Teach It Tuesday: Techniques for lighting PlexiGlass

Bryan Hale walks you through a couple different techniques to add a touch of light to your plexiglass projects.
At GP Rod and Customs we try to give you techniques and instructions to do some of the more challenging projects at home as DIY projects.
If there is something you are having trouble with and would like us to cover it on a Teach It video just shoot a request in the comments. We look forward to hearing from you and sharing the knowledge.
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[@playsomething4029]

Thank you for this short video sir. It's the 21st century, it's time we break away from the boring and basic and make some seriously beautiful designs!

[@dnyce0013]

Every question I had about working with this stuff for a project answered in one short video. Thanks my dude

[@maryparadzinsky7607]

Great job Bryan, you've made what looked like the impossible, very possible. Thank you!

[@boneskull4207]

Thanks for sharing you knowledge and expertise! Be safe and be blessed!

[@rescobar8572]

GREAT VIDEO!! THANK YOU FOR SHARING!!

[@tintshady2049]

Great video, straight to the point with no BS. Kudos, sir

[@dnyce0013]

I was thinking the exact same thing. I do a lot of art projects and have ti do a lot of research sometimes to get it all done .. usually that means watching multiple videos and reading tons of material, but this video answered everything I needed in such a shot time, pretty awesome

[@MrKurokitsune]

NIce Tutorial, easy and simple, looking forward to see more plexi glas lighting ideas

[@ce373]

Thank you for taking time to do this video!

[@anyutubenamesleft]

Like this guy he is as real as it gets

[@atomabc]

Thank you Brilliant video. Just what I needed for my diy led job. Thank you

[@nonyabiznass8930]

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks.

[@annthhallaaa5819]

Thank you so for this video. Good look with your work.

[@martinsnibbor7691]

Found your channel by accident, man I miss those days of doing custom installs. I remember back in the days installing a pullout radio in a Rabbit was exciting. Those skills became handy I’m an Electrician now I had to subscribe .

[@arthinkers8766]

I did like it! Thank you !

[@dennisweber4640]

Thank you for showing these techniques! I really appreciate having this knowledge.

[@Brangel1967]

Thank you for sharing!

[@rllm133]

Nice video Bryan, been making acrylic lit signs for a while now and actually learned something new after watching. BTW that's a chamfer that Trojak is referring to.

[@enthoo7902]

Great video, thanks for the information! Very helpful.

[@myoneblackfriend3151]

Learned, liked, and subscribed.

[@channel182]

Thank you for sharing! This is a great way to diffuse led light. I’m going to be incorporating this in a project in the near future.

[@johnnykipp8662]

I just figured out how I'm going to build a custom set of tail lights for my 1978 XS400 Cafe Racer project to match my Mach1 tail lights. Thanks for this, very good instructions, thanks for sharing, subscribed for sure!

[@jewdd1989]

What a cool idea

[@leonardodalongisland]

FYI: you can buy the Plexi already frosted "P95"

[@Andysworkshop101]

Thank you, great tips!

[@jeremyscoville6972]

Super helpful! Loving the fact that you ran your wires into a 12 volt Milwaukee battery for power 😂

[@technoautomated]

Nice one! So simple…

[@unkownyoutuber4726]

Keep the tech on plixi coming plz good video

[@jackson-aka2gs749]

kick ass dude! thank you!

[@worldwideteambasscatdownri6963]

Thank you. So the parts not frosted won't light up?

[@alienistic]

Looks awesome! Just wish you would have shown the finished logo or product so we can see how well it illuminates

[@rnwgg1]

Thank you so much Sir! Subscribed!

[@rollingguy86]

This is soo cool. Thank you for showing us this awesome mod. Now time to take on a project! 💪🏻

[@Velereonics]

what a great video. It is bizarre how the light diffuses so quickly through the side, but I guess acrylic doesnt really look clear from the side, only from the front, so it does make sense

[@dave5833]

Great video gives me some ideas for my BelAir

[@39FORTYWATER]

This is what I been wanting to do years ago. I just don't have the tools shop and the lights. No excuses now....I just will have to skip lunch at work for few days. 🤣😎

[@lezmac3104]

Thanks..subscribed already!!

[@DCDLaserCNC]

You could also leave it clear and either laser (raster) or router a design into the surface and then edge light. It will make the design light up through the surface. Great video and thanks for sharing.

[@youtubkeeper]

Very helpful - exactly what I wanted to know!

[@thabigghomie_]

Great thanks & how i bolt the armrest down to the down after

[@gthmcty111]

Thank you soooo much for shedingsome light on a subject tat has baffledme for th longt time!!! i was tryig to desgn sometailights wth this effect adnowthat I see how simple it is, it is crazy simple!! Subbed!!!!!

[@biggpoppaz28]

Quick simple to the point love it thanks

[@djnewyork1844]

I'm working on a project and you just helped me out so much Wow great video great info, my only question is my project is going to be pretty big about 5'w x 4'H and a piece of plexiglass or acrylic that size is super expensive I was wondering if I used a thinner piece of acrylic with a wood backing sand it down like you said would I get the entire surface to light up like your 1/2 inch piece of acrylic ? I have some very powerful LED Strip lights do you think that it would work ? Any advice would be greatly appreciated and thanks again for taking the time to make this video to help us rookies out

[@griffo3043]

Thankyou sir new I needed to frost but without a sand blaster needed the grit. Handy video.

[@vbplayar]

Great video ... thanks so much

[@JoseHernandez-qk5by]

Nice video Wonder if the edge where you place the led lights on have to be smooth or doesn't matter???

[@mugget]

Great stuff - I’m trying to figure out how to light a twinwall polycarbonate ceiling panel in a van, will try some frosted spray paint. Guessing (and hoping) the face of the polycarbonate will act the same as the face of acrylic sheet. 👍

[@bearsgarage272]

I like the edge lighting. Can i paint the top and bottom instead of sandwiching them between something?

[@joncamp9126]

Question: I want to make an entire 5 ft panel of this. In your experience is this doable on sizes that big or bigger? I was also reading about light guide panel. Have you worked with it as well and do you like one over the other? Thanks for any help!

[@traceyb3752]

HI thanks for showing this great. does it work the same with coloured glass

[@straight_razor]

It seems like you should be able to use frosted acrylic instead of sanding? We are going to try using frosted acrylic (which is only frosted on one side) then adhere a piece of white or reflective vinyl on the back side to reflect the light out of the front of the panel. any comments or suggestions on this idea?

[@marian_f1704]

Great video! Would the frosing method work for a larger plexiglas pannel, like for example,for a backsplash?

[@MooreCulture]

Yes, absolutely

[@RastaOnABike]

i just learnt a trick that will change my life

[@tenfour000]

As another comment said: there's already frosted plexiglass. And I've seen multiple kinds of plexiglass also. And very good tip, but my question is does the light strip always show unless covered? Or is there somehow to use the lighted plexiglass without covering the light strip and the light strip not show itself as much? Thanks for the tip, if there wasn't already frosted plexiglass, this How To video is a great help.

[@vibhavsingh9533]

Thnx for the information man it was really useful.....

[@saucyahh6707]

heard edge lighting and i’m all about edge

[@dcphotosmile]

I appreciate you showing this I just subscribe how do you attach the LED to the plexiglass

[@paulraycastillo2238]

Liked and subscribed 💯

[@cranechiropractic2678]

Hi Bryan, Thank you for a great video. I am building a sign and would like to back light it using plexiglass. Is it possible to back light so that all four frosted edges are lit up. Would it work put the light strips on the back side rather than the edges?

[@markedwards4091]

Awesome I have a question about how durable a 4 inch by 4 inch pyramid shape plexiglass would be, is there anything like this, that 🤔 could handle 100pounds at top dead center

[@watsonlow22]

Thanks for this

[@skurniyantomappadang]

thanks for share this video...

[@xxcr4shxx]

I love this idea. I'm thinking about making a front splitter and side skirts, but I have a quick question. Have you tried this with the addressable RGB LEDs like the ws2812 or sk6812? Or would you happen to know how the edges would look with these LEDs while they're running a pattern?

[@rameshpram1444]

Thank you brother

[@alexmuccilli]

Ever try using foil on the parts of the plexi that are covered to bounce the light back down into the exposed parts?

[@neptunedawn7121]

I am thinking of using acrylic panels for stair railings instead of those boring steel railings. I get that you use a fine grit sander to create tge frost effect on acrylic. Are there stencils that can be used so the area covered by the stencil is clear but the design is frosted? I have to review the effect that light will have on it.

[@freddysosa8921]

Awesome video! Thank you

[@210Designs]

Love it!!!! I’m locked in sir 👌🏾

[@210Designs]

GP Rod and Customs - No worries sir, totally understand 👌🏾 I do custom builds and installs, as a hobby of mine. Helping the Oklahoma locals, that are on a budget, but still wanna bump. Im wanting to add some swag to my builds, but the Mobile Solutions equipment is a little out of my price range 😆 Can you show some alternatives, in getting the custom craftsmanship? Tools, tricks and any tips would be appreciated by me and my customers. Thanks in advance!

[@210Designs]

GP Rod and Customs - That’s awesome. Thank you for responding 👌🏾

[@shicaotb2]

Dude please do more LED lighting and Plex videos

[@FrostElement]

Hello. Thank you for sharing. Do you also sand the edge where the lights are placed? Or is that side clear(not sanded)?

[@stingk5295]

Very Nice !

[@superchile9640]

Awesome. Thank you Sir

[@raiderragsag5043]

Can i also use frosted glass sticker for that effect???

[@DarthBaeza]

Did you frost the edges???.....or just the top and bottom? What looks BEST for a Liquor shelf?

[@davidcortez9527]

What kind of wood do you use to cover plexiglass

[@taylor-1147]

Bryan when you are edge lighting do you sand the all the edges that you want to edge light? When you are sanding the top do you need to polish the edges? You are the first person I saw doing this and I’m about to try to build a console for my Silverado and want to incorporate this it. Thanks for any help with this. Kept up the awesome work/videos!!!!

[@nikkibarry3454]

Can you sand and paint the back side and still make it light up will leaving one side smooth? I want to do a wall in plexi glass that lights up for my kids

[@matthewthomasomeara]

Great video! A couple questions though. First, how do your permanently attach the led strip to the plexi? In your video, you just temporarily taped it in place. Second, do you think there is a minimum width rip of plexi you would need to use to light up an edge? In your video, it looks like about a 4" wide piece. I'm space constrained, so I want a fairly narrow rip.

[@Raven-cf5qd]

Will putting the led strip on the face work?

[@BrianJohnson-lh2ek]

What about a round plexiglass tube? I have a clear tube 5’ and ID is 2-11/16 1/8 in thick. How would I/someone light up a tube?

[@stevenhauptmann5543]

do you have a recomendation of the lights you like to work with?

[@davidcuevas788]

Where did you buy your plexiglass router bits? Awesome video 💯💯

[@donalddurga9742]

Hi Bryan very nice video, I really liked it, good job got a question for you, I have seen a lot of chinese electronics such as bluetooth amps, and amplifiers having a lighted volume control and I would like to use that in my next project, the sanding you did makes sense, but I have to do this in such a way that the light just appears as a ring behind the volume knob, can you help.

[@nikkibarry3454]

So can you call only sand on one side and get same affect ? I want to do a lit plexi glass wall for my kids

[@ahgames8431]

Any recommendations on where you buy your material? A lot of the plexiglass that I've found can get pretty expensive.

[@Reaperhydraulicstampa]

I hope you see this I know it's been posted a long time ago. I'm going to frost the plexiglass and then I plan on using automotive paint candys to make patterns on it. My goal is to have the light come through the candies. Do you know if I clear coat the finished product will it restrict the light from passing through the top of the plexiglass as if the surface was not sanded at all?

[@FACR-nl2zn]

Thanks for the Free 99 knowledge. Just subscribed 👍🏼

[@MiBurnout]

Have you experimented much with electroluminescent tape or wire to edge light led for maybe a softer glow? Or with unsanded acrylic for a crystalline opaque effect?

[@MiBurnout]

@@MooreCulture el tape is cool.. with the skills and imagination you have, endless possibilities!

[@charleslafleur496]

When making door armrest with plexiglass in the middle. How do you guys mount them all together as one piece?

[@markc2100]

Great. I'm trying to back-lit frosted glass panels 5/16 - for the wall" but LED "hot spots" are visible. Any ideas?

[@WT7791]

Are you using any type of sanding around the edges to trap the light in? If so, all sides but where the light is?? Any thing you are using on the plexiglass to make it shine like that?? Would that be the same technique for acrylic? Thank you in advance.

[@scottismail6311]

Thanks for the video - it was very helpful. One question as I have a project coming up and don't want to waste the limited plexiglass that I have. Does it help the intensity of the light to sand/frost both sides (faces), or is it better to only do one? Thanks!

[@ValleyMustang]

I'm trying to make an LED backlit system that looks just like this. My project that I have going is an RV that I'm trying to make it look all technological like a command center. I want to do a type of flooring like this that would be lit in a blue color. Is there any way to do this? Thanks

[@joeschlotthauer840]

Can you do a acrylic tube or rod, just by lighting the ends...

[@CynthiaZacharkow]

Finding it difficult to get 2 - 7 ft x 1 ft pieces of plexi at a decent price. Would appreciate any recommendations on plexi vendors.

[@teewalker615]

What router bit are you using?

[@kyschiebmobile-ad-guys3777]

Would it backlight a whole 4x8 piece? I wanna back light a mobile billboard trailer. Adhering vinyl banner to one side.

[@kyschiebmobile-ad-guys3777]

@@MooreCulture I own a Mobile Billboard Trailer company. I love to be able to edge light a single piece of polycarb and adhere vinyl to both side of polycarb illuminating double sided board with one piece. Look us up on FB or Instagram. Let's network. @Mobile-Ad-Guys FB @Mobile_Ad_Guys Instagram

[@bemindful924]

A question. Can you get the same effect on frosted (single/float) extra clear glass? (without led and without the green border color)

[@nathanwahl9224]

Cool beans, thanks, exactly the info I was looking for! I'm using a piece of 3/8" Lexan between my bass guitar amp and cabinet as a platform for the amp, with some rubber feet on the bottom; helps keep the cabinet from vibrating the amp, improves airflow vs sitting the amp on the furry carpet the cabinet is covered with. I've got the edges of the rectangle glowing green. I used clear silicone to set the LEDs in. It looks pretty good, but it's a little dim; I was never quite sure what was the best way to treat the edges until now. I'll try 320 paper or 240. Do you think if there was a rounded profile on the edges, would that help any vs. just flat? Also, I was wondering here in Covid Jail if I could get it to be more intense if I sprayed the flat surfaces with silver paint, and then black. Do you think that would help the edge intensity any? Maybe sand the flat surfaces first? What do you think? Or just get brighter LEDs, I made this like 10 years ago. Thanks, muchly appreciated the video.

[@BrookMedeiros]

It looks like LED lighting is being used, could something like EL wire achieve similar?

[@midosh9980]

Thank you 👍