Question:  What is the difference between HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) and LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene?

Answer:  HDPE or High Density Polyethylene has a greater  mass density than that of Low-density polyethylene.  HDPE has little "branching", giving it stronger intermolecular forces and tensile strength than LDPE. It is also harder and more opaque and can withstand somewhat higher temperatures. HDPE helps protect the environment from harsh chemicals and oils that could otherwise pollute the ground if an HDPE liner/ geomembrane is mot present. HDPE forms a chemical resistant barrier.

Question:  We are looking to enclose our yard for our deer.  What do you recommend as "deer fencing" to make a deer enclosure?

Answer: It must be deer fencing season, as we have been selling 30 mil HDPE to use specifically to enclose deer.  30 mil HDPE is strong enough to keep their horns from piercing the plastic sheeting (deer fencing). Click here to learn more about 30 mil HDPE.

Question: What's the difference between the plastic at the local home improvement retailer versus your plastic? I was looking for a 10 mil heavy duty product to use in my basement.

Answer: All plastic sheeting is NOT created equal. If you read the specifications area for the products your are comparing you can get an idea what the plastic film was designed to do.  The bigger question you need to answer is: 

• What am I using this plastic for? 
• How long do I need for the plastic to last, before it starts degrading? 
• Where will this plastic be placed? Will it be in the sun subject to the sun's UV rays for 6 months, or used as a vapor barrier, placed on top of sharp rocks?
• Will it be subject to sunshine and high winds?
• Do you need it to be self-adhesive, padded, or black on one side, and white on the other?
• How strong (tensile strength) do you need the product to be?
• Does it need to be able to stretch without breaking?
• Would it be helpful to have it string-reinforced so a tear won't spread?
• Do you need some plastic sheeting that sticks to what it is touching, but not have any adhesive?
• Are you doing a job where you don't want the dust particulates to stick to the film?
• Do you need the product to be fire retardant or pass fire tests?

These are the types of questions you need to consider so you don't waste your money and buy a roll of plastic sheeting that doesn't do what you intended it to do.  Generally speaking, the local hardware store, or home improvement retailer will not have plastics beyond construction grade quality. Think of the black plastic you see covering a mound of dirt. If it is all torn up and blowing in the wind, you can bet it was construction grade plastic that will not hold up in the sun and wind.Click here for a comparison chart of black 10 mil construction grade plastic versus a 6 mil engineered film.

Question:  What is the Smoke-Developed Index (SDI) as compared to the flame spread index?

Answer:  The Smoke-developed index (SDI) is a measure of the concentration of smoke a material emits as it burns. Like Flame Spread Index, it is based on an arbitrary scale in which asbestos-cement board has a value of 0, and red oak wood has 100. The ASTM standard E84 defines a standard test method for surface flame spread and smoke density measurements. ...

The Flame Spread Index is a numerical designation, applied to a building material, which is a comparative measure of the ability of the material to resist flaming combustion over its surface.  I looks at the rate of flame travel, as measured under the applicable ASTM test, in which a selected species of untreated lumber has a designated value of 100, and noncombustible cement-asbestos board has a value of 0.

Question:  Can Plastic Sheeting be recycled? 

Answer:  A resounding YES, Plastic Sheeting (polyethylene film) can be recycled! Many of Global Plastic Sheeting products are recyclable. The polyethylene sheeting films (LDPE, LLDPE) fall under the category of recycle #4. The exception is for the DuraSkrim, Poly Scrim, Padded, Absorb and Vapor Escape Plastic, and the Pyrotarp materials. The HDPE liners fall into category #2 for recycling. Some of our product are already manufactured with reprocessed resins, such as Rufco 1010, 2010, 3010, 4010.  The are environmentally friendly.

Q:  How Do I decide if I should use a scrim reinforced product or a heavy polyethylene for a vapor barrier?

A:  Both Scrim Reinforced and heavy polyethylenes sheeting can be used effectively as a vapor barrier. If you are concerned with blocking gases such as Methane, Radon, or VOC's (Volitile Organic Compounds) then the best insurance is a sheeting product that is designed specifically for blocking gases. Breakthroughs in polymer technology now make it possible to make a polyethylene film that blocks virtually all of the extremely small particle gasses, like Radon, Methane, and many VOC's, along with water vapor molecules.  To date, our VaporBlock 20 Plus is the only product we know about on the market with the capability to block Radon, Methane and VOC's.  Our engineers claim that it is over 50 times less permeable than typical high performance vapor retarders against Radon, Methane, and harmful VOC's.