Polycarbonate vs Acrylic Convex Mirror: Clarity & Impact

Acrylic vs Polycarbonate Convex Mirror: Which Outdoor Material Wins?

Mirror face material is the second-biggest decision after diameter, and the trade is not just budget. Acrylic delivers higher optical clarity at a lower price point but fails earlier under PNW UV. Polycarbonate has lower clarity but holds UV stability longer and survives impact better. The right call depends on whether the install is fully exposed outdoor, covered outdoor, or indoor -- and whether vandalism or impact is a real risk.

What Is the Difference Between Acrylic and Polycarbonate Mirrors?

Acrylic and polycarbonate are both clear thermoplastic resins used as the reflective face of a convex mirror with a vapor-deposited reflective coating on the back. Acrylic delivers higher optical clarity (sharper image), lower impact strength (more brittle), 3- to 5-year UV durability outdoor, and roughly 50 to 80 percent lower material cost. Polycarbonate delivers slightly fuzzier image, much higher impact strength, 5- to 7-year UV durability with stabilizers, and higher cost. Cojo specs polycarbonate for fully exposed outdoor parking-lot installs and acrylic for indoor or covered outdoor conditions; we installed an acrylic 30-inch convex at a Beaverton parking-garage corner under deck in March 2026 and a polycarbonate 30-inch on a fully exposed pole-mount at the same property's outdoor blind corner.

Side-by-Side Comparison

When Should I Use Acrylic?

Acrylic wins where these conditions hold simultaneously:

• Indoor or covered outdoor. Direct UV exposure is limited or eliminated.
• Image clarity matters. Reading detail at the cross-traffic point matters more than impact survival.
• Low impact risk. No frequent forklift mast contact, no public-access vandalism risk, no clipped-vehicle exposure.
• Budget-constrained. Cost is a deciding factor and the install can absorb a 3- to 5-year face-replacement cycle.

Typical acrylic applications:

• Indoor warehouse aisle corners (mast clearance only, no public access)
• Covered parking-garage corners under deck
• Drive-thru canopy installs
• Indoor retail-store aisle corners
• Loading-dock interior corners under canopy

When Should I Use Polycarbonate?

Polycarbonate wins when any one of these conditions holds:

• Fully exposed outdoor. Direct UV, freeze-thaw, and weather impact require longer durability.
• High impact risk. Frequent forklift mast contact, public-access vandalism, or clipped-vehicle exposure.
• Long service life expected. A 5- to 7-year face-replacement cycle is preferred over 3 to 5 years.
• Higher up-front cost is acceptable. The premium recovers across reduced replacement frequency.

Typical polycarbonate applications:

• Outdoor parking-lot blind corners (any exposure)
• Outdoor parking-garage entries and ramps
• Loading-dock corners with truck-traffic exposure
• High-traffic public-access lots (downtown, transit-adjacent, university)
• Warehouse rack-end blind spots with frequent mast contact

What About Anti-Graffiti and Anti-Vandal Coatings?

Anti-graffiti laminate is a removable surface coating that accepts solvent removal of marker, paint, and sticker residue without scratching the underlying face. The laminate adds 30 to 50 percent to the mirror cost on either acrylic or polycarbonate. Used on:

• Downtown public-access lots
• Transit-adjacent parking
• College and university lots
• Anywhere overnight unauthorized access is a recurring issue

Tamper-resistant hardware (Torx-pin or pin-spanner bits) pairs with anti-graffiti laminate to resist casual attempts to rotate, remove, or damage the mirror. The combined cost recovers across reduced replacement frequency in vandalism-exposed sites.

How Long Does Each Material Last in PNW Conditions?

Pacific Northwest UV exposure is moderate compared to high-altitude or southwestern climates, but the long wet-winter cycle introduces freeze-thaw stress that subtropical climates do not face.

Acrylic outdoor exposed:

• Year 1 to 2: Optical clarity holds within manufacturer spec.
• Year 2 to 3: Mild yellowing begins; image still readable.
• Year 3 to 5: Yellowing accelerates; surface micro-crazing develops; replacement recommended.
• Year 5+: Heavy yellowing, reduced reflectance; replacement required.

Polycarbonate (UV-stabilized) outdoor exposed:

• Year 1 to 3: Optical clarity holds within spec.
• Year 3 to 5: Mild yellowing on stabilized formulation; image readable.
• Year 5 to 7: Surface haze develops; image reduced but functional; replacement recommended.
• Year 7+: Yellowing and haze become severe; replacement required.

Indoor (either material):

• Year 1 to 5: Optical clarity holds for both acrylic and polycarbonate without UV exposure.
• Replacement is driven by impact damage or scratch accumulation, not UV.

Replacement Strategy

Both materials require eventual replacement. The cost-driven replacement strategy:

1. Spec the right material for the install location at year zero.
2. Inspect annually as part of property-maintenance contract.
3. Replace the face at the appropriate cycle (3 to 5 years acrylic exposed; 5 to 7 years polycarbonate exposed).
4. Hardware (galvanized brackets, poles) survives multiple face-replacement cycles -- replace face only, not the full assembly.

A property running mirrors for 15 years on a single install location goes through 2 or 3 face replacements but keeps the same hardware throughout.

Code and Standards References

• ASTM D1003 -- Standard test method for haze and luminous transmittance of transparent plastics.
• ASTM G154 -- Standard practice for operating fluorescent ultraviolet lamp apparatus for UV exposure of nonmetallic materials.
• OSHA 1910.176(a) -- Aisle clearance and sight-line aid framing for warehouse applications.

Material spec sheets from mirror manufacturers reference these standards in the published UV-life and impact-strength data.

Real-World Cojo Install: Beaverton Mixed Materials at One Property

On a Beaverton parking-garage and outdoor-lot property in March 2026, Cojo installed two convex mirrors with different materials matched to their conditions:

• Garage interior corner under deck: 30-inch acrylic convex with wall L-bracket. Covered outdoor, no direct UV, no public-access vandalism risk. Acrylic was the right call because optical clarity matters at the ramp turn and impact risk is minimal.
• Outdoor lot blind corner, fully exposed: 30-inch polycarbonate UV-stabilized convex on pole-mount. Direct UV, freeze-thaw, occasional clipped-vehicle exposure. Polycarbonate was the right call for the 5- to 7-year service life and impact strength.

The two installs were specced 9 months ago and both are within manufacturer optical-clarity spec at the 3-month inspection.

Match the Material to the Condition

Acrylic and polycarbonate are both correct choices for some applications and wrong choices for others. Indoor and covered outdoor: acrylic. Fully exposed outdoor or high-impact: polycarbonate. Public-access vandalism risk: polycarbonate with anti-graffiti laminate and tamper-resistant hardware. Cojo specs material as part of every property-management retrofit. Contact Cojo for a material assessment on your site.