may be something like this... anyone have experience with that? or know brands/something similar i could find at a hardware store?

you might be referring to 'styrene' is comes in white and different thicknesses

or look into 'acetate'..which is clear and some thicknesses.

b

anyone ever used sintra?

sintra is ok... but it' tough to bend and glue. you need an acrylic type based glue to hold it. epoxy might work too....

what are you trying to do.

b

Sintra, a high density pvc foam, is easy to bend with a little heat. You don't need an acrylic type glue, zap a gap works great. It cuts easy, depending on thickness you can score and cut it with a razor blade, the thicker sizes can be cut with jigsaws or other woodworking tools, or laser cut. It sands really nice and takes paint quite well, unlike styrene. Compared to basswood, foam core or museum board it is rather inexpensive if you can find a whole sheet and not pre-cut panels at a model supply shop. I would consider this to be an ideal model making material and am disagreeing with :cryzko:'s description.

depends on the application....

are we talking installations or models?....

we use sintra in the exhibit industry for graphic cutouts.

i would also look into the type of paint that would be needed too. are we talking typical rattle can paint or a 2 stage primer/base/clear paint. the paint has to be compatible with pvc applications. i dont think rattle can paint will stick

also figure edge conditions

Evan, there are UHMW (ultra high molecular weight) plastics that can be very thin and slippery. Similar or the same composition as Teflon, so gluing them could be a challenge. Plus I'm not sure whether they are thermoset, which is the category of plastic that keeps its shape after heating.

One product that might work for you is cellular PVC. Azek is the most popular brand, available through lumberyards. Here is another: http://www.certainteed.com/products/trim/more-info/PVC-Sheets.aspx. They may not be as thin as you would like, but they are low-temperature thermoset and they can be glued (welded actually) with plumbers' PVC cement or similar glues specifically for sheet and board PVC. 

The boards are always pure white. They have a very slight orange-peel surface texture but can be sanded perfectly smooth. The core is a lower density than the surface so edge-finishing can take an extra step if you're a perfectionist.

I'm curious to know if you found a solution for your project.  How did it turn out?

I know where you can get small sheets in a bookstore but can't recall the specific name, but that's most likely not use to you.

Look it up under thermoplastic.

I know of a recently invented bendable plastic sheet that can be heated with a hair dryer, then cools to be stiff. They also have a thinner sheet that cools to be springy, flexible. TasticPlastics.com