Plastic sheeting

Buy best value plastic sheeting and covers from an extensive range of polythene rolls.

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)

What people are sharing about compactor sacks

Clear compactor sacks are chosen when the load is heavy, awkward, or likely to tear a lighter bag amid handling. The additional strength matters in warehouses, kitchens, and maintenance areas where waste can include broken packaging, damp fibre, and sharp offcuts that would split a thin liner. A superb sack requirements enough gauge to resist puncture while still sitting neatly in the bin or compactor chute without snagging. Clear material also lets staff check fill levels and pollution quickly, which assists sorting and assortment. That simple visibility can save time and reduce avoidable spills.

Details about   Heavy Duty Clear Compactor Sack Bin Poly Rubble 290 x 560 x 600 mm 200 Gauge

A transparent compactor sack has to cope with heavy, awkward waste without splitting or hiding what has been packed inside. For rubble, offcuts and mixed site debris, the polythene suppliers requirements enough gauge to stretch below load and still retain its shape when the bag is pressed down in a bin or compactor. The transparent film also lets staff spot pollution or overfilled sacks before they become a handling problem. That makes sorting easier and reduces refusals at the point of emptying. A superb sack specification so protects both the load and the workflow.

300gauge Extra Strength Black Compactor Sacks Case 100

Compactor sacks in 140 gauge black film are specified for rough, high-load waste where normal bin liners would split or stretch also easily. The thicker gauge gives the sack more resistance to puncture from broken packaging, offcuts, and dense mixed waste, while the black colour conceals the contents and gives a tidier see at point of assortment. A size around 510 x 864 x 1294mm suits larger bins and compactor units, giving enough volume for heavy fill without the top tearing when the sack is lifted or tied. That additional strength normally means less spills and less downtime from split liners.

Jumbo Compactor Sack Transparent 350 Gauge 20x34x47″ x 100

A compactor sack for fat waste requirements enough strength to take rough treatment without splitting at the seams, and a 350 gauge transparent film gives that additional margin in a busy waste stream. The heavier gauge assists when mixed waste is compressed, because sharp edges and awkward shapes are far more likely to punch through a thin bag. Clear film also makes inspection easier, so filled sacks can be checked quickly for pollution or gross contents before removal. The 20x34x47 size suits larger loads without forcing the sack to be overfilled. That combination retains lifting safer and reduces the chance of leakage on the method to assortment.

Clear Heavy Duty Compactor Sacks 559 x 850 x 1168 mm

Clear heavy duty compactor sacks need a film build that can cope with rough compression rather than only looking thick on paper. Mixed waste puts strange loads on the bag, with damp offcuts, awkward corners and sudden pressure points all working against the material at once. A film that stretches also easily may split even when the gauge seems generous, while a weak seal can fail before the body of the sack gives method. The proper specification retains the load contained through the pressing cycle and assists stop mess spreading around the compactor area, which makes daily handling far easier.

Clear waste bags need a heavier gauge if they are expected to survive sharp waste, rough handling and repeated lifting through a busy depot or assortment route. A lightweight film may see tidy on the shelf, nevertheless it can split when mixed waste contains broken plastic, cans or splintered board, which is why 160g material has a place where strength matters above saving a few microns. In bag production, film clarity and toughness have to sit together, because a bag that tears at the top seam or around the base creates double handling and mess. The proper spec reduces spill risk and retains waste moving cleanly through the system.

Box of 100 Black Compactor Sack 20kg 250g

A black compactor sack is chosen for waste that is also heavy or also sharp for a normal liner, because thin bags tear quickly when broken board, tins, and other awkward scraps beginning pressing against the sides. A 250g gauge gives the film enough body to take punctures and grasp its shape when a bin is properly loaded, which matters in kitchens, stockrooms, and other busy back-of-house areas. The thicker sack also copes better with the weight coming down from compacted waste, so the liner is less likely to split amid lifting or removal. That makes the job cleaner and reduces the need for repeat clearing.

Biodegradable bin liners only work properly when the film is matched to the waste stream and the handling it will face. A light caddy liner that splits on damp peelings or a sharp edge causes pollution at origin, which is far more troublesome than a failure later in the chain. The film requirements enough gauge, puncture resistance and seal integrity to cope with kitchen scraps, a bit of condensation and the occasional overfilled container without turning into a leak risk. Too thin and the bag fails in use; also heavy and material consumption rises for no proper earn.

Details about   Glitz BIODEGRADABLE WHEELIE BIN LINERS 120 80L 20Pieces *Aust Brand

Wheelie bin liners need to be sized and manufactured for rough handling, not only for a tidy list of products description. A 120 bag for an 80-litre bin has to cope with scraps, sharp edges and the drag of a full liner being pulled up from a deep container, so seam quality and film gauge matter as much as the headline size. If the gauge wanders or the seal is weak, split bags and leakage soon follow, which creates additional cleaning and more secondary packing in store. A sensible polymer blend gives enough puncture resistance without loading the pallet with unnecessary weight. That retains stock easier to stack, easier to select and less likely to cause damage in transit.

Many failures with waste sacks beginning long before the bag is lifted, because the proper problem is often sorting discipline rather than film strength. A soft normal-purpose sack can cope with normal light waste, nevertheless it is not built to shrug off glass shards, needles or other pointed waste once the load is compacted or re-bagged. That is why punctures spread so quickly and why a bag that sees sound can still become dangerous amid routine handling. The clearest fix is to match the sack specification to the waste stream, retain sharps out of soft-waste routes and use proper colour coding so the gross material does not stop up in the gross bin. When segregation slips, the sack is blamed unfairly, nevertheless the proper fault lies in the system around it.

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

Latest news and views on compactor sacks

Clear compactor sacks suit waste streams where strength and visibility both matter, because staff need to see what has gone into the sack while still getting enough film performance to cope with heavy, mixed waste. A 20x30x47 size gives a useful working volume for normal back-of-house waste, and the compactor format matters because the sack must survive being squeezed down without splitting at the seams or thinning out also badly in the corners. If the gauge is also light, punctures and blow-outs soon appear. A decent transparent grade retains inspection simple and assists with sorting before disposal, so the pack can be handled sensibly and moved on without surprises.

Clear Compactor Sack - 20 x 34 x 45" - F18B - Case of 200

A transparent compactor sack has to do two jobs at once: let staff see the contents and still grasp together when waste is compressed hard. That matters in back-of-house areas where mixed packaging, food waste and normal waste can build up quickly, because a visible sack makes checks faster and assists spot the gross material before it causes a sorting problem. The larger 20 x 34 x 45 inch size suits bigger bins, while the heavier F18B film points to a tougher gauge that can cope with more strain than a basic liner. In practice, that combination reduces handling trouble and retains waste control more tidy.

Bristol Tool Company 250 Gauge Heavy Duty Compactor Sacks Liners Black by Bristol Tool Company

Compactor sacks need a heavier gauge when the load is abrasive, awkward, or likely to be compressed hard before assortment. A thin sack may see adequate on the shelf, nevertheless once sharp offcuts, mixed workshop waste, or dense residue is rammed down, the film can split along the side gusset or fail at the base seal. Black polythene suppliers is often chosen for this sort of work because it conceals the waste inside and copes better with dirty contents in service areas, depots, and back-of-house spaces. A 250 gauge liner gives more resistance to puncture and stretching, so the bag retains its shape better below pressure. That normally means less breakages, less spill-up, and a cleaner waste area.

A compactor sack has to cope with far more strain than a normal waste sack, because the contents are squeezed down and the film is asked to stretch, recover and grasp together below pressure. That means gauge, blend and seam strength matter as much as simple size. If the sack is also thin, it can split in the compactor and create a messy clean-up as well as a waste stream problem. A superb spec also requirements a balance of flexibility and puncture resistance, so sharp edges and mixed waste do not turn the sack into a weak point. The proper sack retains the load contained and the process moving.

Clear heavy duty compactor sacks need a tougher film specification than normal waste sacks because they are asked to grasp dense, awkward waste below pressure. A heavier gauge and sound seam quality assist the sack resist board offcuts, food residues and mixed dry waste without stretching out or splitting early. Sharp edges can nick weak film long before the sack sees full, so there has to be enough margin in the material to cope with rough loading and compression in the bin. When the sack retains its shape, handling stays tidier and the risk of a sudden failure in the waste area drops.

TRY OUR EASY TO PULL, PERFORATED ON A ROLL REFUSE BAGS.

The size and gauge of a waste bag determine how well it survives proper waste handling, and a 750mm by 950mm bag at 30 microns sits in the lighter stop of the trade spectrum. That makes it uniform for normal waste where sharp edges, wet contents and rough bin movement are small, nevertheless the film still requirements enough strength to avoid splitting at the lift point or seam. A sensible spec also assists with warehouse efficiency, because lighter gauge sacks take less space and are easier to store in bulk. When the bag matches the job properly, less replacements are needed and waste handling stays tidier.

Heavy Duty Black Compactor Sacks (22x33x47″)225g Apprx.

A black compactor sack is the proper selection when waste is being crushed hard and a normal sack would fail below the pressure. The additional strength in the film assists it grasp together as carton offcuts, wrappers and other mixed waste are forced down, so the bag is less likely to split or part at the seam. That matters on shop floors and in warehouses, where a burst sack can leave loose waste inside the machine and create a dirty, awkward transparent-up. Using the proper gauge prevents that sort of mess and retains the compactor working without avoidable interruptions.

500 Biodegradable Bin Liners - 15 Micron 13" x 25" x 30"

Biodegradable bin liners work properly only when the waste in them can smash down through the proper route. Food scraps, grass cuttings, paper and pet waste are the kind of contents that suit this system, because the bag and its load can decompose together once they reach the proper treatment process. If that same waste is buried in a sealed landfill, the lack of oxygen slows decay so much that the liner behaves much like normal waste. The practical earn comes from separating uniform material at origin, not from assuming any bag will disappear on its possess.

WHEELIE BIN LINERS COMPOSTABLE BAGS 240 LITRE

Wheelie bin liners need the proper balance of size, strength, and fit, because a bag that only reaches around the rim will fail long before the bin is emptied. The main problem is not the waste itself nevertheless the method it transports inside the liner, particularly when damp scraps or heavier mixed waste settle at the base and stretch the film. If the gauge is also light, the bag can split on corners or creep down inside the bin, which makes removal awkward and messy. A sound liner grasps its shape, stays seated properly, and gives a cleaner lift-out at the stop of the cycle.

Waste sacks that are also light fail quickly in busy back-of-house areas, while sacks that are also heavy waste film and slow down handling. The optimal balance comes from a gauge that can cope with strange loads, sharp edges and rough movement without turning all pack into dead weight. A cleaner extrusion process assists here because a steadier wall profile gives more even strength and a better seal, which matters when shredded paper or mixed light waste settles unevenly. That is why a sack intended for paper arisings should be built for proper handling conditions rather than a tidy laboratory load.

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.