiwar.com)


Let me restate the situation:

The window panes in my Florida sun room (i.e., basically just a covered
screened porch) are made of an optically clear vinyl -like heavy duty
freezer baggies. I'm thinking about changing the panes to hard acrylic (or
Lexan).

Glass is not an acceptable alternative - I'd have to get a permit and bring
the room up to local housing code (possibly install footers, possibly
install additional roof supports, add insulation, install electrical
outlets, etc.). The cost of all that is considerable and my property taxes
would increase.

So, does anyone have any experience with acrylic windows? Are they fairly
scratch resistant?


Jean

Acrylic windows
 

bud-- wrote the following:
Jean wrote:
I currently have vinyl windows on my (Florida) porch. I've heard that
the latest acrylic windows are pretty good and I was thinking about
replacing the vinyl windows with them. Has anyone used the acrylic
windows? If so, are they pretty scratch resistant? Would you use them
again?

Thanks,

Jean


Windows made out of vinyl?

I have one acrylic window and several that are polycarbonate. I used
them for impact resistance. Polycarbonate (Lexan is a brand) is much
more impact resistant than acrylic. I believe polycarbonate is more
scratch resistant


It has to be. Eyeglass lenses are made of polycarbonate.

- neither is particularly impressive. I don't believe either has a
problem with becoming less clear with age. Polystyrene turns yellow
with age - don't know if anyone made windows out of it.


--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

Acrylic windows
 

On Jun 16, 9:55*am, "Jean" wrote:
"David Nebenzahl" wrote in message

.com...



On 6/15/2010 6:45 AM Jean spake thus:

I currently have vinyl windows on my (Florida) porch. I've heard that the
latest acrylic windows are pretty good and I was thinking about replacing
the vinyl windows with them. Has anyone used the acrylic windows? If so,
are they pretty scratch resistant? Would you use them again?

Just curious why ordinary window glass won't do for you. Obviously there
must be some reason. Hurricanes? wind-blown debris? birds?

--
The fashion in killing has an insouciant, flirty style this spring,
with the flaunting of well-defined muscle, wrapped in flags.

- Comment from an article on Antiwar.com (http://antiwar.com)

Let me restate the situation:

The window panes in my Florida sun room (i.e., basically just a covered
screened porch) are made of an optically clear vinyl -like heavy duty
freezer baggies. I'm thinking about changing the panes to hard acrylic (or
Lexan).

Glass is not an acceptable alternative - I'd have to get a permit and bring
the room up to local housing code (possibly install footers, possibly
install additional roof supports, add insulation, install electrical
outlets, etc.). The cost of all that is considerable and my property taxes
would increase.

So, does anyone have any experience with acrylic windows? Are they fairly
scratch resistant?

Jean

Jean:
I'm not sure what your concern is for your existing vinyl. If a panel
is damaged it can be replaced easily (you will need the glazing and
some spline and a sharp knife and a spline roller). Those windows are
quite durable but they ARE a little short of optical quality. An
unbendable sheet of acrylic is going to require some different method
of attachment than the rolled-in vinyl you have now.

Acrylic windows
 

On Jun 16, 12:35*am, "DanG" wrote:
Jean, if you are talking about the panes, I am surprised you have
acrylic. *

He doesn't. He has vinyl.

Acrylic windows
 

On 6/16/2010 6:55 AM Jean spake thus:

"David Nebenzahl" wrote in message
.com...

On 6/15/2010 6:45 AM Jean spake thus:

I currently have vinyl windows on my (Florida) porch. I've heard that the
latest acrylic windows are pretty good and I was thinking about replacing
the vinyl windows with them. Has anyone used the acrylic windows? If so,
are they pretty scratch resistant? Would you use them again?

Just curious why ordinary window glass won't do for you. Obviously there
must be some reason. Hurricanes? wind-blown debris? birds?

Let me restate the situation:

The window panes in my Florida sun room (i.e., basically just a covered
screened porch) are made of an optically clear vinyl -like heavy duty
freezer baggies. I'm thinking about changing the panes to hard acrylic (or
Lexan).

Glass is not an acceptable alternative - I'd have to get a permit and bring
the room up to local housing code (possibly install footers, possibly
install additional roof supports, add insulation, install electrical
outlets, etc.). The cost of all that is considerable and my property taxes
would increase.

Ah, so, it's all clear now. Well, not all that clear, but I get it.

As others have said, maybe you just need to learn to live with the
vinyl. I once put up vinyl storm coverings on a sunroom, which kinda
bugged me at first with their less-than-perfect optical quality, but
soon got used to the view through them. And I appreciated that they
didn't fall apart in the sun and weather like sheet poly does.

Sorry, don't know anything about acrylic.


--
The fashion in killing has an insouciant, flirty style this spring,
with the flaunting of well-defined muscle, wrapped in flags.

- Comment from an article on Antiwar.com (http://antiwar.com)

Acrylic windows
 

On 6/16/2010 9:40 AM, Jean wrote:
For clarification: In the current windows in my Florida sun room, the
transparent portion is made of clear thin vinyl (the material is kinda like
heavy duty freezer baggies). What I'm interested in doing is changing the
transparent part to hard acrylic. I am NOT interested in changing to glass
windows.

Jean


wrote in message
...
On 6/15/2010 11:59 AM, bud-- wrote:
Jean wrote:
I currently have vinyl windows on my (Florida) porch. I've heard that
the latest acrylic windows are pretty good and I was thinking about
replacing the vinyl windows with them. Has anyone used the acrylic
windows? If so, are they pretty scratch resistant? Would you use them
again?

Thanks,

Jean


Windows made out of vinyl?

I have one acrylic window and several that are polycarbonate. I used
them for impact resistance. Polycarbonate (Lexan is a brand) is much
more impact resistant than acrylic. I believe polycarbonate is more
scratch resistant - neither is particularly impressive. I don't believe
either has a problem with becoming less clear with age. Polystyrene
turns yellow with age - don't know if anyone made windows out of it.

Cannot tell if she is talking about glass or trim. For trim both would
weather OK but acrylic glazing is better for impact resistance but will
haze with age due to abrasion by particulate but this could be buffed out.


Did not realize they made vinyl windows. I would imagine acrylic would
be much better. Light stability is good and it does not contain
plasticizers as used in PVC which often bleed out. I would imagine
light transmission is better with acrylic.

I glazed a basement window that kids had broken kicking ball with
acrylic several years ago and it still looks fine.

Acrylic windows
 

On Jun 15, 8:45*am, "Jean" wrote:
I currently have vinyl windows on my (Florida) porch. I've heard that the
latest acrylic windows are pretty good and I was thinking about replacing
the vinyl windows with them. Has anyone used the acrylic windows? If so, are
they pretty scratch resistant? Would you use them again?

Thanks,

Jean

Are these more or less double hung style, or are you talking about
jalousie windows?

Acrylic windows
 

On Jun 16, 1:58*pm, "hr(bob) "
wrote:
On Jun 15, 8:45*am, "Jean" wrote:

I currently have vinyl windows on my (Florida) porch. I've heard that the
latest acrylic windows are pretty good and I was thinking about replacing
the vinyl windows with them. Has anyone used the acrylic windows? If so, are
they pretty scratch resistant? Would you use them again?

Thanks,

Jean

Are these more or less double hung style, or are you talking about
jalousie windows?

Perhaps like this? http://www.weatherwallsystems.com/productinfo.htm

Acrylic windows
 

On Tue, 15 Jun 2010 20:09:39 -0700, David Nebenzahl
wrote:

On 6/15/2010 7:51 PM spake thus:

On Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:35:34 -0500, "DanG" wrote:

Jean, if you are talking about the panes, I am surprised you have
acrylic. There is polycarbonate - Lexan is a major brand - that is
virtually indestructible. You can smash it with a sledge hammer
with no visible effect - great stuff, but it scratches easier than
the acrylic.

As others have said - consider real glass. For breakage you can go
to tempered or laminated glass. When tempered glass breaks it
disintegrates into fingernail sized pieces with relatively
non-sharp edges: it can take quite a beating.

It can take quite a beating, but NOT a shrp impact. An automatic
center punch will destroy even 1/4" tempered glass in an instant.

Tempered glass, yes, but not safety glass, which would crack but would
otherwise still be intact.
Tempered glass IS safety glass - but so is laminated, and Jersey
glass - the stuff with chicken-wire in it.

As you should be able to tell, I was responding to the " When tempered
glass breaks it disintegrates into fingernail sized pieces with
relatively non-sharp edges: it can take quite a beating."

Acrylic windows
 

On Wed, 16 Jun 2010 09:55:55 -0400, "Jean" wrote:


"David Nebenzahl" wrote in message
s.com...
On 6/15/2010 6:45 AM Jean spake thus:

I currently have vinyl windows on my (Florida) porch. I've heard that the
latest acrylic windows are pretty good and I was thinking about replacing
the vinyl windows with them. Has anyone used the acrylic windows? If so,
are they pretty scratch resistant? Would you use them again?

Just curious why ordinary window glass won't do for you. Obviously there
must be some reason. Hurricanes? wind-blown debris? birds?


--
The fashion in killing has an insouciant, flirty style this spring,
with the flaunting of well-defined muscle, wrapped in flags.

- Comment from an article on Antiwar.com (http://antiwar.com)


Let me restate the situation:

The window panes in my Florida sun room (i.e., basically just a covered
screened porch) are made of an optically clear vinyl -like heavy duty
freezer baggies. I'm thinking about changing the panes to hard acrylic (or
Lexan).

Glass is not an acceptable alternative - I'd have to get a permit and bring
the room up to local housing code (possibly install footers, possibly
install additional roof supports, add insulation, install electrical
outlets, etc.). The cost of all that is considerable and my property taxes
would increase.

So, does anyone have any experience with acrylic windows? Are they fairly
scratch resistant?


Jean

Compared to the flexible vinyl sheet? Night and day!!!

Acrylic windows
 

Jean wrote:

For clarification: In the current windows in my Florida sun room, the
transparent portion is made of clear thin vinyl (the material is kinda like
heavy duty freezer baggies).

For clarification??? Freezer bags are made of low density
polyethylene, not vinyl, which is far more permeable to moisture and
causes frost build-up inside. I haven't seen vinyl used as window
glazing except temporarily, such as for insulation (double glazing)
during the winter. All glazing I've seen was made of glass, acrylic
(Lucite), polycarbonate (Lexan), or polyester (translucent but not
transparent; for fiberglass reinforced panels, such as used for
skylights or solar heating collectors).

Polycarbonate isn't naturally sun resistant, and for car headlight
lenses it's coated with an anti-UV glazing because ordinary
polycarbonate will become translucent otherwise. Acrylic holds up
great to sunlight (notice car tail light lenses don't deteriorate,
unlike polycarbonate headlight lenses) but it will develop a yellow
tint. Polycarbonate is stronger and sometimes used for bulletproof
windows, but I don't know how scratch resistant it is, although
regular polycarbonate, like the kind used for DVDs and CDs, doesn't
polish nearly as well as acrylic does.

Normally, "vinyl windows" refers to windows made with vinyl frames,
and the vinyl is treated to make is highly UV resistant, but if
they're like vinyl gutters, you can't paint them any dark colors (dark
means anything but white or yellow, and even light blue is dark for
infrared purposes), or they may slightly melt or warp from sunlight in
hot weather.

Acrylic windows
 

willshak wrote:

bud-- wrote the following:

I have one acrylic window and several that are polycarbonate. I used
them for impact resistance. Polycarbonate (Lexan is a brand) is much
more impact resistant than acrylic. I believe polycarbonate is more
scratch resistant

It has to be. Eyeglass lenses are made of polycarbonate.

Polycarbonate eyeglass lenses almost always have an anti-scratch
coating applied to them. Without it, they scratch as easily as CDs
and DVDs do, meaning much more easily than acrylic.

Acrylic windows
 

"cavedweller" wrote in message
...
On Jun 16, 1:58 pm, "hr(bob) "
wrote:
On Jun 15, 8:45 am, "Jean" wrote:

I currently have vinyl windows on my (Florida) porch. I've heard that
the
latest acrylic windows are pretty good and I was thinking about
replacing
the vinyl windows with them. Has anyone used the acrylic windows? If so,
are
they pretty scratch resistant? Would you use them again?

Thanks,

Jean

Are these more or less double hung style, or are you talking about
jalousie windows?

Perhaps like this? http://www.weatherwallsystems.com/productinfo.htm




Yup, those are the type of windows that I'm talking about - good find!

Jean

Acrylic windows
 

On Thu, 17 Jun 2010 02:16:41 -0700 (PDT), "larry moe 'n curly"
wrote:



Jean wrote:

For clarification: In the current windows in my Florida sun room, the
transparent portion is made of clear thin vinyl (the material is kinda like
heavy duty freezer baggies).

For clarification??? Freezer bags are made of low density
polyethylene, not vinyl, which is far more permeable to moisture and
causes frost build-up inside. I haven't seen vinyl used as window
glazing except temporarily, such as for insulation (double glazing)
during the winter. All glazing I've seen was made of glass, acrylic
(Lucite), polycarbonate (Lexan), or polyester (translucent but not
transparent; for fiberglass reinforced panels, such as used for
skylights or solar heating collectors).

Polycarbonate isn't naturally sun resistant, and for car headlight
lenses it's coated with an anti-UV glazing because ordinary
polycarbonate will become translucent otherwise. Acrylic holds up
great to sunlight (notice car tail light lenses don't deteriorate,
unlike polycarbonate headlight lenses) but it will develop a yellow
tint. Polycarbonate is stronger and sometimes used for bulletproof
windows, but I don't know how scratch resistant it is, although
regular polycarbonate, like the kind used for DVDs and CDs, doesn't
polish nearly as well as acrylic does.

Normally, "vinyl windows" refers to windows made with vinyl frames,
and the vinyl is treated to make is highly UV resistant, but if
they're like vinyl gutters, you can't paint them any dark colors (dark
means anything but white or yellow, and even light blue is dark for
infrared purposes), or they may slightly melt or warp from sunlight in
hot weather.



Lots of commercial brown vinyl windows around here, as well as
wedgewood blue. No problems I've seen. It's not Florida, either, but
in the summer we get a lot of strong sunlight and 90+ F days.

Acrylic windows
 

On Jun 17, 5:16*am, "larry moe 'n curly"
wrote:
Jean wrote:



* *I haven't seen vinyl used as window
glazing

......and that proves?


Normally, "vinyl windows" refers to windows made with vinyl frames,

....and the OP could have referred to "vinyl glazed" windows and you
would have understood it better?

Acrylic windows
 

On Jun 17, 7:52*am, "Jean" wrote:


Are these more or less double hung style, or are you talking about
jalousie windows?

Perhaps like this?http://www.weatherwallsystems.com/productinfo.htm

Yup, those are the type of windows that I'm talking about - good find!

Jean

Notice that that's a Canadian supplier....the original concept is
Florida based. You shouldn't have trouble finding repair materials.

Acrylic windows
 

On Jun 17, 5:16*am, "larry moe 'n curly"
wrote:
Jean wrote:

For clarification: In the current windows in my Florida sun room, the
transparent portion is made of clear thin vinyl (the material is kinda like
heavy duty freezer baggies).

For clarification??? *Freezer bags are made of low density
polyethylene, not vinyl,

The OP was just trying to give us a visual, but since you are so anal,
maybe you should concentrate on what *you* write.

Polycarbonate is stronger and sometimes used for bulletproof
windows

There is no such thing as bulletproof glass.The proper term is bullet-
resistant glass.

Acrylic windows
 

Ron wrote:

On Jun 17, 5:16*am, "larry moe 'n curly"
wrote:
Jean wrote:

For clarification: In the current windows in my Florida sun room, the
transparent portion is made of clear thin vinyl (the material is kinda like
heavy duty freezer baggies).

For clarification??? *Freezer bags are made of low density
polyethylene, not vinyl,

The OP was just trying to give us a visual, but since you are so anal,
maybe you should concentrate on what *you* write.

You're being trivial. Freezer bags aren't vinyl, and polyethylene is
rarely used for glazing because it's not clear enough.

Polycarbonate is stronger and sometimes used for bulletproof windows

There is no such thing as bulletproof glass.The proper term is bullet-
resistant glass.

"...but since you are so anal, maybe you should concentrate on what
*you* write."

Acrylic windows
 

On Jun 18, 12:14*am, "larry moe 'n curly"
wrote:
Ron wrote:

On Jun 17, 5:16*am, "larry moe 'n curly"
wrote:
Jean wrote:

For clarification: In the current windows in my Florida sun room, the
transparent portion is made of clear thin vinyl (the material is kinda like
heavy duty freezer baggies).

For clarification??? *Freezer bags are made of low density
polyethylene, not vinyl,

The OP was just trying to give us a visual, but since you are so anal,
maybe you should concentrate on what *you* write.

You're being trivial. *Freezer bags aren't vinyl, and polyethylene is
rarely used for glazing because it's not clear enough.

Polycarbonate is stronger and sometimes used for bulletproof windows

There is no such thing as bulletproof glass.The proper term is bullet-
resistant glass.

"...but since you are so anal, maybe you should concentrate on what
*you* write."

Nice non-answer about "bulletproof" glass.

Acrylic windows
 

On Jun 18, 12:14*am, "larry moe 'n curly"
wrote:
Ron wrote:

On Jun 17, 5:16*am, "larry moe 'n curly"
wrote:
Jean wrote:

For clarification: In the current windows in my Florida sun room, the
transparent portion is made of clear thin vinyl (the material is kinda like
heavy duty freezer baggies).

For clarification??? *Freezer bags are made of low density
polyethylene, not vinyl,

The OP was just trying to give us a visual, but since you are so anal,
maybe you should concentrate on what *you* write.

You're being trivial. *Freezer bags aren't vinyl, and polyethylene is
rarely used for glazing because it's not clear enough.

And you are being anal. The OP was trying to give us a
*visual*.....would have been happier if the OP said, "the material is
kinda like a clear shower curtain"?

Acrylic windows
 

On 6/17/2010 4:52 AM Jean spake thus:

"cavedweller" wrote in message
...

Are these more or less double hung style, or are you talking about
jalousie windows?

Perhaps like this? http://www.weatherwallsystems.com/productinfo.htm

Yup, those are the type of windows that I'm talking about - good find!

So now we see. So tell us, is the material the same kind of sheet vinyl
you'd buy in the hardward store, or is it thicker? Seems like it'd have
to be thicker than just the thin sheet, since they clain that it can
withstand "that grandchild [that] just fell against it again". How thick
would you say the material is?


--
The fashion in killing has an insouciant, flirty style this spring,
with the flaunting of well-defined muscle, wrapped in flags.

- Comment from an article on Antiwar.com (http://antiwar.com)