PVC Sheets

[Guest thefishman65]

It appears that PVC sheets are cheaper then acrylic. Has anyone ever made a sump out of PVC? The only disadvantage I see would be that you can not see through the sides.

 

Thanks in Advance

[bankyf]

I used PVC sheets quite a bit in the sign industry. It is not nearly as rigid as acrylic for it's thickness and a little harder to get good leak free glue joints. I did build a tray out of 1/2" PVC for the bottom of my stand to contain leaks and spils. It saved me from spilling water on the carpet on many occasions. Polystyrene is a good rigid alternative, but it is much denser/heavier, and more expensive than PVC. If I had felt that either could have worked as a sump, I probably would have tried it.

[Guest thefishman65]

I looked at polystyrene (I think - on of the enes) and could not figure out what kind of glue to use. Signs (from my reading) often use expanded PVC which sound like 1/2 of it is air. Is that what you are referring to as not being rigid? I had a small piece of PVC sheet once and would have said it was about the same as acrylic. Any way I take it that neither one in your opinion is stiff enough.

 

I would have thought it would be easier to get good joint. Can you explain the problems?

 

Thanks

[bankyf]

It was expanded and did not glue well. I have never seen what you are talking about, but I suspect it would be much easier to glue. The polystrene may be rigid enough. The thickest I could get is 1/4", but if you eurobraced it and didn't go too big it might work. I am not sure what to use to glue it either. The 1/4" polystyrene costs me about 2/3 of what the sheet of acrylic does, but weighs about 10% more.