Acrylic vs. Tempered Glass: Why Acrylic is the Best Choice for Transparent Swimming Pools
When designing a transparent swimming pool, the choice of material is critical. While both acrylic and tempered glass are options, acrylic stands out as the superior choice due to its safety, durability, and visual appeal. This article explains why acrylic is the best material for transparent swimming pools.
1. Superior Safety and Strength
Acrylic is the safest material for transparent swimming pools because of its exceptional impact resistance. It is 100 times stronger than glass and 16 times stronger than tempered glass. Acrylic sheets can be over 600mm thick, significantly increasing safety.
Swimming pools face dynamic pressures from water, crowds, and waves. Acrylic’s flexibility and resistance to bending fractures make it ideal for handling these complex stresses. In contrast, tempered glass is brittle and prone to self-explosion due to factors like sunlight, temperature changes, and nickel sulfide crystal expansion.
2. Exceptional Light Transmittance
Acrylic offers 92% light transmittance, surpassing even the best ultra-clear glass, which only reaches 89%. This high clarity creates a stunning visual effect, making acrylic perfect for transparent swimming pools and aquariums. Its soft light transmission enhances the pool’s beauty, providing a luxurious experience.
3. Excellent Processing and Customization
Acrylic is highly versatile and can be machined, thermoformed, and seamlessly spliced on-site using special formulas. This allows for the creation of large, seamless panels, such as the 26m-long transparent viewing surface in the infinity pool at Atlantis Sanya.
Tempered glass, on the other hand, cannot be reprocessed, cut, or seamlessly spliced. Its maximum size is limited to 6.8m x 2.5m, making it unsuitable for larger projects.
4. Proven Track Record
Acrylic has been used in the transparent swimming pool industry for over 30 years. Its technology is mature, and its performance is stable. Large-scale projects worldwide rely on thick acrylic sheets for their durability and reliability.
Addressing Scratch Concerns
While acrylic is less wear-resistant than tempered glass, it is perfectly suited for transparent swimming pools. In pools, swimmers wear swimsuits and do not carry sharp objects, so the risk of scratches is minimal. However, for applications like transparent walkways, where foot traffic is high, tempered glass may be more appropriate.
Conclusion
Acrylic is the ideal material for transparent swimming pools due to its safety, durability, light transmittance, and customization options. Its proven performance in large-scale projects makes it the top choice for creating stunning and functional pools.
For more information on acrylic swimming pools, visit UC Acrylic.
Additional Resources
For more on transparent swimming pools, check out these resources: