Lexan or plexiglass load bearing sheet

[svouts]

Hi I am renovating my basement window under my front entrance (see picture).

Before there was a metal rack there but allowed a lot of dirt in, from the door mat and the dust form the wind. The opening is 60x18 inches.

I am thinking to install a transparent lexan or plexiglass sheet. The sheet will be supported all around the perimeter of the opening. So basically it should be the 18 inches width that will determine how strong the sheet will be.

Any idea on how thick should be the lexan or plexiglass sheet to allow 1-2 people standing on it?

 

[KenGMac]

svouts, good evening.

Personally i would have very,very severe reservations as to the ability of either of your preferred materials to be able to take the load that you are looking at?

Also, in winter it could become very slippery? and will be opaque in weeks with scratches from foot traffic.

i have seen some glass used at high level as an attraction where you can stand on the specialised glass floor and look down at times several hundred of feet, but the glass was similar to Bullet resistant being a multi layered construction and shoes were banned whilst walking on the glass floor?

Ken.

 

[Tigercubrider]

https://www.eosrooflights.co.uk/walkon-rooflights/

Painting the light well or even lining with stainless steel will help
The victorians used glass bricks in a metal frame.
You could source a reclaimed one or a reproduction?

https://www.luxcrete.co.uk/

 

[KenGMac]

i have seen "glass bricks" used as internal vertical screens, never dawned on me to use in this way?

Well worth investigation?

In Edinburgh many [many] years ago there were a lot of glass bricks in [at that time] I assume cast iron frames of considerable thickness?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Coming from an architectural background having dealt with commercial fish tanks and a few glass walkways I'd hazard around 25mm would be about right. But a decent supplier experienced in these kinds of projects ought to be sought rather than some bloke off the web. There's absolutely no doubt that provided a suitable thickness was specified it would be up to the job, it can sourced in thicknesses up to 100mm so that's not an issue.

In reality acrylic or any kind of other plastic will get scratched to buggery in no time as will glass in fact. You could consider a structural layer of acrylic and then a sacrificial layer of glass (laminated 10mm) which can just sit there and be changed when it's dulled down so probably every year or so. Or if it was just the transparency you were after you could just apply (or have applied for you by the supplier) a film to the back (or underside) then any scratches would be irrelevant. I could PM you a very good supplier and contact if you liked. Don't limit yourself to someone local or off the web or try and guess the thickness yourself. Or get an SE to check it.

 

[Mr Chibs]

The fish tank bit gave me an idea, what about back-filling with water and glass on top?


Hahaha.

Sorry, I'll get my coat.