# How to Cut Acrylic Plastic Ceiling Tile
Regular ceiling tiles can be cut fairly easily, but acrylic plastic ceiling tiles can be a little more challenging. If they are not cut carefully, they can crack and split. This may lead to wasting materials or installing a tile that does not look good. The secret to cutting acrylic tiles is to lessen their brittle nature with heat. A utility knife can still be used to cut the acrylic tile, after it has been softened with heat.
Things You'll Need
- Old piece of wood
- Hair dryer
- Utility knife
- Tape measure
- Straight edge
- Pencil
Instructions
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1
Place the ceiling tile on a flat surface with an old piece of wood underneath it to protect the surface.
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2
Mark the desired measurements on the ceiling tile, using a tape measure. Use a pencil and a straight edge to draw lines on the tile where the cuts will be made.
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3
Hold a hair dryer, running on high heat, 3 or 4 inches from the tile. Move the hair dryer over the entire surface of the tile for about 10 minutes. This will heat the tile all the way through and make it less brittle.
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4
Score the pencil lines that you drew on the tile, using a utility knife. Run the utility knife over the lines several more times until it cuts all the way through the tile.
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Ceiling Repairs
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- How to Cut Ceiling Tiles Around Lights
- How to Cut a Plaster Ceiling
- How to Paint Acoustical Tile
- How to Cut Dropped Ceiling Panels
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- How to Cut Shadowline Ceiling Tile
