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Corrugated plastic sheets are high impact twin-wall plastic sheets that are made from polypropylene copolymer. Think of cardboard that is made from plastic.They are used many different industries for varied applications.Corrugated plastic is also referred to as "fluted Plastic".

Agriculture:  Corrugated plastic sheets (fluted plastic sheets) are waterproof, recyclable, re-usable, sturdy and visually pleasing to the eye. Boxes are often made from this product because it is so practical over time.

Automotive:  Often the automotive industry is looking for a material that is tougher than corrugated fiberboard yet light, waterproof, and stain resistant. Because of its strength, corrugated plastic sheets are widely used in automotive applications.

Packaging:  Corrugated plastic sheets are used all the time in the packaging industry.  Due to its design versatility, durability, waterproof feature, and recyclability, corrugated plastic sheets make into wonderful boxes for a variety of products.

Signage and Graphic Arts: Have you seen all those open house signs that real estate agents use to advertise their open houses? More often than not, corrugated plastic sheets are the foundation fore these signs.  They allow for consistently high-quality printable surfaces for the verbiage and graphics that go onto signs of all types.  They will hold up to rain, stains, and are tough enough to be used time and time again.

Corrugated plastic sheets come in a wide variaty of colors and thicknesses. They can be fire retardant or non-fire retardant. 

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.