31 Acrylic Entries: Frosted, Mirror, Glitter and Two-Tone

Black, frosted black, dark red, brown, gold-to-black two-tone, 3mm and 5mm — thirty-one of the forty entries on the Plastic tab are acrylic, each with a recorded recipe rather than a single number.

Cast acrylic cuts to a flame-polished edge and engraves frosted white. Extruded cuts adequately but engraves grey and dull. Plexiglass, perspex and acrylic are three trade names for the same polymer, so do not pay a premium for the word.

Browse tested acrylic

USS Constitution engraved on black acrylic by an Atomm maker — the frosted-white engrave that dark cast acrylic gives

Why Clear Acrylic Will Not Cut on a Diode Laser

Clear acrylic is transparent at 455nm, so a blue-light diode beam passes straight through and out the other side. It is not a power problem — no amount of wattage helps if the material never absorbs the energy.

Coloured, black and frosted acrylic absorb 455nm and cut on a diode. Clear needs a CO2 source at 10.6µm, which every acrylic absorbs. Of the thirty-five community plastic records, twenty ran on fiber, five on CO2, seven on diode and three on UV — on plastics the wavelength decides more than the wattage.

See this acrylic project

A translucent neon-green acrylic token engraved and cut by an Atomm maker, held up to the light

Clear or Coloured — That Decides the Laser

Clear acrylic is the one material a diode simply cannot see. Everything else in this family is fair game.

Clear and transparent

CO2 only. A blue diode passes straight through clear sheet without depositing energy, so there is nothing to cut with.

Opaque and coloured

Cuts and engraves on diode and CO2 alike. Thirteen colours in the opaque glossy range alone.

Mirror and two-tone

Engrave through the top layer and the colour beneath shows through — no paint, no fill.

Glitter and frosted

Diffuses light, so engraved detail reads softer. Popular for keychains and signage.

Which xTool Machine Is Best for Acrylic?

The one family where the laser type is a hard gate rather than a preference.

xTool P2S

55W desktop CO2.\nThe only route to clear acrylic, and it cuts 3mm in one pass with a polished edge.

xTool P3

80W flagship CO2.\nThicker stock — 10mm becomes practical with air assist, and large sheets fit the bed.

xTool S1

Enclosed diode, 20W or 40W.\nColoured and dark acrylic only. Clear sheet is invisible to it at any power.

xTool F2 Ultra

60W MOPA + 40W diode, with a UV option.\nOne maker engraved 3mm black acrylic on the UV module at 80 mm/s and 30%.

Acrylic and Plastic Settings Tested by Real Makers

The machine each job was run on, and the numbers that produced the result.

Laser Engrave-1/8"(3mm) Black Acrylic

P2S (CO2 55W) · Engrave Pass 1 · 400 mm/s · 18%

1/8"(3mm) Black Acrylic

F2 Ultra UV (Ultraviolet light 5W) · Engrave Pass 1 · 80 mm/s · 30%

ABS Black

F1 (Fiber IR 2W) · Engrave Pass 1 · 200 mm/s · 60%

dollar store foam board

P2 (CO2 55W) · Cut Pass 2 · 90 mm/s · 45%

PLA black

F2 (Fiber IR 5W) · Engrave Pass 1 · 80 mm/s · 90%

Why Start From a Tested Setting

Clear sheet is a hard no on a diode

It is not a settings problem. The beam is not absorbed, so the material never heats. Buying clear for a diode machine wastes the sheet.

Cast versus extruded changes the engrave

Cast engraves frosted white and cuts polished; extruded engraves grey. The label rarely says which, so a tested entry is the fastest way to know.

Colour changes the power you need

Black absorbs readily; white and clear reflect and diffuse. A recorded value for that exact colour beats a generic acrylic number.

Edge quality is the whole point

Acrylic is chosen because the cut edge needs no finishing. Overpower it and you get a frosted, crazed edge instead of a polished one.

Explore the Materials Lab

Nine laser material families from the Atomm Materials Lab

All laser materials

Wood, acrylic, leather, metal, glass, stone and the rest — thirteen families with tested settings.

Nine laser wood surfaces — basswood and birch plywood edges, walnut, mahogany, cherrywood, bamboo and MDF

Wood, plywood and MDF

Forty boards from basswood ply to oiled MDF. Grade decides the cut, species decides the look.

Nine tested glass and crystal materials — a K9 crystal ball, inner-carved block, heart keychain, pink K5, frosted glass jars, cobalt glass and an arch crystal with a clock

Glass and K9 crystal

Crystal blanks, glassware and awards — plus why 3D inner engraving needs a UV laser.

Nine lamp and lighting parts — a wooden petal table lamp, acrylic disc pendant, adjustable metal lamp base, crystal LED base kit, wood light base, walnut shade boards, an Edison bulb with brass socket, a tube bulb with cord and a connector kit

Lamp and lighting kits

Sockets, cords, bulbs, LED bases and complete DIY lamp kits, sized for laser-cut shades.

Acrylic Engraving Guides & Ideas

Cast versus extruded, flame-polished edges, and what to do when clear acrylic will not cut.

How to Laser Cut Acrylic: Complete Guide for DIY Makers

Learn how to laser cut acrylic with our comprehensive guide. Discover the best settings, techniques, and tips for creating stunning acrylic projects with your laser cutter.

2026/04/112468

How Do You Cut Acrylic? 4 Methods Compared (2026)

How to cut acrylic four ways — score-and-snap, jigsaw, table saw, and laser — with what you need and the steps for each, plus a method comparison table.

2026/07/112009

13 Free Acrylic Coaster Ideas

Discover 13 real, free acrylic coaster designs from Atomm's community — laser-engraved florals, mirror and holographic Halloween pieces, and wood-inlay styles ready to edit and cut.

2026/07/14695

42 Free Acrylic Keychain Ideas

42 free acrylic keychain ideas from the Atomm community — clear, colored, glitter, mirror, layered shaker, pop-culture charm, and functional designs to laser cut and engrave.

2026/07/31519

Spell It Out: 30 Custom Name Necklace Designs in Acrylic & Wood

30 free laser-cut name necklace ideas from the Atomm community — script name pendants, nameplate necklaces, engraved bars, word pendants, and initial lockets to make and gift.

2026/08/25291

40 Free Wedding Sign Ideas (Laser-Cut Welcome, Seating Chart & Acrylic Wedding Signs)

40 free laser-cut wedding sign ideas from the Atomm community: welcome signs, seating charts, table numbers, guest books, and acrylic, mirror, and slate designs to personalize and cut.

2026/08/11374

FAQs

Can a diode laser cut clear acrylic?

No. Clear acrylic barely absorbs 455nm blue light, so the beam passes through instead of depositing energy. A CO2 laser at 10.6 microns is absorbed almost completely and cuts the same sheet effortlessly. Dark and coloured acrylic work fine on a diode.

Acrylic Materials for xTool Laser Machines