Plastic Sheeting Blog. Click on Home for all our product categories...

Way back in the day, say 5000 years ago, clay was the material of choice to make roofing.  Even back then, clay roof tiles were applauded for their ability to resist fire. One of the prevailing problems was the weight of the tiles.  To transport them from city to city was a lot of work among other things.

As time went on, composit shingles were invented. They were made from felted or woven fabric was was covered with a tar-like substance. This brought the rise of the asphalt shingle. These were popular due to their higher flame-resistance ability, and the fact they could be shaped into various patterns and forms. The ashalt shingles replaced wood shingles that while light weight, were a fire hazzard. 

Coal tar became the technology that was used to seal the roof from water, UV rays and air borne chemicals. Felt was adhered to the roof using hot-applied coal tar pitch. So many of us can still remember the smell of the tar fumes from a roofing job.

Today we have the emergence of Synthetic Underlayments. They were introduced approximately 13 years ago.  The felt underlayment that was used for so many years had so many shortcomings. One of the biggest shortcoming being that asphalt saturated felt paper underlayment is that it is not water-proof.  The two available thicknesses is 15 pound and 30 pound.  The thirty-pound is more resistant to damage during installation, but is heavier and a lot more difficult to work with.  It still does not address the fact that it isn't water proof.

Synthetic Underlayments are generally made from a 3 ply construction of polyethylene/polypropylene over a woven substrate.  Most but not all synthetic underlayments are impermeable to both water and vapor. Asphalt felts are good at shedding water and are semi-permeable.

Synthetic underlayments are more tear-and pucnture-resistant than asphalt felts.  Synthetic underlayments resist expansion and contraction with the varying temperature changes that occur daily.  Most have a Ultra Violet coating which means they won't degrade in the sun.

Synthetic underlayments are lighter than felts.  For installers, this significantly makes installation quicker and easier. The synthetic products are more flexible on cold weather, and roll out without cracking or chatter.  If you live in a colder climate, this extends your installation season.

Another favorable factor is that synthetic underlayments outperform felts. They aren't likely to leak, even if a few shingles crack or blow off. they don't absorb moisture, so they can't rot or dry out.  The also won't allow for mold or mildew growth.

To learn more about sythetic roofing underlayment, please click here and visit our product page.

Plastic sheet (sheeting) comes in a variety of compositions which vastly affect the nature of the plastic.  Plastic is one of the most versitile products that is used in many aspects of daily life. From car parts, to children's toys, water bottles, televisions and now aircraft, plastic is molded into plastic sheets, parts, and gagets. Plastic is the chosen  material because it can meet so many consumer needs at a respectable price.

Today's plastic sheets are here to meet consumer needs for health, safety and performance with value.  Take a milk bottle. Once stored in glass bottles, a container of milk was heavy, and shattered into a million pieces if it was dropped.  The plastic milk bottle allows the drinker to easly lift the bottle, and feel assured that if they drop it, it won't be too much a a calamity.

The properties of plastics/plastic sheeting are defined by the organic chemistry of the polymer such as the density, hardness, resitance to heat, organic solvents, oxidation and ionizing radiation. Due to plastic's insolubility in water and relative chemical inertness, pure plastic has a low toxicty.  Keep in mind that the additives that can be added to plastic could be toxic. An example of an additive is the plasticizers that when added to  brittle plastics like polyvinyl choloride, it makes it pliable enough for use in food packaging. It's the effects of such leachates that concern the public regarding food consumption.

To illustrate the types of common plastic and their uses, here is a list taken from Wikipedia.

• Polyester (PES) – Fibers, textiles.
• Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) – Carbonated drinks bottles, peanut butter jars, plastic film, microwavable packaging.
• Polyethylene (PE) – Wide range of inexpensive uses including supermarket bags, plastic bottles.
• High-density polyethylene (HDPE) – Detergent bottles, milk jugs, and molded plastic cases.
• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) – Plumbing pipes and guttering, shower curtains, window frames, flooring.
• Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) (Saran) – Food packaging.
• Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) – Outdoor furniture, siding, floor tiles, shower curtains, clamshell packaging.
• Polypropylene (PP) – Bottle caps, drinking straws, yogurt containers, appliances, car fenders (bumpers), plastic pressure pipe systems.
• Polystyrene (PS) – Packaging foam/"peanuts", food containers, plastic tableware, disposable cups, plates, cutlery, CD and cassette boxes.
• High impact polystyrene (HIPS) -: Refrigerator liners, food packaging, vending cups.
• Polyamides (PA) (Nylons) – Fibers, toothbrush bristles, tubing, fishing line, low strength machine parts: under-the-hood car engine parts or gun frames.
• Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) – Electronic equipment cases (e.g., computer monitors, printers, keyboards), drainage pipe.
• Polyethylene/Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (PE/ABS) – A slippery blend of PE and ABS used in low-duty dry bearings.
• Polycarbonate (PC) – Compact discs, eyeglasses, riot shields, security windows, traffic lights, lenses.
• Polycarbonate/Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (PC/ABS) – A blend of PC and ABS that creates a stronger plastic. Used in car interior and exterior parts, and mobile phone bodies.
• Polyurethanes (PU) – Cushioning foams, thermal insulation foams, surface coatings, printing rollers (Currently 6th or 7th most commonly used plastic material, for instance the most commonly used plastic in cars).

More Specialized plastics are listed below, thanks to Wikipedia.

• Melamine formaldehyde (MF) – One of the aminoplasts, and used as a multi-colorable alternative to phenolics, for instance in moldings (e.g., break-resistance alternatives to ceramic cups, plates and bowls for children) and the decorated top surface layer of the paper laminates (e.g., Formica).
• Plastarch material – Biodegradable and heat resistant, thermoplastic composed of modified corn starch.
• Phenolics (PF) or (phenol formaldehydes) – High modulus, relatively heat resistant, and excellent fire resistant polymer. Used for insulating parts in electrical fixtures, paper laminated products (e.g., Formica), thermally insulation foams. It is a thermosetting plastic, with the familiar trade name Bakelite, that can be molded by heat and pressure when mixed with a filler-like wood flour or can be cast in its unfilled liquid form or cast as foam (e.g., Oasis). Problems include the probability of moldings naturally being dark colors (red, green, brown), and as thermoset it is difficult to recycle.
• Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) – Strong, chemical- and heat-resistant thermoplastic, biocompatibility allows for use in medical implant applications, aerospace moldings. One of the most expensive commercial polymers.
• Polyetherimide (PEI) (Ultem) – A high temperature, chemically stable polymer that does not crystallize.
• Polylactic acid (PLA) – A biodegradable, thermoplastic found converted into a variety of aliphatic polyesters derived from lactic acid which in turn can be made by fermentation of various agricultural products such as corn starch, once made from dairy products.
• Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) – Contact lenses (of the original "hard" variety), glazing (best known in this form by its various trade names around the world; e.g., Perspex, Oroglas, Plexiglas), aglets, fluorescent light diffusers, rear light covers for vehicles. It forms the basis of artistic and commercial acrylic paints when suspended in water with the use of other agents.
• Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) – Heat-resistant, low-friction coatings, used in things like non-stick surfaces for frying pans, plumber's tape and water slides. It is more commonly known as Teflon.
• Urea-formaldehyde (UF) – One of the aminoplasts and used as a multi-colorable alternative to phenolics. Used as a wood adhesive (for plywood, chipboard, hardboard) and electrical switch housings.

So thanks to it's name "Plastic" which comes from the Greek meaning "capable of being shaped or molded", plastic has played an integral part in life as we know it today.

Plastic sheeting and greenhouse plastic applications are forever changing and morphing!  Take greenhouse films for example!  The latest greatest way to cover your greenhouse is with Polydress Solawrap.  Polydress Solawrap is changing the way growers are covering their greenhouses. This polyethylene plastic sheeting is filled with thousands of little air-filled bubbles. This design has proven itself in Europe for the last thirty years!  Solawraps air bubble design has led to reported tomato crop advancement in the Mediterranean of three weeks, in wintertime, in an unheated greenhouse compared to standard greenhouse coverings. This unique bubble filled plastic sheeting was tested in the unforeboding heat of Kuwait for 25 years.  In those 25 years this amazing plastic sheeting now named Solawrap withstood the elements and did not become brittle or streak. 

If you are wondering what adding air bubbles can do to sheets of plastic, understand that Solawrap comprises 3 layers of polyethylene film that encloses those air bubbles.  This is what gives Solawrap the remarkable R-value of 1.7.  This same air bubble filled plastic sheeting allows for 83% transparency of sunlight while diffusing 83% of the light. With increased amount of light diffusion plants grow healthier and faster. Normally in the summer many thousands of dollars are spent on shade cloth, however, in Europe, due to the high diffusion rates, only 10% of SolaWrap greenhouses utilizes shade cloths.

If you would like to learn more about Polydress Solawrap- the air bubble filled plastic sheeting miracle, click here.  You may also ask for samples from our contact us page. 

So often people want to get an idea of how thick a certain thickness of plastic sheeting is. We hope this article will help you understand. 

Plastic sheeting's thickness is measured in mils.  The bigger the number of mils, the thicker the plastic sheeting.  Here are some approximations with common items to help you understand.

Four (4) mil plastic sheeting is about as thick as a piece of paper.

Six (6) mil plastic sheeting is what your trashbags are made from in your kitchen.

Ten (10) mil plastic sheeting is what your business card is often made from.

Fifty (50) mil is the thickness of a dime.

Sixty (60) mil plastic sheeting is the thickness of a penny.

Seventy Five (75) mil plastic sheeting is the thickness of a nickel. For simplicity here is a chart below.

Thickness of Plastic Sheeting              Common item for Comparison

75 mil                                                                 Nickel

60 mil                                                                 Penny

50 mil                                                                 Dime

10 mil                                                                 Business card

6 mil                                                      white trash bag used in kitchens

4 mil                                                             standard piece of paper

Not all plastic sheeting has the same tensile strength if it is the same thickness. Take skrim reinforced (string reinforced) plastic sheeting.  The layer of string or cord that is manufactured into the plastic give the plastic a great deal more strength and durability.  Depending on the application, one can select the most appropriate type of plastic sheeting to do the job.

Additives added to the plastic sheeting also affect how long the plastic will last. Plastic sheeting that has a U.V. additive added will hold up in the sunshine a lot longer than a piece of plastic that is the same mil thickness without the U.V. additive. Another common additive is the fire retardant additive.  In a fire, two sheets of plastic of the same mil thickness will withstand the flame differently. The fire retardant plastic sheeting will not burn. The flame will extinguish. The non-treated plastic sheeting will go up in flame, right quick and in a hurry!!

When you are deciding on how thick you want the plastic sheeting to be, also consider the additives that will give it added benefits.  Still can't decide? Give a qucik call, 866.697.9298, and we will give you your options to best suite your needs.

SolaWrap guarantees an even light diffusion over the entire greenhouse.  83% of sunlight diffuses through more than 100 air burls per square foot.  30% is healthy infrared light.  This even diffusion spreads evenly thus avoiding shading and burning areas.  The results are faster growing, healthy plants

SolaWrap has a 10-year warranty against UV degradation. For over 40 years, this product has not deteriorated, changed color, become foggy or streaky. Used as greenhouse roofing or walls, Sola Wrap is waterproof, and airtight. It has withstood hailstorms, snowstorms, hurricane winds and both hot and cold snaps. Customers report picking strawberries inside the balmy greenhouse, while the temperatures outside are negative 30 degrees Celsius.  This same greenhouse withstood snows, 70 mile-per-hour winds and violent hailstorms.

Installation: SolaWrap is a flexible polyethylene film that is easily cut with a knife or scissors, and is completely recyclable and can be safely incinerated. 

Roll Size:  Rolls come in 4', 5' and 6' widths by 328' long. 

 A Do-It-Yourself Backyard ice rink is do-able! After all, a backyard ice rink is the hit of the neighborhood when you are a child (maybe as an adult too)!  The thought of building it at the same time can seem like a lot of work.  Our customers have asked us for ways to make the construction of the ice rink easier and faster. 

In addition to the ice rink liners, we offer is an ice rink framing systemthat has all the brackets, corner bracing and stakes that are engineered specifically for building a sturdy, well constructed ice rink. It is called “Iron Sleek”. Water weighs A LOT, and if you don’t have a strong framework in place, your ice rink will fail. With Iron Sleek  all you will need are the tools and lumber to make the frame, and quality plastic sheeting (ice rink liner) to hold the water for the ice rink.

Location, Location, Location:  Just as they say in real estate that location is key to the success of a business, location can make or break your ice rink. If you have a lot of slope in your yard,this could be problematic. Remember that water is heavy, and your boards will have to hold the weight of the water. Plus, anything over 18" and it won't hold the water. Therefore, it is important to find the most level area of your yard that is relatively dry, and has solid soil. The greater the slope, the more bracing and lumber  you will need to support the weight of the water. At the same time you will need approximately 5 cm of ice to support the weight of skaters.

Start Early before the season is upon you! Pounding stakes into frozen ground is no easy task!  Start your back yard ice rink before the ground freezes. Ideally the middle part of November and into early December is a good choice.

With the Iron Sleek, just follow the directions on how to lay out the lumber and secure the brackets to get the frame built.  The instructions will explain how far you need to place the brackets depending on the size of your rink.

Liner Placement:  Ideally you will want to place your liner within the frame the same time you fill the rink with water.  Look for weather temperatures in the 20 degree range at night, and 32 degrees maximum during the day.  You will want the ice rink liner to be nicely flush around the boards laying flat as the picture above illustrates. As far as the choice of liners, please click on the link below.  You will want to consider is the strength of the liner, the longevity of the liner, and the color.  Bright white is preferable because it reflects the sun and won't add heat to the rink.

Patience is a virtue! Little ones are so excited to get skating when you fill your rink.  It is important to give the rink PLENTY of time to harden before the skating begins. If you skate before it is frozen, the ice will break, and your surface will be uneven! 

Owning your own backyard ice rink is a memory that will stay with everyone.  It's just so much fun for kids to run outside after school with their friends and have fun on the ice! Best of all you don't have to drive anywhere to do it!

Click here to see a variety of ice rink liners to purchase.

Click to see the backyard ice rink framing system, Iron Sleek.

Below are some questions and answers regarding the use of black plastic sheeting for haunted houses.

Haunted House Fire Retardant Plastic sheeting at local home improvement store

You have heard of 12 mil polyethylene sheeting, but what are its uses? It depends if you are looking at a scrim (string) reinforced liner, or plain Construction and Agricultural grade plastic.

For the purposes of this article, let us look at a heavy-duty scrim reinforced, tear resistant, high strength virgin polyethylene film.  As you may have read from our prior article (Is your resin a virgin- should you care?), virgin resin is what you want to do the following jobs well. If you are going to use this 12 mil liner as a vapor retarder, then you want a liner that meets or exceeds ASTM E-1745 Class “C” standard. This standard is for water vapor retarders that are used in contact with soil or granular fill under concrete slabs. In some of the jobs mentioned below, this 12 mil plastic sheeting will be exposed to outdoor elements. For that reason you will want a liner that contains UV additives and thermal stabilizers.

Great uses for a 12 mil Scrim Reinforced Polyethylene are:

Crawlspace and Basement liners" target="_blank">Crawlspace and Basement liners: Protects the interior or your home from moisture migration

Cargo Coverings:" target="_blank">Cargo Coverings:  For covering cargo on a truck, on a train or on Ships.

Pond and Pit Liners: " target="_blank">Pond and Pit Liners: Our 12 mil liners are guaranteed fish and plant safe, and available in very large sheets, with factory certified seams.

Temporary Earthen Liners : Excellent for most short-term lining applications

Temporary Rainshed Covers: special long-term version can be used for terms as long as 4+ years

Landfill Covers: Both daily and interim lands fill covers will benefit from the strength of the scrim reinforcement.  Long-term special version lasts 4+ years in fully exposed conditions.

Temporary Erosion Control- Control watershed with this heavy duty reinforced film.  Holds up well in the elements, because of UV inhibitors and thermal stabilizers

Remediation Liners or Covers: Depending on contaminants and levels of contamination, this can be a very cost effective liner and covering material for soil remediation.

Divider Curtains: Available in many widths and lengths, this film makes for an excellent divider curtain.  Also see Dura Skrim 2FR, 10FR, Poly Scrim 6FR, 8FR, 10FR, and 14FR if fire retardant curtains are needed.

Vapor Retarders for under slabs and in walls:" target="_blank">Vapor Retarders for under slabs anVapor Retarders for under slabs and in walls:" target="_blank">d in walls: often used as a vapor/moisture retarder underslab and within wall structures, both, commercially and residentially.

 What is meant when someone mentions “flexible plastic sheeting” ? What kinds of “flexible plastic sheeting” is there? Are there different types? 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.

Which is the most flexible of them all?

Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) is the most flexible of the plastic sheeting films. LLDPE is blended form of LDPE where the film has much more flexibility, tensile strength, and more conformability. It is more pliable and softer. LLDPE is used for pond liners or blended into other films to give them more flexibility and extra strength. LLDPE is used for films that need a tremendous amount of strength to absorb impacts while not tearing or puncturing. An example of this is a carpet plastic film that adheres to the carpet. It is strong enough to withstand foot traffic, even from stiletto high heels! The molecules all line up and strongly hold together as the film is stretched. The most common thickness range is from 0.5 mil to 40 mil in flexible plastic sheeting.

Which is the most common of them all?

Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) is the most common type of plastic sheeting. It is very flexible, most often from 0.5 mil thick to about 40 mil in flexible sheeting forms. Due to its flexibility is conforms well to a variety of surfaces. The downside is that this LDPE is not as strong or dense as some other types of plastic sheeting. It is not nearly as puncture resistant either. LDPE is used quite widely in construction, agriculture, surface protection applications, covers of all sorts, tarps and much more.

Which is least commonly used of them all?

Medium Density Polyethylene (MDPE) is the least commonly used form of polyethylene for flexible plastic sheeting. Its positive attributes is that it is stronger than LDPE and has a little more chemical resistant. It has a tighter cell structure making it more tear and puncture resistant. When pond liners are manufactured they are often made with MDPE and blended with LDPE or LLDPE to achieve a strong yet flexible pond liner.

Which is the toughest of them all?

High Density Polyethylene (HDPE, aka HD), has the distinction of being the strongest, toughest, most chemical resistant and least flexible of the four types of flexible plastic sheeting referenced in this article. HDPE is also the most UV resistant- holding up to the harsh rays of the sun without needing UV additive packages. HDPE’s strength comes from its tight cell structure that makes it very difficult for other molecules to pass through its structure on a microscopic level. When applications call for very large liners such as pond liners, HDPE is the most easily seamed or “sewn” together. Used industrially, the thickness range from 12 mils to100 mil thick. HDPE is used as secondary containment liners for oil tanks, and most industrial ponds and canal liners where chemical resistance is needed.

Are all black plastic sheeting products pretty much the same? This is a question that pops up every year as the witching hour approaches, and all the little ghosts and goblins will be running about. The answer is NO. For Halloween Haunts you want to use a Fire Retardant plastic. You see, in most jurisdictions the fire marshals are now making haunted houses use fire retardant products, like drywall, or plastic sheeting (polyethylene) that is Fire Retardant.  Many haunted houses have been made to install basic walls in recent years, because their fire marshals insisted they were necessary for meeting the fire safety requirements, and did not know there were far less expensive options available. 

Global Plastic Sheeting supplies Black FR Polyethylene that  fire marshal's approves for this application. It is used in large amusement parks as well as for school and home owners. This polyethylene has been chemically altered when it was extruded, so it can no longer contribute significantly as a fuel source in the event of a fire.  This product provides a very low cost option for making your haunted attractions meet the local codes.

Don't let those precious little "monsters" burn your house down by using plastic sheeting that is not fire retardant!

Most fire marshals are looking for products that pass the NFPA 701-04 Test 1, and/or the CA Fire Marshal Title 19 fire standards.  One should always check with fire authorities in their jurisdiction before erecting any haunted attraction.