Take a 3 mm PETG quote apart and the resin is rarely the largest line. On a 1220 × 2440 sheet costing around USD 32 ex-works, resin is roughly 45%, extrusion and energy 25%, masking and packing 12%, and the remainder is margin and handling. The number that moves most between suppliers is the fourth line.
Lever one: gauge, quoted honestly or not
3 mm nominal with a ±10% tolerance can legitimately arrive at 2.75 mm. That is 8% less resin and a lighter sheet, and it is the most common reason two quotes differ by 10%. Ask for the tolerance in writing and weigh a sheet: 3 mm PETG at 1.27 g/cm³ should be about 11.6 kg on a 1220 × 2440 sheet.
Lever two: masking
- No masking — cheapest, and the sheet arrives scratched
- Polyethylene film on one side — standard for display work
- Double-sided PE — needed if the sheet will be cut and handled face-down
- Paper masking — only for acrylic; on PETG it bonds under heat and cannot be stripped clean
Lever three: order size
PETG extrusion runs are set by the line, not by the order, so the price steps at the tonne rather than at the sheet. A 200-sheet order and a 1,200-sheet order can differ by 12–15% because the small order carries a setup allocation. Full-container orders remove one handling stage and one set of packing materials, which is worth another 4–6%.
Lever four: freight weight versus volume
A 20-foot container holds about 600 sheets of 3 mm before it runs out of volume, and that load weighs around 7 tonnes — far below the weight limit. So the freight cost per sheet is driven by cube, not by mass, and consolidating 3 mm with a heavier gauge in the same container usually raises the landed cost of the light sheet. Keep 3 mm shipments homogeneous where possible.
For the price mechanics on the acrylic side, acrylic cost per sheet follows the same four lines, and thin-gauge sheet supply covers the 2–5 mm band.
Colour and special effects move the price more than most buyers expect. A clear grade is the baseline; an opal or a custom tint adds a masterbatch charge and a minimum run, and a matte or textured surface adds a roll change. On small orders the setup can exceed the material cost, which is why a 50-sheet order of a special colour is often quoted at double the clear price.
The last line is payment and inspection cost. Third-party inspection on a decorated sheet adds a per-container charge, and it is usually unnecessary if the supplier has a retained sample protocol. Where the buyer does want inspection, specify pre-shipment and ask for the gauge measurements rather than a visual report, because the gauge is what fails first.
Ask what the price includes at the destination. An FOB quote and a CIF quote for the same 3 mm sheet can differ by 25% once freight, insurance and the congestion surcharge at the discharge port are added, and the two numbers are routinely compared as if they were the same offer. Fix the Incoterm before comparing anything else.
Ask for a 3 mm PETG cost sheet at your order volume by emailing oversales@rpplexiglass.com with the annual quantity and destination port.
Three costing questions come up on nearly every 3 mm enquiry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much should a 3 mm PETG sheet cost?
A: Expect roughly USD 32 per 1220 × 2440 sheet ex-works for a standard clear grade, moving with gauge honesty, masking, order size and freight cube.
Q: Why is 3 mm PETG freight expensive per sheet?
A: Because the container cubes out at around 600 sheets and about 7 tonnes, well under the weight limit. Freight per sheet is set by volume, not mass.
Q: Does masking affect the PETG price?
A: Yes, and the choice matters more than the cost: paper masking bonds to PETG under heat and cannot be stripped cleanly, so double-sided PE is the safe option.