Why is Lucite So Darn Expensive?

Lucite, the clear material that the design world lusts after, has many, many good aesthetic qualities. It projects a floating look, can be quite spage-agey and is often the perfect thing to balance or neutralize many a decorating scheme.

Also called Perspex, Plexiglas or just plain acrylic, it's basically a highly specialized sort of plastic. So what gives? What makes this fancy cousin of humble origins so pricey?

According to Allen Frechter of Plexi-Craft, whose family-run business has been manufacturing everything from Lucite dining tables to magazine racks for years, many things play into the high stakes world of Lucite. For one, petroleum is its primary ingredient, which makes Lucite very dependent on the price of oil. Secondly, each piece is customarily made by hand -- There's no manufacturing in China here.

"Typically, each piece is cut, fitted, glued and polished by hand," notes Frechter. "The amount of labor that goes into a piece is comparable to a high-end piece of wood furniture."

Additionally furthering the complexity of the manufacturing process, Lucite comes in sheets that must be blemish free. The thicker the Lucite sheet, the pricier it is in order to maintain the clarity standard. "The transparency of the material can't hide blemishes," Frechter says. "If there's even a slight imperfection, it causes discoloration once it's molded and fitted, and even the smallest piece of dust will cause a blemish that will need to be polished again."

Therefore, larger pieces of Lucite or furniture with many parts -- as each piece must be fitted and polished accordingly -- tend to tip the scales. Frechter also notes that look-alike materials, like polycarbonate, are less expensive as they can be mass manufactured using a mold.

So I guess perfection does have a price -- in the world of Lucite furniture, at least!

Read more for other Lucite products:
Under $100: Magazine Racks
A Beautiful Entryway on a Budget