What Is an Acrylic Sign? Clear Plastic Panels for Lobbies and Offices

An acrylic sign is printed on a sheet of acrylic, a rigid plastic that looks like glass: clear and glossy, but lighter and much harder to break. Sign makers also call it Plexiglas or plexi, after a well-known brand.

It is the material behind most polished indoor signs: reception and lobby signs, office and door plaques, wall directories, and menu or price displays on counters.

How acrylic signs are printed

Acrylic comes clear, white or coloured. In sign making, clear acrylic is printed either on the front or in reverse on the back, so the design is seen through the sheet: the plastic then protects the print and gives it depth. A layer of white ink behind the colours keeps them solid instead of see-through, the same principle as on clear window vinyl. Panels are usually mounted with standoffs, metal posts that hold the sign a short distance off the wall. Ask the shop which of these suits your sign.

Acrylic vs other rigid boards

PVC (Sintra) is the practical indoor board: opaque, easier on the budget, with a matte face. Aluminum composite is the choice for permanent outdoor signs. Acrylic is chosen for its look: the glossy, glass-like surface and the depth of a clear panel. That gloss also shows fingerprints and fine scratches more than a matte board, so acrylic suits places where the sign is seen up close but not handled much.

Ordering acrylic signs

Acrylic is not one of the board options in our online solid-sign ordering, which covers coroplast, foamcore, Sintra, styrene and card stock. It is available through the shop: contact us with the size, quantity and where the sign will be mounted, and we will tell you what we can do and quote it.

Which one for your job?

Choose acrylic for reception, lobby and office signs where the finish matters and the sign is seen up close. For a durable indoor sign on a tighter budget, PVC does the job; for a sign that stays outdoors for years, choose aluminum composite.

Common questions

Is acrylic the same as Plexiglas?

In practice, yes. Plexiglas is a brand of acrylic sheet, and sign makers often use the name, or plexi, for acrylic in general.

Is acrylic better than glass for a sign?

For most signs, yes: it has a similar clear look, weighs less than half as much and is far harder to shatter, so it is easier and safer to mount.

Can I order acrylic signs online?

Not through the online options, which list coroplast, foamcore, Sintra, styrene and card stock. Contact the shop with your size and quantity for acrylic.

Products where this term matters

See also in the dictionary: PVC board (Sintra), Aluminum composite (Dibond), Window decals and perforated vinyl · full dictionary