For all your plastic sheeting needs

Builders rolls

Buy best value builders rolls and wide plastic sheeting for protecting floors, surfaces and furniture during building or decorating work.

Builders rolls is the name given to wide plastic sheeting in the building trade. Popular with painters, decorators, carpenters and builders alike, builders rolls offer protection from dust, dirt and debris found during renovation work or whilst painting and decorating. Dispensed from a roll, the wide sheeting in a builders roll opens out to either 2m or 4m wide, so that you cover a wide area of floor space, or cover large objects of furniture or other items.

Advice from the web on plastic sheeting

Black sheeting is often chosen when a job requirements tougher protection than transparent film can give, because the dark pigment assists the sheet grasp up well in rough handling and exposed storage. In practice, that means better resistance when stacks are dragged across pallets, enclosed round awkward loads, or left in yards where wind and weather can test the material. Tear strength matters as much as thickness here, since a weak sheet can split at the worst moment and leave products open to damage. A sensible gauge and superb film consistency normally give the optimal result for heavy-duty cover work.

Clear sheeting for agricultural and industrial use has to be manufactured with tight control above gauge, clarity and roll consistency, because any tolerance shows up fast on the finished job. With irrigation pipe manufacture and profile production, the same shop-floor discipline matters: film tension must stay even, edges need to wind cleanly, and surface stop has to avoid haze, grit or stretch labels. If the material is also soft it can snag in handling; if it is also stiff it can crack or lose shape amid conversion and dispatch. Good control at the extrusion stage reduces waste later and gives a cleaner consignment that is easier to store and cut on site.

APPARATUS, WORK STATION AND METHOD FOR APPLYING PROTECTIVE SHEETING OF POLYMER MATERIAL TO A PIPELINE, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR IMPLEMENTING THE METHOD

Protective sheeting only works properly when it is fitted as part of a controlled sequence, not as a loose afterthought at the stop of the job. A station that places preparation equipment and wrapping equipment one after the other around the same cutback saves time because each stage happens while the pipe is already positioned for the next one. That reduces additional handling, which is where damage and delays often creep in. It also retains the sheeting application more consistent, because the surface is prepared properly before the wrap goes on. The practical earn is a cleaner operation with less stop-beginning movement and a better chance of getting a proper stop first time.

6 Mil Plastic Sheeting, Poly Sheeting in Stock – ULINE

Poly sheeting is broadly used because it gives a simple, flexible method to cover and keep safe products amid storage and movement. In a warehouse, it can wrap awkward shapes, reduce dust build-up, and grasp a load together without the weight or cost of heavier packaging. The proper value relies on selecting the proper gauge and film type, since thin sheeting may tear amid handling while heavier material can add unnecessary bulk. Good wrapping also assists retain pallets tidier and makes products easier to stack in transit. For plenty operations, the proper sheet turns loose, vulnerable stock into a more manageable consignment.

polythene suppliers Sheeting is cost effective and diverse

polythene suppliers sheeting works well when a job requirements fast coverage with small fuss, because the material is light, flexible and easy to unroll across big areas. That makes it useful for protecting stock, lining surfaces or throwing above awkward shapes that would be hard to cover with rigid sheet. In a warehouse or on a production floor, the proper advantage is speed of handling: one person can transport a roll, cut what is needed and acquire it in position without much waste. The film does need sensible gauge selection, though, because a thinner sheet tears more easily and can create handling damage if it is dragged above rough edges. A well-chosen roll gives fast coverage without adding unnecessary labour.

10 X 100 Plastic Sheeting

Plastic sheeting in a 10 x 100 roll works optimal when the gauge is chosen for the job, because 0.6 mil polyethylene is light enough to handle easily nevertheless still gives a useful barrier for dust, splash and temporary cover. Black and white panda film adds another practical twist, since the two-sided colour can assist with light control and masking on site, while still keeping the roll compact in storage. A supplier also has to think about unwind, because thin film that snags or splits on the line creates waste fast. The proper specification retains handling simple and reduces complaints at dispatch.

Wide sheeting changes how a floor-covering line is handled because less seams mean less weak points amid fitting and less scrap at the job stop. A 2m format also gives a better spread across big areas, so installers can cover ground fast without cutting into narrow offcuts all few minutes. The compact vinyl building and calendared backing assist the sheet retain its shape amid unwinding, which matters when rolls are moved through stores, loaded into vans, and fed across site floors. Abrasion resistance to class T gives confidence where foot traffic and trolley movement will be proper. That combination makes the material easier to plan, store, and fit without creating additional handling waste.

Builders roll formats only become useful when the alternative sizes settle down and the hardware makers beginning utilising them in proper products. At that point, the market stops being a spread of strange variations and turns into a smaller set of normal options that fit routine production, packing and dispatch. That makes life easier for stock control, because warehouses can grasp less lines without risking confusion at the picking face. It also reduces handling damage, since operatours are dealing with parts that fit the approved packaging rather than loose mixed formats. A tighter specification normally means cleaner supply chains and less mistakes on the shop floor.

Builders rolls save time on site because a wide sheet of polythene suppliers covers more area with less seams and less handling. That matters where dust, moisture or paint mist has to be kept off nearby surfaces, since all additional connect gives leakage a chance to creep in. A superb roll also reduces fiddly cutting and taping, so operatives can acquire on with the job instead of fighting with offcuts. The handling still requirements care, because fat widths can snag, crease or tear if dragged above rough ground. Chosen properly, the roll gives cleaner masking and a tidier stop with less wasted material.

Black sheeting is often used to block light, nevertheless on site it does a lot above create darkness. In a makeshift darkroom, the material requirements enough opacity to stop stray light leaking through seams, folds, and fixings, because even a small gap can ruin the result inside. The same principle applies in warehousing and production when black polythene suppliers is used as a temporary barrier, dust cover, or privacy screen. Thickness matters as much as colour, since a flimsy gauge tears easily and leaves a poor stop that retains needing repair. A superb sheet should hang flat, stay in position, and resist handling damage.

Plastic sheeting is...

  • A great solution for protecting floors, large surfaces and furniture from paint, dust or debris created during building or decorating work
  • Often referred to as ‘builders’ rolls’, due to the fact that it is popular in the building and construction industry
  • A favourite of tradespeople, including painters and decorators, plasterers and carpenters
  • Also referred to as wide sheeting, as it comes in wide sheets capable of covering large areas
  • Sold on the roll, usually 1m wide, and folds out into a sheet 2m wide (single fold) or 4m wide (multi-fold)
  • Available in clear polythene or black polythene as standard
  • Available in medium duty (100 micron / 400 gauge) or heavy duty (200 micron / 800 gauge) polythene
  • Strong, tough, waterproof, durable and reusable
  • Suitable for use as a waterproof membrane
  • Suitable for use as temporary roofing
  • Also manufactured as damp proof membrane (extra thick 250 micron polythene) or specialist flame-retardant polythene (also 250 micron)

Plastic sheeting - the painter’s friend

Somewhere near the top of a painter’s inventory list - just after paintbrushes and paint - is the builders’ roll. These plastic sheets are so popular with painters and decorators that they could easily be called ‘painters’ rolls’.

Plastic sheeting allows painters to get on with their job with complete peace of mind. All it takes is a bit of preparation time to unfold the plastic sheeting and cover floors, carpets, furniture or other items that need protecting, before they can then concentrate fully on their painting without worrying about excess paint dripping onto the surfaces in question.

At the end of the working day or when the job has been completed, the painter can simply pick up the roll, fold it or roll it back up for use on the next job.

Painters don’t have the monopoly on plastic sheeting, however. Other tradespeople also use the protective covering, including carpenters and plasters, for the very same reasons as painters - to give them a simple and quick solution to protecting surfaces during their work, leaving them to concentrate on the job.

How much plastic sheeting do I need?

The amount of plastic sheeting you require to cover an area in preparation for a job will depend on a number of factors:

  1. The overall size of the floor area that needs covering
  2. The amount and size of other items that need covering (e.g. furniture)
  3. How many times you want to lay your plastic sheeting during the job
  4. How contained the mess created will be to the working area

Obviously, the bigger the surface area you have to cover (point 1) and the more furniture items you have to cover (point 2), the more plastic sheeting you will need, unless you are happy to move your plastic sheeting around during the job (point 3).

One other important thing to consider is that dust may easily blow away from the immediate working area so some jobs, such as sanding or drilling, are likely to need a wider area covered around the work zone than others, such as painting (point 4).

Plastic sheeting - measuring up

Once you have decided how big an area you need to cover in one go, you need to work out how many sheets you need. Remember that plastic sheeting is traditionally sold on 1m rolls that fold out to either 2m-wide ‘single-fold’ sheets or 4m-wide ‘multi-fold’ sheets.

So, if you need to cover an area that's 3m x 10m, you’ll either need one 10m long section of a 4m multi-fold sheet, or two 10m long sections of a 2m single-fold sheet, which you’ll then place alongside each other, with some overlap, to cover the required area.

When purchasing your plastic sheeting, don’t forget that 4m-wide multi-fold sheets will, in general, be sold on a roll half the length of a 2m-wide single-fold sheet, as there is twice as much plastic being wrapped around the roll.

Both single-fold rolls and multi-fold rolls will, as standard, contain 200m² of plastic sheeting and will weigh the same (100 micron ‘medium duty’ clear polythene x 200m² = 18kg). The single fold roll will measure 2m x 100m, while the multi-fold roll will measure 4m x 50m.

Heavy or medium duty polythene?

Another important factor to consider when choosing the plastic sheeting you need for a job is the sort of debris you are protecting your floors, surfaces and objects from.

If you are only likely to create a light covering of debris, such as dripping paint or dust from sanding, then the chances are you will only require a medium duty plastic sheet, which comes in 100 micron (400 gauge) clear polythene.

If you’re working in a more ‘heavy duty’ environment, such as on a building site or in the garden, then you may find prefer to use 200 micron (800 gauge) heavy duty plastic sheeting, which will offer more protection to the surfaces from bumps, scratches or scrapes.

Extra thick plastic membrane

Even more durable and robust than standard heavy duty plastic sheeting is damp proof membrane - an extra thick sheet of polythene, weighing in at a minimum of 250 microns (1000 gauge) thick.

Usually made from black or blue recycled polythene, damp proof membrane (DPM) can be used as part of a damp proof course (DPC) to prevent the onset of rising damp in building work, or for other heavy duty waterproofing.

A good damp proof course is fundamental to preventing unwanted moisture from entering the interior space of a building. For this reason, damp proof membrane is quality controlled by the British Board of Agreement (BBA), such keep an eye out for their approval on the product before you buy.

Black plastic sheeting

Black plastic sheeting can be used in the same way as clear plastic sheeting, to protect surfaces during building or renovation work, or as a waterproof membrane. One advantage that black sheeting has over clear sheeting is that it also provides a light-proof cover and so can be useful for both absorbing heat and covering items when security is important.

Where to buy plastic sheeting

Plastic sheeting manufacturers and suppliers include:

Layflat Tubing
The number one layflat tubing website on the internet. Layflat Tubing stock a huge range of poly tubing and heat sealers at fantastic wholesale prices, with simple online ordering and free UK delivery. The only layflat tubing website you'll need.
www.layflat-tubing.co.uk

Polythene Sheeting
Poly Sheets is the website to visit for all of your polythene sheeting needs. Containing loads of useful information on poly sheeting, also known as builders rolls, plus builders bags and damp proof membrane, with details of where to buy them.
www.polysheets.co.uk

Polythene Rolls
If you're looking to buy polythene rolls, layflat tubing, shrink covers, stretch wrap or damp proof sheeting, then this is the website for you. Featuring loads of useful information on polythene sheeting and a list of the best online stockists.
www.polythenerolls.com

Polythene Tubing
A brilliant online resource for anyone interested in buying polythene tubing, also known as layflat tubing. Find out all you need to know about poly tubing, how it is made and what it is used for, with a detailed buying guide for you to get the best discount prices.
www.discountlayflattubing.co.uk

Rubble Bags
The number one website on rubble bags - the super-strong waste sacks that are essential for every building site and ideal for heavy duty work in the garden, DIY projects at home or transporting heavy rubble or rubbish to the tip.
www.rubblebags.org

Builders Rolls
Builders Rolls is the go-to website for the builders, painters and decorators looking to buy wide-fold plastic sheeting, often referred to as builders rolls. With lots of information on what to look for and where to buy builders rolls at the best prices.
www.buildersrolls.com

Research & Resources

For more information on plastic sheeting or builders rolls, including details of how it is manufactured and the range of protective polythene sheeting available, please visit:

PlasticBags.uk.com: The UK's premier polythene packaging online directory. Retailers can submit items for listing and customers can browse a selection of plastic sheeting websites.

PackagingKnowledge: The online polythene packaging encyclopedia, featuring a wide range of articles and a huge amount of information on plastic sheeting.

Goldstork: Free online directory listing the best of the web, featuring carefully selected information and specialist plastic sheeting websites.

Plastic rolls or polythene rolls?

What is the difference between plastic rolls and polythene rolls? These terms and others like them - including plastic sheeting, builders rolls, poly rolls or polythene film - are often mixed and matched to describe a variety of polythene products. The one thing all of the terms have in common is that they refer to a sheet of plastic - or polythene - that is wound around a central roll and dispensed by unwinding the roll until you have as large a sheet as you need.

Whilst the terms may be interchanged by some people, by and large, in the building trade the term 'plastic rolls' is used to describe plastic sheeting, also known as builders rolls, which is widely used by builders, painters and decorators to protect large areas or objects such as furniture from dust, dirt, stray paint and so on. Damp proof membrane, used to provide a damp proof layer for buildings, is also included in the 'plastic rolls' family.

The term 'polythene rolls' on the other hand, is most often used to describe rolls of polythene film that are used for packaging or wrapping items. These include single layers of film, such as shrink wrap pallet covers, PVC clear wrapping and glossy clear polypropylene wrapping, as well as polythene tubing - also known as layflat tubing - which is used to wrap objects of awkwards shapes and sizes and comes in regular or anti-static polythene.