Installing acrylic pieces

[Ninkylou]

I am considering putting acrylic panels on the backs or sides of my enclosures for the winter to help maintain the humidity.

I can get 2 x 4 foot sheets at Lowes. Does anyone have any ideas on the best way to install them?

 

[ashutt19]

Is it going to be permanent. And what is the material u are attaching it to?

 

[Carlton]

I am considering putting acrylic panels on the backs or sides of my enclosures for the winter to help maintain the humidity.

I can get 2 x 4 foot sheets at Lowes. Does anyone have any ideas on the best way to install them?

What is your cage frame made of? I attached acrylic panels to my wooden cage frame with toggles used to install storm windows. Basically, I cut the acrylic to fit each cage side but so they overlapped the frame slightly. Used screw-in toggles and attached the toggles to the frame around the edge of the acrylic. The toggles can either be swiveled so they hold the acrylic in place or so you can remove it. You could also make your own swivel toggles...a screw through a piece of wood, plastic or metal loosely enough so it swivels.

 

[grccola]

How about Velcro strips

 

[jamjam]

When I thought about doing this I figured I would have something the swiveled or something along those lines to hold it in place. My mom compared the idea to the back on a picture frame. But I also had a half inch of space for something to sit in between screen and the wood frame of the enclosure.

Velcro could possibly work, cant see why not

 

[Ninkylou]

I have DIY aluminum enclosures, velcro might be good. I have a few rolls of the sticky backed velcro.

 

[ridgebax1]

I am making attachable sides using the DIY window screen frames from Home Depot and the shrink fit plastic window film. Then I am going to glue metal washers to the corners of the cage and use rare earth magnets glued to the metal frame to hold it up. That way it would be fairly light weight and easy to put up and take down. If it gets ripped it will be easy to replace. But I think the washers and magnets could hold up the acrylic too. The other reason I wanted to use the washers/magnets is so it holds the frame away from the cage side a little just for air flow.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

If the sheets are thin just drill holes to match the screws that hole the cage together. Then just attach them through the screws already on the cage frame. Works great for me.

 

[Ninkylou]

If the sheets are thin just drill holes to match the screws that hole the cage together. Then just attach them through the screws already on the cage frame. Works great for me.

I like this one! Did you have to get longer screws?

 

[MelissaB]

I used clear shower curtains, cut to fit and the clear plastic velcro like you use to hold up an Ipass. It works great, is fairly cheap (bought it on amazon), and you can easily (carefully) remove it to attach stuff to the screen. I just cut a bunch of 1 inch pieces of the velcro stuff to attach it to the frame. Too tired to think of what it's called, been working 12 hour shifts and I am fried.
I used corrugated plastic on the other cage, works nice but it's a PITA to move stuff that's attached to the screen.

 

[Garrett]

If the sheets are thin just drill holes to match the screws that hole the cage together. Then just attach them through the screws already on the cage frame. Works great for me.

This----
You can either put the panels on the outside, or sandwich them between the screen frame if they are thin enough. I usually use thin Polypropylene Sheet or HDPE sheets from Tap Plastics. Most plastic supply stores will sell something similar.
Here's a cage with acrylic panels for reference:
http://www.reptilespecialty.com/images/watermarked/3/detailed/1/acrylic-screen-cage.jpg