First, I want to say that I know nothing about building materials at all, so now we have that out of the way.
What I'm looking for is a hard and durable plastic. It should be able to hold weights without bending or anything like that, although I understand it depends on what kind of support pillars you have, but it's worth mentioning, I think. The plastic should preferably also be very light, i.e., thin and handy. And last but not least, cheap.
Is this a dream plastic or does it exist? Any materials that fit this description that are not plastic and are environmentally friendly are absolutely welcomed.
/ John
What I'm looking for is a hard and durable plastic. It should be able to hold weights without bending or anything like that, although I understand it depends on what kind of support pillars you have, but it's worth mentioning, I think. The plastic should preferably also be very light, i.e., thin and handy. And last but not least, cheap.
Is this a dream plastic or does it exist? Any materials that fit this description that are not plastic and are environmentally friendly are absolutely welcomed.
/ John
Well, it's completely impossible to give a sensible answer, as the question is so generally posed and sets demands that are either very easy to fulfill or completely impossible to fulfill depending on how you interpret the info.
But for example, a carbon fiber honeycomb is both light and stiff, but hardly the cheapest. Acrylic glass is much cheaper but bends more easily.
You'll need to specify a bit more about what you want, how heavy weights? What is durable? Heat, scratches, cold, impact, and to what degree?
A sheet of laminate flooring, plywood, regular glass, or tempered glass could be some alternatives.
But for example, a carbon fiber honeycomb is both light and stiff, but hardly the cheapest. Acrylic glass is much cheaper but bends more easily.
You'll need to specify a bit more about what you want, how heavy weights? What is durable? Heat, scratches, cold, impact, and to what degree?
A sheet of laminate flooring, plywood, regular glass, or tempered glass could be some alternatives.
The plastic is to be used for a table. On the table, you should be able to place anything you can place on any table. It shouldn't be particularly large but should be intended for only one person, possibly two. Things that can be placed on the table are, for example, some books, maybe a laptop too, and perhaps be able to lean your arms on it as well. Not directly so that you will lie on it, but it should withstand some arm rest. However, I believe it depends more on the support pillars (table legs), but that is a question for later. There you get an approximate weight that it should withstand.
It should be used in temperatures above 15 degrees Celsius. Ideally, it shouldn't scratch easily, meaning it should be durable. Currently, plastic is the most appealing because it seems to suit the context best, alternatively a material other than wood. Glass isn't very appealing, something more plastic-like is preferable. But as I said, I'm not an expert when it comes to this, so I appreciate any input I can get.
Feel free to ask if you have any further questions.
Thank you!
It should be used in temperatures above 15 degrees Celsius. Ideally, it shouldn't scratch easily, meaning it should be durable. Currently, plastic is the most appealing because it seems to suit the context best, alternatively a material other than wood. Glass isn't very appealing, something more plastic-like is preferable. But as I said, I'm not an expert when it comes to this, so I appreciate any input I can get.
Feel free to ask if you have any further questions.
Thank you!
It's always possible to bend plexiglass with heat wire or glue the parts together.
Here is a table in 20 mm plexiglass
http://www.jorgennielsen.se/easy.exbrdh.JPG
Dimensions 1200(L)x730(H)x900(D)
Here is a table in 20 mm plexiglass
http://www.jorgennielsen.se/easy.exbrdh.JPG
Dimensions 1200(L)x730(H)x900(D)
Common acrylic plastic available at hardware stores often lacks hardness treatment and is therefore not suitable for use as a tabletop unless you sand it to hide future scratches. Therefore, polycarbonate is much more suitable and is also "unbreakable" compared to acrylic plastic, which is more brittle, an important consideration if you want to use thin sheets.
You might also consider "casting" a sheet in polyester resin if the table has a more complex shape. Here are two videos showing how to do it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-37FeNedGd0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSWFOXn60QU
You might also consider "casting" a sheet in polyester resin if the table has a more complex shape. Here are two videos showing how to do it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-37FeNedGd0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSWFOXn60QU
The polycarbonate seems quite expensive. I need about 1 square meter of material for the tabletop. It should preferably not cost more than a couple of hundred, around 300 SEK / m2, as little as possible. Is this possible?
Maybe I should reprioritize a bit. Important is: cheap, about 2 cm in thickness, thinner definitely doesn't hurt, durable (not counting scratches here).
The scratches are no longer a priority because I can solve this by covering the tabletop with some material, which I don't know quite yet. It doesn't really need to be rigid because it can be supported with the legs, depending on how I place them.
I appreciate all the help once again. I've come a bit further and will review your suggestions more thoroughly tonight.
Maybe I should reprioritize a bit. Important is: cheap, about 2 cm in thickness, thinner definitely doesn't hurt, durable (not counting scratches here).
The scratches are no longer a priority because I can solve this by covering the tabletop with some material, which I don't know quite yet. It doesn't really need to be rigid because it can be supported with the legs, depending on how I place them.
I appreciate all the help once again. I've come a bit further and will review your suggestions more thoroughly tonight.
Wood might work, can give it a try. Although cheap plastic according to my restrictions would have been the ultimate. But is there nothing more around 10 mm that suits my use well? Note that the table will not be larger than 1 square meter.
Is it easy to mount things on the glass? For example, screw something into it without it cracking then? Perhaps better to have glass in that case. Polycarbonate would be interesting in that case but now it seems too expensive, which is a shame. Where I've looked, it has been at least 1500 kr / m2, which is unfortunately not feasible.