Advantages and disadvantages of acrylic window sills

A beautiful window sill is an essential element of any modern home, no matter what window frames in an apartment or house are plastic, wooden or even metal. It must be functional and aesthetic at the same time, stand and put on it pots with flowers, and not scratch from accidental contact with sharp objects, and it is easy to clean from dirt.

It is difficult to choose the most suitable material for the manufacture of a window sill, because today this interior detail is not made of anything - from wood, stone, plastic.In this article we will look at the possibilities of acrylic window sills, which are becoming more and more popular every year.

First of all, you should deal with what this modern and beautiful material is. Acrylic product is usually an imitation of natural stone. It consists of acrylic resin, mineral filler and various dyes. The finished product is smooth, no seams, easy to process.

So, we have a material with a long service life, not absorbing water, easy to clean. So, stains from water, food or drinks are easily removed with ordinary detergents. The acrylic plate can look quite modest or, on the contrary, be a refined marble, so an acrylic window sill would be appropriate in any interior - from the minimalist-modest to the refined and expensive.

Consider the main advantages of these products, so widely used by modern designers.Externally, the acrylic plate resembles opaque decorative glass, but, of course, many times stronger.

Any product made of acrylic plate is distinguished by versatility and reliability, therefore Products made from this material have many advantages.

• Acrylic window sills are wonderfully combined with any other finishing materials - wood, plastic, plaster.
• Durability is one of the main advantages of these products. With proper care, the window sill will last at least twenty years, retaining its original appearance and color.
• These products are hygienic, as they are not susceptible to the formation of mold or mildew.
• The material belongs to the group of environmentally safe, not harmful to human health.
• Accidentally falling on the surface of cigarette ash or even a lit cigarette will cause no harm to the material.

• The material to the touch is not cold at all, unlike the surfaces of natural stone. This is due to the fact that acrylic is a heat-resistant material and is characterized by good thermal conductivity.
• Acrylic window sill can withstand serious weight - you can be sure that heavy flower pots or massive interior items will not spoil it.Therefore, acrylic plates are often used for the manufacture of mantels on which you can put watches, candlesticks and other heavy things.
• If the acrylic window sill is made wide enough, you can save on the purchase of a table, which can be especially important in a small room.
• Chips and scratches can be easily removed from the acrylic window sill. To do this, damaged areas can be re-polished right "on the spot" without complicated dismantling.

• The cost of such an item of interior can be different and depends primarily on how well known is the company's brand and how complex the design of the product itself is. If you choose the material from the Russian manufacturer and not the most complex design option, you can save a lot.
• A variety of colors of acrylic materials allows you to choose the windowsill to absolutely any interior.
• The weight of the materials is small, so the installation process is quite simple.
• It is very simple to care for an acrylic window sill - it is enough to periodically wipe the window sill with a damp cloth.

• The material is not afraid of direct sunlight and will not fade with time.
• The acrylic window sill has a monolithic structure, so it has no joints, cracks or porous portions. This means that water, grease and other flowable substances will not get anywhere, so that acrylic will not collapse and does not get dirty.
• Everyone knows that the window sill is most often located next to radiators and can get hot. At the same time through the open window can penetrate the cold air. Such a "shock" effect is not scary acrylic window sills - this material is resistant to temperature changes.

Of course, there are no finishing materials without cons. There are downsides for acrylic window sills. However, they are so insignificant that the advantages of acrylic over PVC materials are still very large.

• Such a product may suffer from too rapid temperature changes. This means only that the owners are not recommended to put a hot kettle or frying pan on such a surface.
• But the possibility of scratches and chips is, of course, a more serious problem. Indeed, scratches appear with time on acrylic surfaces, so this material requires careful handling.However, to eliminate scratches or even chips in any case is quite possible, for this you do not even have to dismantle the window sill.

It will not be possible to make an acrylic plate for the window sill, as the production requires the use of special equipment: it is necessary to cast a special form, polish it, cover it with a special composition and only then pour the prepared acrylic mixture into the mold. After hardening the mixture, the front side of the sill is polished.

Finding the right size, width and thickness is not difficult - companies that produce acrylic window sills, offer many options.

It is best to entrust the installation of a window sill to a specialist, since the service life of the product also depends on proper installation. The specialist will install the window sill so as to minimize possible heat loss, as well as explain how to care for the acrylic plate. However, home craftsmen often do the installation of window sills themselves.

Consider what you need to be sure to pay attention to when installing an acrylic window sill, regardless of whether it is installed by your invited specialist or by you.

• Properly installed construction is never flush with the wall. It stands for its limits not less than five centimeters.
• The distance between the radiators and the sill can not be less than 15 centimeters.
• An experienced master always observes the angle of inclination of the window sill, which depends on the width of the product itself.
• There should be a gap of approximately 3 mm between the wall and the sill.

If the product has been in use for quite a long time, then scratches or even chipped inevitably occur on it. To carry out the repair of the window sill in three ways.

1. Economical repair involves the use of special linings that can be purchased at the hardware store.The pad needs to be matched in color and simply glued onto a pre-degreased surface. Important: the pad should be slightly larger than the area that you are going to repair.
2. Bring the window sill in original appearance everybody can do, however, this will require a grinding machine. It is important to pre-clean the acrylic from dirt and dust, and then - to polish, choosing a suitable abrasive material. His choice depends on the result you want to get. For example, to obtain a matte surface, an abrasive of mark 200 is needed. A semi-glossy surface can be obtained using an abrasive material of a grade not less than 600. The mark of abrasive 1200 will make the surface perfectly smooth and glossy.
3. Restoration of serious damage (large chips or cracks) is usually made by a specialist, as during the repair a substance called “liquid acrylic” is used, the technology of which is quite complex. This material will allow to produce high-quality restoration of the damaged surface, returning the former attractiveness to the sill.

Acrylic is not by chance called the variation of an artificial stone, because it can imitate any surface and have a variety of textures and shades. In accordance with the features of the interior, you can choose a glossy, semi-gloss or matte product.

Manufacturers successfully imitate wood, marble, granite and other materials. and the addition of variegated patches of acrylic makes it even more natural. However, the window sill can be monotonous.

Products not only differ in a variety of colors and variability of sizes, they can also vary in shapes. Angular products, window sills for bay windows, rectangular, cascade, semicircular shapes are available.

Special care for the window sill of acrylic is not required. They can be cleaned with any detergent that does not leave scratches, but in most cases a fairly simple wet sponge is enough. After the surface has been cleaned, it is recommended to wipe it with a dry cloth or microfiber cloth. So on the surface there will be no streaks.

Reviews of the owners who installed windowsills with an acrylic coating at home, especially draw the attention of future owners to the fact that for all strength you should not put objects with sharp edges and hot objects - candles, irons, kettles on such a surface.

You will learn more about the artificial acrylic stone in the next video.