| Below: free help with vacuum forming / material selection guide |
| To give you more free help with vacuum forming for your needs, this vacuum forming material selection guide lists most common vacuum forming materials available & an overview of each one's basic properties in standard grade. Also listed is some advice on costs & uses for typical formings made from each material type. |
| Material Types, Abbreviations & Density | Description, Details & Typical Applications |
Comments / Options |
| Acrylic PMMA |
High quality, hard, med-high strength but brittle, good clarity, high cost. |
Various colours & clear grades 1½-6mm. Can be hand worked or cellulose/enamel painted. |
| Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene ABS, 1.08 g/cm³ |
Hard, rigid, v.good impact strength & weather resistance, medium cost. Electrical Enclosures, Luggage, Sanitary & Vehicle Parts. |
Easily obtainable in 1-6mm thicknesses, various textures, finishes, clear, limited colours fire retardant and UV stabilised grades. Easy to cut, paint or print on. |
| Polycarbonate PC |
Hard, rigid, v.good impact strength & clarity, self extinguishing, high cost. Aircraft trim, Light diffusers, Machine Guards, Riot Shields, Signs, Skylights and Visors. |
Various patterns, textured colours, clear & UV stable grades, 1-6mm. Easy to machine, screen print, drill, tap & ultrasonically weld. |
| Polyethyleneterephthalate Glycol PETG, 1.27 g/cm³ |
FDA approved, good-high impact strength, optically very good, can be sterilised & resilient to wide range of acid oils and alcohols, but not with highly alkaline solutions, high cost. Dairy & Medical Parts, Point of Sale. |
Easily obtainable in 0.8-6mm thicknesses, clear only. Easy to cut, machine or paint |
| Polyethylene - High Density HDPE, 0.96 g/cm³ |
Flexible, v.good imp.strength low cost Caravan Parts, Enclosures, Housings & Vehicle Parts. |
Easily obtainable in 1-5mm thicknesses, black/white only Needs specialist inks, can't paint. |
| Polypropylene PP, 0.91 g/cm³ |
Flexible, v.good imp.strength low cost Chemical Tanks, Enclosures, Food Containers, Luggage, Medical Applications and Toys. |
Easy to obtain in 0.75-6mm thicknesses, black/natural only. |
| Polystyrene - High Impact HIPS, 1.06 g/cm³ |
Wide range of options, high impact strength, low cost. Displays, disposable items, models, packaging, presentation & toys. |
Easy to obtain in 0.25-6mm thicknesses, various colours, textures, flocked, conductive & UV stable grades. Screen ink sprayable, cellulose paint needs etching primer |
| Polyvinyl Chloride PVC, 1.37 g/cm³ |
Med-high strength, good transparency in thinner gauges, good fire retardant & chemical properties-highly resistant to solvents, low cost. Car Trims, Machine Guards & Packaging |
Easy to obtain 0.25-0.75mm thicknesses, clear, black/white. Thicker grades with good rigidity & impact strength available - most suited for outdoor industrial use Needs specialist inks, can't paint. |
For more help with vacuum forming - use the links below or view our vacuum forming material specifications or process guides.

