Using acylic sheeting in showers

[linc100]

Hi guys,im new to the forums,and so nice to talk to you all,and im hoping you may have an answer or 2 to my delemer,im thinking of using acylic sheeting in showers,and see the bathroom people are selling these panels at a very expensive price,so I went on a few plastic sheeting company sites who do all sorts of acylic/perspex in lots of colours at a lot lower price, can anyone tell me are there differences in what they all sell, or is it marked up by the bathroom people at a higher margin,thats the difference
Ive read about the expansion and contraction of the properties of this material,and the need for an expansion gap,but is there a certain type and thickness that has to be used in showers.
I gather some have a protective layer to help avoid scratching etc,but is the same polymers used in manufacture, sounds like im getting all technical,
But I want to avoid costly mistakes,and maybe some of you guys have addressed this yourselfs.

[Argyll]

I shopped around for ages for some and settled for Grant Westfield PolyPanels. Some are only 5mm thick so wouldn't touch them with a barge pole.

[big-all]

heeelllooo and welcome LINC100
i would say most off the cost will be the frame/hinges/fixings

[Bob225]

lexan is a lot stronger and is hard as glass and is uv resistant, acrylic is fragile

used these guys a few times really good service - the plastic shop co.uk

[Bob225]

shop around, put the word bathroom or kitchen in front of anything and it doubles or triples in price

https://www.cabp.co.uk/

www . the plastic shop. co. uk a massive plastics stockist never had a issue with them in 2-3 years of using them

iirc most are pvc or polycarbonate