You’ll see a lot of acrylic edge banding on the market when deciding which edging you need for your project. But what is it? Why should you choose it and what makes it right for the job?

Acrylic edge banding ticks a lot of boxes – it’s the go-to plastic edging for a huge range of boards and applications. It’s incredibly versatile and hardwearing, resisting scuffs and scratches, making it a very popular choice in the washroom, kitchen and office furniture industries, and ideal for furniture in high traffic areas, keeping your products in top condition for longer.

But there’s a lot more to it than that. Here’s everything you need to know about acrylic edge banding…

Endless Edging Designs…

Acrylic edging comes in a vast range of colours and patterns including wood, metallic and stone effect, with a brilliant translucency. You can achieve the look of premium materials like granite and solid wood, without the excessive cost, cumbersome weight and time-consuming maintenance, and with a twist of contemporary sheen. Acrylic edge banding can also be polished to a super high shine for that on-trend ultra-gloss look. Teamed with acrylic boards, you can create virtually any look; match boards and edges to create a slab of lucious shiny work surface, or contrast patterns, colours and textures for styling that’s bang up to date and totally unique.

3D Acrylic Edging…

A unique property of acrylic edge banding is the ability to produce a 3D effect, creating a visually exciting interplay of light and depth. It’s achieved by printing the pattern on the under layer of the edging rather than the surface, with a clear layer of acrylic over the top. The design is essentially encased in a coating of tough, beautifully transparent plastic so that once the edging is applied, the pattern is never exposed to scuffs and wear – any scratches on the outer layer of acrylic can be easily buffed away. The integrity of the design is never disturbed and the whole effect is luminous, with seamless transitions between edges and around angles. It can be polished to whatever level of matte or sheen finish you desire, without damaging the underlying print.

You can take your furniture design to a new level with 3D acrylic edging; use it to create a crystal, glass effect around the edges of your boards, a polished, gloss finish over the top of wood, metallic or granite effect edging or a super high gloss finish to block colours. It really does offer endless design possibilities.

PMMA…

Now for the science bit – acrylic is a high grade thermoplastic polymer, also known as PMMA, or Polymethylmethacrylate (try saying that three times fast!) It has a beautiful clarity and translucency and in sheet form, PMMA is often used as a lightweight and shatterproof alternative to glass. It can be coloured, moulded, cut, drilled, and formed. These qualities, and the fact that it’s extremely tough, make it very useful for skylights, car headlights, outdoor signs – even aeroplane windscreens.

This is why it makes a great edge banding – it can be coloured in infinite shades, it’s super durable and resistant to wear and tear, it’s impact resistant, and it gives a clarity and shine hard to achieve with other materials.

Why Choose Acrylic (PMMA) Edging?

We think this is a pretty cool material to use for edge banding and there are new designs and ways of harnessing its properties for decorative effect emerging all the time. We really are seeing the boundaries being pushed for finishes that can be achieved. Imagine a kitchen island in a real wood or granite effect with super tough, perfectly matched 3D acrylic edging, so sleek that you can’t see where the board ends and the edging begins. And it stays that way, because the acrylic edging not only looks good but ensures the pattern underneath is not exposed to damage. Or how about a stunning reception desk, with a colour-pop edging and acrylic 3D finish that shines and gives the illusion of depth for that extra oomph. A great way to catch the eye and make a good first impression in a contemporary, corporate environment.

Mix up your patterns, colours and textures on boards and edgings, all coated in a stunning crystal clear acrylic for the illusion of poured glass – but much tougher. Think wood effect with metallic edging, or colour block boards with multiplex, wood effect or patterned edging. Whatever you can imagine – and any scratches and marks can be easily buffed away so your interiors stay looking the way you want for much longer.

Benefits
Hardwearing
3D effect
Comes in huge range of colours and patterns
Uses
Kitchen countertops and work surfaces
Home and office furniture
Shop fittings
Washrooms
Just about anywhere

Our Pick of Acrylic Edge Banding…

We love this brushed steel 3D acrylic edge banding for a glossy, contemporary style. Sticking with the metallic theme, why not try it in brushed copper, brushed gold or brushed bronze? All add a real wow factor to corporate or home interiors. Contrast it with striking white or black gloss boards or go bold with the full-on shining metallic look. The metallic pattern is printed onto the underside of the edging with the clear acrylic layer over the top, giving depth, added shine and ultimate durability. This beige metallic high gloss edging has an almost jewelled quality, exuding luxury, while this multiplex 3D acrylic edging adds a quirky touch to block colour boards.

If you’re looking for acrylic edge banding get in touch today and our specialists can help.