Corrugated Plastic Sheets: Unraveling the Multitude of Advantages

Introduction:

Corrugated plastic sheets, also known as fluted boards, corrugated boards/sheets, have become a staple in numerous applications due to their unique structure and exceptional properties. In this technical explanation, we'll delve into the essence of these twin-wall or multi-wall plastic sheets and explore the myriad of advantages they offer.

A Multitude of Advantages:

1. Strength-to-Weight Ratio: The corrugated design enhances the overall strength of the sheets while maintaining a lightweight profile. This makes them ideal for applications requiring structural integrity and reduced weight.

2. Fire Resistant Properties: The FR versions Passes UL-94, NFPA 701-15 and ASTM E 84-18A

3. Impact Resistance: The corrugated structure bestows excellent impact resistance, making the sheets less susceptible to damage and deformation. They are perfect for protecting delicate items during transportation and handling.

4. Flexibility and Bending Resistance: Corrugated sheets exhibit flexibility and can bend without breaking, effortlessly conforming to curved surfaces or irregular shapes.

5. Insulating Properties: The air trapped within the corrugations provides effective insulation, making the sheets suitable for applications requiring thermal and electrical insulation.

6. Water Resistance: Corrugated plastic sheets, made from polypropylene or polyethylene, exhibit natural water and moisture resistance, making them perfect for outdoor and wet environments.

7. Chemical Resistance: These sheets showcase resistance to various chemicals, making them suitable for applications in corrosive environments.

8. Ease of Fabrication: Corrugated plastic sheets can be easily cut, scored, and folded, allowing for versatile customization and streamlined fabrication in diverse engineering projects.

Applications Across Industries:

Corrugated plastic sheets have found their niche in various industries due to their exceptional properties:

1. Agriculture: In agriculture, corrugated plastic sheets offer waterproof, recyclable, re-usable, and sturdy solutions for boxes and containers.

2. Automotive- Aerospace- Ship Building: The automotive industry leverages the fire retardant option, strength and lightweight nature of corrugated plastic sheets for durable and water-resistant applications.

3. Packaging: Highly valued in the packaging industry, these sheets are renowned for their design versatility, durability, waterproof features, and recyclability, making them perfect for product boxes.

4. Signage and Graphic Arts: From real estate signs to promotional banners, corrugated plastic sheets serve as the foundation for high-quality printable surfaces, withstanding rain and stains while ensuring reusability.

Conclusion:

Corrugated plastic sheets, available in a wide variety of colors and thicknesses,  andflame retardancy are a reliable and versatile solution in heavy industry. Their ability to withstand impacts, resistance to water and chemicals, and ease of fabrication make them indispensable across an array of industries. Whether for packaging, signage, or agricultural applications, corrugated plastic sheets offer an amalgamation of qualities that redefine the standards of modern engineering materials.

The types of plastic sheeting presented below are "stars of the show" due to their usage. In its simplest terms, the main difference between the different types of plastic is the way their cellular structure, or molecules bond with each other, and how tightly they are formed.

• 1) Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), most common type of plastic sheeting, very flexible, most often from 0.5 mil thick to about 40 mil in flexible sheeting forms. Good conformability to surfaces. Because the cell structure is not as strong or dense as some other types of plastic sheeting, it is not typically as strong or puncture resistant as other forms or blends, but has thousands of common uses. Widely used for everything from construction and agricultural sheeting (often called Visqueen), Engineered Plastic Sheeting of countless types for such things as Vapor Retarders (also called Vapor Barriers by many), Surface Protection films, Pond and Canal Liners, Covers, Tarps, Abatement Plastic, Containment, packaging, and the list goes on.
• 2) Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE), blended form of LDPE where the film has much more flexibility, tensile strength, and more conformability. LLDPE is "softer" and more pliable, so is an excellent choice for such things as pond liners, or blended into other films to give them extra strength and flexibility. This is perfect for an application like a self-adhesive carpet protection film, where the film needs to have an amazing amount of strength in a very thin film to absorb impacts, but not tear or puncture. In this form of poly, the molecules all line up and strongly hold together as the film is stretched to give the structure much more strength and elongation than LDPE. Most common in thicknesses ranging from 0.5 mil to 40 mil in flexible plastic sheeting.
• 3) Medium Density Polyethylene (MDPE), the least commonly used form of polyethylene for flexible plastic sheeting. Has more strength than LDPE, a little more chemical resistance, tighter cell structure, more puncture and tear resistance. Often blended with LDPE and or LLDPE to give the attributes one is looking for in a particular type of film. For instance, many pond liners have MDPE to add some strength and toughness, without adding too much stiffness.
• 4) High Density Polyethylene (HDPE, aka HD), widely used for many applications. HDPE is the strongest, toughest, most chemical resistant, and least flexible of these four types of polyethylene. It also has the most UV resistance of the bunch without additive packages to increase this attribute. HDPE has a very tight cell structure, making it very difficult for other molecules to pass through its structure on a microscopic level. HDPE is the most easily field seamed of these products, and is generally used on an industrial level in thicknesses from about 12 mil to 100 mil thick. Most golf course ponds are lined with HDPE, most industrial ponds and canal liners, secondary containment liners, root barriers, many applications where chemical resistance is needed. This is also used in thousands or maybe millions of applications in thinner forms, especially in blends with the other types of polyethylene, because the HDPE adds much strength and toughness with its very tight bonds with other molecules.

The density of polyethylene is measured in a column of water, and they are all classified depending on ranges of density.  LDPE (and LLDPE) are generally within the range of 0.919-0.924 g/cm³. MDPE are generally within the range of 0.926-0.940 g/cm³.  HDPE are generally within the range of 0.941-0.965 g/cm³.  These numbers can vary slightly depending on your source, and are not set in stone, just general guidelines.

The question has been posed whether plastic sheeting is used as a vapor diffusion retarder (VDR). ABSOLUTELY!  There are different types of vapor diffusion retarders- but plastic sheeting is one of the primary ways in which to control the moisture content coming into your home or building.  A vapor diffusion retarder is a material that reduces the rate in which water vapor can move through a material such as a plastic sheeting liner or vapor barrier. The ability of a material to retard the diffusion of water vapor is measured in units referred to as "perms. Vapor barriers are also measured in terms of its "permeability". Any material with a perm rating of less than 1.0 is considered a vapor diffusion retarder, or a plastic sheeting vapor barrier.

Some plastic sheeting is more effective as a vapor diffusion retarder. That is because it is engineered to specifically retard the flow of water. Additionally these plastic sheeting liners are tested to the ASTM E1745 standard.

To see all our vapor diffusion retarders for crawlspaces, please click here.

Crawl space vapor barriers also referred to as vapor retarders or more accurately-vapor diffusion retarders come with different characteristics to suit the application they are protecting.  There are a few fundamental questions that need to be answered so the most appropriate vapor barrier can be selected for the job.

One of the most important questions that arise is whether the home is in an area that has radon or methane gas coming up through the ground. This is critical because radon gas decays into radioactive particles that can get trapped in your lungs when you breathe. This means your lung tissue can be damaged leading to lung cancer over the course of your lifetime. Knowing if you have radon gas in your home will help you decide on buying a crawl space vapor barrier that block deadly radon gas. 

The next consideration is the surface to which you are laying the crawlspace vapor barrier (vapor diffusion retarder) upon.  It is rocky with sharp rocks, then you need a liner that won't puncture when it comes in contact with the soil. Thicker material will give the crawl space vapor barrier more strength to hold up to that type of surface.

How will you be using the space where you place the vapor diffusion retarder? If it is a crawlspace that is used for storage- or where people will be walking, then again you will want an 18 mil liner that has some brawn.