Protecting plastic windows... scratches, acrylic

[rruff]

The plastic windows are great... except for being easily scratched. That's a big deterrent for me since it happens all the time in the places I go.

I did a search and saw someone mention using canvas. I guess they wrapped it around the outside, tucked it under the seal, then closed the window.

Has anyone tried that, or found a different solution?

 

[workerdrone]

Alternate take - If they're easily scratched, then they're probably also easily polished. I have to do my Tundra headlights once a year, maybe the same sort of schedule? It's night and day difference using a variable speed full size full power buffer too, vs a wimpy cordless drill

 

[rruff]

Yes, they do seem to be fairly easily polished. But I think I'd need to do it all the time for a clear view out the windows.

 

[Victorian]

One of our customers is a plastic engineer at nasa. He scratched the crap out of them. Told me it took less than 10 minutes to buff them like new. Therefore I think it’s a valid point but nothing to panic about.

 

[spot]

Almost all light aircraft windows are made of polycarbonate. Very tuff to break and crack but scratches easily. We never washed the windscreens. As mentioned above we used pledge furniture polish to clean them. It repeals water too!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Victorian]

Will try the furniture polish ? thanks for the tip.

 

[rruff]

The solution was to get the cheapest furniture polish I could find.

I read that some person used shoe polish. Same idea I guess. Definitely worth trying.

I don't even have the windows...yet. I bought some cheap glass awning style windows awhile back, but wondered if something else would be better. Where I go in the winter the desert thorns scratch like crazy. If I can't effectively protect the acrylic windows, they'd get scratched so frequently I don't think it would be worth it.

 

[Trestle]

No experience yet, but using 3M clear bra came up in a few conversations with those that have experience.

 

[javajoe79]

You can have polycarbonate hard coated.

 

[b dkw1]

You need the stuff we put on helmet face shields.

 

[Peter_n_Margaret]

You will NOT break polycarbonate, but it does scratch easier that acrylic. Acrylic can break easily during fabrication and use.
Polycarbonate is available in scratch resistant, much more expensive and minimum 6mm thick and only clear, not tinted.
I made windows in 3mm tinted polycarbonate. Easily replaced if they get too bad. Easy to cut using normal wood working saws etc without cracking.
Be very careful what chemicals you use on polycarbonate. It can react very badly to aeromatic solvents, to the pont of total destruction.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

 

[simple]

I'll second on the be careful what chemicals you put on polycarbonate. It is more sensitive than other plastics and will craze if exposed to the wrong stuff.

Arctic Turn sells Novus cleaners and scratch remover. The windows are pricey and i would stick with the manufacturers recommendation for safe products.

 

[simple]

If you are scraping through a lot of brush would it be worth it to make some aluminum covers to go over the windows for offroad?

 

[Louisd75]

You will NOT break polycarbonate, but it does scratch easier that acrylic. Acrylic can break easily during fabrication and use.
Polycarbonate is available in scratch resistant, much more expensive and minimum 6mm thick and only clear, not tinted.
I made windows in 3mm tinted polycarbonate. Easily replaced if they get too bad. Easy to cut using normal wood working saws etc without cracking.
Be very careful what chemicals you use on polycarbonate. It can react very badly to aeromatic solvents, to the pont of total destruction.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

Scratch resistant tinted is available, but it isn't cheap: https://www.acplasticsinc.com/products/7130-250-48x-96-ar2-p

I haven't had much of an issue with the polycarbonate windows on the front of my trailer yet though I was expecting it. Most of the scratches came from my wife trying to be helpful and cleaning them. She got one done before I realized what was going on. They aren't difficult to clean, you just need to use a lot of water.

 

[rruff]

I'll second on the be careful what chemicals you put on polycarbonate.

Just to be clear, Tern windows are acrylic and I think all the similar ones are as well.