Got an email today, but the writer (Scott) didn’t leave a phone number or email address for me to reply, so I will post it here. The question was: “What are acrylics made of? Is Lexan a suitable material for replacement?”

Acrylics are made out of acrylic.

That is how they get their name. Any replacement must also be made of 100% acrylic. Other plastics BLOCK UV, so you would be wasting your time using another material. Also, many acrylics are formed, which is not something you can do at home, so buying replacement acrylic material to use in a tanning bed is pretty tricky. Usually, it is also more expensive.

Another problem is cutting it. If you try with a jigsaw, sabre saw, circular saw, or similar, you WILL destroy it within a second or two. You need to use something closer to an angle grinder with a cut blade instead (which is a bit dangerous) using very high speed and preferably a fence to guide the cut. I have done it before, and have a scar on my right middle finger to prove it.

Another issue is that there is a big difference in EXTRUDED and CAST acrylic, with advantages and disadvantages of both. Most you will buy is extruded, which is more flexible, costs less, but much more brittle and likely to crack. Most inexpensive beds, and beds made in Europe, use extruded.

So try it if you are up to the task, but only use 100% clear acrylic (regardless of the name brand) but be prepared for some hard work and very possible failure. If you are not a machinist or work with precision tools regularly, I wouldn’t try it.