What is Plastic Sheeting?

The World of Plastic Sheeting

Plastic sheeting is used every day for an exceedingly wide variety of projects. From the plastic wrap that covers food to the plastic you see covering mounds of dirt at a construction site, or the plastic sheeting on a building- plastic sheeting is used worldwide every day. Gardeners use plastic sheeting to keep the weeds from coming us in a garden, or a thicker version to stop roots from destroying a sidewalk.

General Uses for Plastic Sheeting

The general uses for plastic sheeting are as follows:

• If something needs to be covered- Food, equipment, floors, walls, furniture, plants, dirt, scratches,
• If something needs to be protected from something else like dust, rain, paint, debris, vapor barrier, roots, UV rays, fire, static, damage from shipping. Plastic sheeting plays a big role in disaster preparedness. Plastic sheeting that is reinforced with string (scrim) is used to create temporary shelter.

Types of Plastic Sheeting

Plastic sheeting comes in different forms such as acrylic, nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride and teflon.

Polyethylene

Polyethylene is an amazing material because its characteristics change depending upon their density and molecular structure. When the molecular structure is high, it creates a plastic that is tough and chemically resistant. When the molecular structure is low, the polyethylene becomes soft and flexible.

Thickness

Plastic sheeting's thickness is expressed in mils. The lower the mil, the thinner the plastic. Plastic sheeting goes from one mil up to 100 mils. Home stores carry 3-6 mil plastic most often. More specialized companies carry a variety of thickness to suit the project type.

Special Types of Plastic Sheeting

Polyethylene is nothing short of miraculous. Additives can be added to the polymer so that it becomes anti-static, fire retardant, and U.V resistant.  Dyes can also be added so that just about every color of the rainbow can be manufactured.

This is a very simple explanation to the question, "what is plastic sheeting." For much more complex discussions, visit  the Journal of Plastic Film and Sheeting  The Journal of Plastic Film and Sheeting is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that covers the field of materials science, especially the development and processing of plastic film and sheeting.

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