Sheet perspex for doors?.

[GRUMPYBAGDER]

Has anyone used a single sheet of perspex as a door?.
I'm thinking about making a single skin (or possible a double with air gap) perspex panel tinting the parts that will remain transparent and using a black vinyl to cover the reinforced areas containing locks, hinges and handles etc.
I'm thinking as long as it'll stay flat it should close against a rubber door seal and provide a good weather tighr seal.
If it's been done any pics or links would be welcome, if it hasn't can anybody think of a reason why it wouldn't work?.
Cheers.

[mallymal]

Some creative ideas there! Is it maybe a little brittle, hinge mounting points etc could end up with localised crazing? Maybe someone can chime in with alternate "clear plastics" other than Perspex which might do the job...

Then again what do I know... I suspect I hold the record for clocking up an epic number of posts and never making any sawdust as I can't (a) agree with myself on a profile and (b) persuade my wife that building a tear is a great plan

[PanelDeland]

Lexan might be an alternate.They use it for race car windows.However it may be a bit spendy$$$$ and we're all tightwads.......

[chartle]

Yes I have built some things with it that used hinges and it did crack around the them.

Now these were aquarium covers not doors that have to push against weather stripping so I can imagine that it could crack pretty quickly.

I have used Lexan and its not as brittle but expensive and i think heavier.

Bonus if its thick enough Lexan is bullet proof. Well bullet resistant. (dam lawyers)

[asianflava]

The problem with any of these plastics is that they scratch if you breathe on them wrong.

He said Perspex, hehe.

[GuitarPhotog]

Perspex (acrylic) is very UV sensitive also. It degrades rapidly in extended sunlight. It is also fairly brittle, with the brittleness increasing as it ages. Lexan (polycarbonate) is very tough (think bullet-proof windows), but it scratches very, very easily. Polycarbonate is about 2X as heavy as acrylic.

<Chas>

[ohbugger]

The door on my trailer is a sheet of tinted glass on a hinge that closes against a big rubber gasket. And this is a professionally made door from a truck canopy that was really expensive to someone at one time. The door is on the back, but I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work on the side too.

[GRUMPYBAGDER]

Thanks for the replys.
The panels that cracked, were they a single skin with out any reinforcement?.
Is the door on that hard top glass or plastic?.
My current plans are leaning towards a woodie due to the price of aluminium sheet and trim but it's an idea I may persue for another trailer in the future.

[ohbugger]

It's glass. I assume it's tempered.