Plexi-glass cover over display - Painting the plexi-glass edges (bezel)

[80sarcadegames]

I'm going with an LCD 26"  display (with 2 HDMI ports in the back of it).

If I want to cover the 16:9 LCD 26" display with plexi-glass, is it common practice to remove the default "bezel" that covers
the LCD (black of course)? (ie de-casing).

What do the majority of you guys do with the original "casing" attached to an LCD TV in an arcade cabinet.

This of course would require unscrewing and taking apart the LCD TV's outer plastic covering on the front of the LCD TV (de-casing) but I'm ok with doing that? Doesn't it look better if you de-case?

Then I wanted to cover the entire 26" LCD TV with a 1/8" plexi-glass.

I was planning on spray painting the edges of the plexi-glass (approximately 2" or so around the edges of the plexi-glass to make a "bezel" frame to hide the edges of the 26" LCD TV). This spray painting color would be black and would be the "bezel".
This would require me to "tape" the areas of the plexi-glass (the center area covering the 26" display except for the edges of the LCD TV) with Blue Tape and newspaper so that ONLY the outside edges of the plexi-glass are painted. Also I am aware that the common practice is the paint the INSIDE of the plexi-glass, not the outside.

Therefore I was NOT going to cut the plexi-glass inside the area that is NOT painted (ie therefore covering the entire LCD TV with plexi-glass.

How does that plan sound? Any examples of having this done like this?

Should I leave any space between the plexi-glass and the LCD TV, or should I lay the 1/8" plexi-glass flat against the LCD TV? (Update: I am modifying this sentence because I search this forum, a lot of guys are laying the plexi-glass right up against the display).

How can I secure the plexi-glass? Velcro on the sides where the spray paint will be or some kind of "cover strips" of wood on
the sides of the plexi-glass?