7 Best Greenhouse Plastic that Works Well (Updated – 2023)

Are you wandering around, looking for the best greenhouse plastic that works well for your new greenhouse? You are up to a brilliant start & not to mention- a great idea project!

Growing fruits, flowers, and other plants that often only flourish in warm climates are possible year-round in greenhouses because they create an environment where heat and humidity can be maintained. And it’s not always feasible to go for greenhouse heaters, as it may increase your budget.

If you only had time and money, your go-to choice would be to construct your greenhouse with plastic, glass or fiberglass. Affording these materials can make you worry, which is why you came across this helpful review and guide! So, opting for a plastic sheet comes as budget and a viable option. Here in this comprehensive buying guide will help you choose the best plastic for your greenhouse.

Best Greenhouse Plastic in 2023

Affordability is the first thing that we look at as a beginner, and then later, you can switch to a higher-cost plastic such as “fiber.” Plastic Sheets for the greenhouse might sound cheap, as we ‌think of plastic that way. However, plastic sheets can be very sturdy and rigid.

Modern technology makes it possible to build your greenhouse without spending too much money. Moreover, there is no dearth of different greenhouse kit available in the market. But that’s a discussion for another topic. Here we are going to talk about best plastic sheet for your greenhouse cover.

Here are some of the best brands we know are rugged solutions for your greenhouse & will help you succeed.

Also Read:

Image Product
GRELWT Greenhouse Film
  • 5 Layer Technology
  • High Light Transmission
  • Light Diffusion
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Watershed Innovations HydraTarp
  • Reinforced Corners
  • Reversible Design
  • Corrosive Free
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Farm Plastic Supply - Panda Film Light
  • Blackout
  • Longevity and Protection
  • Durable
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Farm Plastic Supply Greenhouse Film
  • Remarkable Light Transmission
  • Durable
  • UV Protective
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Grower's Solution Clear Plastic Film
  • Remarkable Light Transmission
  • UV Protective
  • Durable
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Sunview Greenhouse Clear Polyethylene Cover
  • Enduring
  • UV resistant
  • Withhold Pressure
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A&A Green Store Greenhouse Plastic
  • Enduring
  • UV resistance and thickness
  • Withhold Pressure
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1. GRELWT Greenhouse Film

BrandGRELWT Greenhouse
MaterialPolyethylene Plastic
Item Weight31.1 Pounds
ColorTransparent White
Size36.8 x 21 x 1.5 inches
UV ProtectionYes

This product is said to be the best overall greenhouse due to its 5-layer film technology feature that adds additional strength and longevity. The layer is UV resistant, which makes it highly mechanical with strength & flexibility.

It promises 90% light transmittance, which helps your plants to thrive as it scatters high light temperatures. The light passes through, making it possible for your plants to grow in a healthy condition in the greenhouse.

The greenhouse’s film diffusion allows light to scatter around everywhere for plants to get even lightening in all areas. It is an ideal plastic sheet for your plants for maximum growth. The sheet diffuses light, which is very important for tall or shady plants that don’t get lightning. You can have a fuller, more even growth as a result.

Features

  • 5 Layer Technology: This UV-resistant greenhouse plastic sheet has five layers, giving it high mechanical strength and flexibility.
  • High Light Transmission: The increased light transmittance of this greenhouse screen is 90%, the quantity of light that can enter your greenhouse. For your plants to flourish, there must be a high light transmission.
  • Anti-dust: improves long-lasting transmission and reduces dust absorption.
  • Light Diffusion: Scatters light evenly to help grow taller and shady plants.
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2. Watershed Innovations HydraTarp

BrandWatershed Innovations
MaterialAluminum
Item Weight10.03 Pounds
ColorClear
Size12ft x 24ft
UV ProtectionTrue

This product appears to be constructed of various plastics, making it difficult to categorize it as one specific sort of plastic sheet. This tarp is thicker than a typical plastic sheet, measuring 10 millimeters thick.

The tarp’s primary grid is translucent, with enough space for solid sunlight to pass through. The strength and longevity of the tarp are considerably improved by a mesh weave that extends its entire length without adding weight or sacrificing its transparency. It is significantly simpler to install this tarp since its edges are heat-sealed, and its corners are double-reinforced to accommodate rust-free aluminum grommets.

The tarp can initially endure severe winds and heavy rains, but it does not appear to have received adequate UV protection to last longer than two or three years. This tarp is inexpensive, so replacing it after a few years of reliable service won’t make you feel awful.

Features

  • Heavy Duty: 5 different materials strong tarp for all-purpose use.
  • UV Protective: The tarp has a longer lifespan and is UV-protective coated to safeguard your treasured belongings.
  • Reinforced Corners: Aluminum grommets that are rust-free are spaced every 36 inches, with double reinforced corners and rope hems on all four edges.
  • Reversible Design: With brown on the other side and white on the other, reversible in color
  • Corrosive Free: high-quality grommets that are 18 inches apart and free of corrosion
  • Waterproof: Construction that is both rot- and water-resistant
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3. Farm Plastic Supply – Panda Film Light

BrandFarm Plastic Supply
MaterialPolyethylene Plastic
Item Weight10 Pounds
ColorBlack
Size30′ x 75′
UV ProtectionTrue

This farm plastic supply item looks to be made of a variety of polymers, making it challenging to classify it as a single type of plastic sheet.

Light Deprivation is a complex phenomenon. Use farm plastic supplies 100 percent blackout plastic to make your day easier! Farm Plastic Supply wants to provide everyone with high-quality agricultural, gardening, and farming materials.

Our 100% Blackout Greenhouse Plastic Sheeting is designed to completely obscure your greenhouse and plants. The white side should be installed facing outward to reflect light, while the dark side will completely block out the light.

Features

  • Blackout: This blackout material, which is white on one side and black on the other, is designed to give your plants total darkness. This greenhouse cover has a black side that generates darkness and a white side that reflects light on the outside of your greenhouse.
  • Longevity & Protection: This poly greenhouse plastic cover in black and white is made to withstand the elements. Not our black-and-white poly film, which generally deteriorates with time. Our light deprivation greenhouse cover is made with a UV inhibitor so it can withstand the sun.
  • Durable: Greenhouse plastic coverings from Farm Plastic Supply are made to be sturdy and long-lasting. Our 6 mil thick black poly film roll makes sure that even after prolonged use, the polyethylene sheeting won’t shred or break.
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4. Farm Plastic Supply Greenhouse Film

BrandFarm plastic supply
MaterialBrass
Item Weight30 Pounds
ColorTransparent
Size25 FT x 40 FT
UV ProtectionTrue

It can be challenging to differentiate between different transparent plastic film brands. Still, this greenhouse film from Farm Plastic Supply can be identified by one characteristic: how transparent the plastic is. This greenhouse film should let in far more sunshine for your plants and vegetables than many other plastic sheets, which have a translucent and nearly impenetrable appearance.

Because of the UV treatment, Farm Plastic Supply claims that this greenhouse film should last up to 4 or 5 years. Despite being a relatively light material, it can endure moderate amounts of snowfall and high winds. One of the main advantages of using polyethylene is that it can be repaired quickly, even if broken.

This greenhouse film from Farm Plastic Supply is worth your attention if you’re searching for something inexpensive, lightweight, and exceptionally transparent. Just remember that it’s still just a polyethylene sheet and not to expect too much from it.

Features

  • Durable: This transparent plastic for greenhouses allows light to pass through, dispersing light equally across your greenhouse and allowing for consistent temperature distribution. Proper light transmission is necessary for crops to develop as best they can.
  • Remarkable Light Transmission: This transparent material for greenhouses allows light to pass through, evenly dispersing light and regulating temperature throughout your greenhouse. Optimal crop growth will be aided by proper light transmission.
  • UV Protective: The six mil transparent plastic from Farm Plastic Supply is UV-resistant and suited for long-term use. These additions increase the lifespan of your hoop house plastic and shield the greenhouse film from UV rays.
  • Protection: The UV rays are shielded by the clear plastic covering used in greenhouses. It can protect your plants from harsh weather conditions, including intense heat, rain, frost, cold, and wind.
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5. Grower’s Solution Clear Plastic Film

BrandGrowers Solution
MaterialPolyethylene plastic
Item Weight14.57 Pounds
ColorClear
Size20ft. X 25ft
UV ProtectionTrue

When seeking a plastic sheet for your greenhouse, strength can be challenging. Still, this product from Grower’s Solution is resilient enough for almost any outdoor situation. It has a 6-millimeter thickness and is very strong and long-lasting. The substance may also slightly stretch, which allows it to withstand sustained pressure without breaking.

Many greenhouses farmers have reported having excellent results with the Grower’s Solution plastic sheet. It can sustain an inside temperature roughly 20 °C higher than the exterior and has excellent transparency. It’s also effortless to install; be sure to pay attention to the labels on the film so you know which side should be facing the outside. Inadequate installation could cause UV degradation, which would cause the plastic sheet to crack prematurely.

This Grower’s Solution greenhouse movie isn’t flawless. It is easily prone to tearing when handled roughly, and any reasonably pointed instrument can be used to puncture holes in it. The good news is that a transparent plastic film is simple to fix.

Features

  • Durable: Tough polyethylene unfolds quickly, swiftly, and lasts four years. Some farmers were able to use their greenhouse film for up to 8 years.
  • Remarkable Light Transmission: The thin but sturdy polyethylene resin enables the best possible light transmission for the best possible plant development. The infrared component lowers heat loss and contributes to a more stable greenhouse environment.
  • UV Protective: The transparent plastic is UV-treated, which aids in helping your plants survive and thrive.
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6. Sunview Greenhouse Clear Polyethylene Cover

BrandSunview
MaterialPolyethylene Plastic
Item Weight30 Pounds
ColorTransparent, Clear
Size32ft. X 25ft.
UV ProtectionTrue

This Sunview polyethylene cover is affordable, straightforward, and blends in with most greenhouse applications while performing flawlessly. The polyethylene material is strong (6 millimeters thick), allowing more light to enter and withstand adverse weather conditions. It has also been coated with UV protection and an IR ingredient that helps prevent heat loss from the greenhouse.

Remember that PVC and polyethylene react slowly when they come into touch. Before attaching this plastic sheet, be sure to prime the PVC frame of your greenhouse.

It’s also important to keep in mind that polyethylene plastic sheets are not composite tarps or polycarbonate panels when putting them. If the sheet catches on something sharp, it will rip easily.

Features

  • Enduring: This plastic sheet for a greenhouse is made of robust, resilient, lightweight plastic. It is constructed using virgin material of excellent quality, which is both flexible and tensile strength. It can be used to build and decorate greenhouses.
  • UV resistant:  The plastic sheet is UV-resistant and will not crack, fade, or get brittle over time.
  • Withhold Pressure: Due to the material’s ability to stretch slightly, it can apply sustained pressure to it without breaking.
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7. A&A Green Store Greenhouse Plastic

BrandA&A Grower
MaterialPolyethylene Plastic
Item Weight8.83 Pounds
ColorTransparent
Size5 X 28 to 50 X 25
UV ProtectionTrue

This polyethylene greenhouse cover from A&A Green Store is simple to use and performs brilliantly in most greenhouse situations. Strong (6 millimeters thick), the polyethylene material allows more light to enter and can resist bad weather. In order to help stop heat loss from the greenhouse, it has also been covered with IR and UV protection.

Produced with a five-layer greenhouse film technique for increased toughness and lifetime. superior toughness and strength. Increased Light Transmission for Ideal Plant Growth Film made of polyethylene that provides four years of UV protection for greenhouses 6mil.

Features

  • Enduring: This greenhouse plastic sheet is durable, strong, and is made of lightweight plastic.
  • UV resistance & thickness:  The plastic sheet is UV-resistant and 6mil thick to survive in any condition.
  • Withhold Pressure: 5-layer film technology to withstand pressure and rough situations.
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Types of Greenhouse Plastics

It is not only about the cost but also the type of plastic that is better and more durable. Here are the three best greenhouse plastic options you can choose from

1. Polycarbonate

Polycarbonate is an excellent replacement for polyethylene, which is significantly more rigid and slightly more expensive. A single corrugated polycarbonate sheet is sandwiched between two other polycarbonate sheets to create the composite material used in most polycarbonate panels. Polycarbonate sheets offer excellent insulation, durability, and flexibility because of their novel construction. If you have the money, you should line your greenhouse with polycarbonate panels because they require very little upkeep.

2. Polyethylene

Polyethylene is inexpensive, widely available, and simple to repair, making it the industry standard for greenhouse plastic. Polyethylene is available in numerous grades and copolymers. For the most outstanding results, we advise choosing a brand identified explicitly as “agricultural plastic” or “greenhouse plastic,” as these materials are far more resilient than standard utility-grade polyethylene.

3. Polyvinyl Carbonate

The drawback of polyethylene is that it exemplifies the phrase “you get what you pay for” to a tee. It’s reasonably affordable, but over the course of two or three years, you’ll probably need to repair or replace your polyethylene sheets numerous times. Polyethylene is the ideal option if you have a limited budget and don’t mind undertaking extra effort each time your plastic sheet is broken.

What to Look for in Your Greenhouse Plastic

When putting together a greenhouse, you can’t just use any sheet plastic. When selecting a plastic for your greenhouse, there are a few factors to take into account; we’ve listed the most significant ones below.

1. Lifespan

Your greenhouse’s material will be exposed to a lot of harsh situations. It might have to withstand ferocious winds, thick snowfall, or torrential rain. Even bright sunshine isn’t ideal for all plastics because prolonged UV exposure can cause many of them to become brittle. A single tear in your greenhouse plastic can significantly impair its efficacy; therefore, making the investment in a high-quality plastic sheet made of a suitable material can prevent many hassles in the future.

2. Transparency

Nowadays, it is uncommon to find genuine green greenhouses. In truth, using green materials in a greenhouse is an old-fashioned idea. Most gardeners nowadays have found that the most transparent materials produce the best outcomes.

Be mindful that one of a greenhouse’s objectives is to allow sunlight to reach the plants so they may perform photosynthesis. This implies that you would like as much light to enter your greenhouse as possible through its walls. Transparency is usually not a big problem when utilizing transparent fiberglass or glass panels. Still, it can be challenging to strike the correct balance between transparency and thickness when using plastic sheets.

3. Weight

Although heavy, thick plastic sheets are more rigid and more durable. No structural integrity is offered by a plastic sheet. The greenhouse’s frame will therefore bear the total weight of the plastic sheet. Make sure your greenhouse was created with the weight of the plastic sheet in mind, even if a heavy plastic sheet isn’t necessarily wrong.

4. Dust and Drip Prevention

Several things could decrease your greenhouse’s effectiveness depending on the outside environment. Condensation may build on the inner surface of your plastic sheet on cold days due to an imbalance between the greenhouse’s warm interior and its chilly exterior. By encouraging the development of mildew, these condensate droplets may land on your plants and upset the peaceful environment you have so carefully cultivated.

Some plastics are designed to keep this from happening by nature. Condensates are kept from falling onto the plants by plastic that contains a hydrophilic radical like -COOH (or carboxylic acid), which helps keep them on the surface where they may naturally evaporate. On the other hand, as they will fend off condensate droplets, you should avoid plastics having hydrophobic radicals such as -CH groups.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is the ideal plastic thickness for greenhouses?

In small tunnels and winter homes, three or four mil film is frequently used for a year. The optimum material for multi-year applications is greenhouse grade material, which is only available at 6 mil thickness.

What is the best greenhouse plastic to use?

One of the most significant greenhouses covering materials is polycarbonate plastic. This material has two walls and comprises polyethylene. This kind of coverage has a ten-year or longer lifespan if properly maintained. The heat and humidity are kept throughout the year, making planting simple.

What Color of plastic is best for a greenhouse?

Despite the widespread misconception that greenhouses can only be green, different hues are frequently more effective for the cover material and structure. In order to decrease shadows and reflect light where it is needed, white is a popular choice for structural parts. Growers with experience advice using clear greenhouse panels.

How long does six mil plastic survive outside in the sun?

A 6 mm piece of plastic may endure three years outside in the sun. The budget-conscious grower still uses 6 mil poly after 58 years. You can survive in this movie. Lousy weather (wind, snow load, hail), an intense sun, and 6 mil are its drawbacks.

Does greenhouse plastic have to be transparent?

If you want to use a greenhouse to start transplanting plants outside and germinate seeds, the plastic needs to be clear to allow for direct sunlight to heat the soil and promote germination. To help your plants mature, provide diffused light with a greenhouse covering.

Conclusion

Although using glass or fiberglass panels to assemble a greenhouse is preferable due to its durability and transparency, not everyone is ready to put in the time and money necessary to do so. A much less expensive and more straightforward option is to drape plastic sheets over the frame of your greenhouse and fasten them at critical locations.

Even though plastic sheets seem straightforward, you still need to consider the type of plastic you’ll use for your greenhouse. Choose the least expensive polyethylene sheets, or spend a little extra for a panel made of polycarbonate with superior durability and rigidity. In either case, your costs will be far lower than if you choose the glass or fiberglass option.