You have just purchased greenhouse covering plastic. It is the key piece that transforms a metal or wooden structure into a controlled space where your crops grow protected from excessive sun, torrential rain, and flying pests. Ours is diffuse (uniform light without harsh shadows), anti-drip (condensation does not fall on crops), anti-fog, and with a long-life UV treatment. In this guide, we explain how to install it correctly.
Product Specifications
Triple-layer polyethylene plastic, 200 µm thick (800 Gauge), with diffuse, anti-drip, anti-fog, and UV anti-aging treatment with a declared lifespan of 3 years under Caribbean sun. Available in four widths to match your greenhouse width, with a standard length of 50 m per roll.
| Specification | 4 m | 6 m | 8 m | 10 m |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SKU | 854790 | 707537 | 974976 | 576426 |
| Width × Length | 4 × 50 m | 6 × 50 m | 8 × 50 m | 10 × 50 m |
| Coverage | 200 m² | 300 m² | 400 m² | 500 m² |
| Thickness | 200 µm (800 Gauge) | |||
| Treatments | Diffuse, anti-drip, anti-fog, 3-year UV anti-aging | |||
Step-by-step installation guide
Installing the plastic is when the actual lifespan of the greenhouse is determined. Poor fastening leads to plastic wearing out from friction against the structure and breaking in less than a year.
Check the structure
Before unfurling the plastic, check the greenhouse structure: tubes without sharp edges, polished welds, no protruding screws. Any sharp metallic point will perforate the plastic after a few weeks. Cover edges with foam tape or plastic lining. Choose a dry, windless day for installation (strong winds during installation are dangerous) and ensure you have at least 2-3 people.
Unroll from one side
Position the roll parallel to one side of the greenhouse and start unrolling, passing the plastic over the roof. One person pulls the free end from the opposite side while another controls the roll at its origin. The correct orientation is: anti-drip side facing inwards (condensation drops slide down the wall instead of falling onto the crop).
Stretch evenly
With the plastic covering the roof, stretch it from the sides by gently pulling simultaneously from several points along the perimeter. Tension must be uniform: wrinkles indicate areas of friction that will break; too much tension can tear the plastic when the temperature changes between night and day.
Fasten with H-type profiles or ropes
Professional system: H-type aluminum profile on each arch with a closing spring that mechanically holds the plastic without perforating it. Economical system: polypropylene ropes crisscrossed in a zigzag between the arches, securing the plastic against the structure. Avoid screwing the plastic directly: each screw perforation is a future point of rupture.
Manage ventilation
A 100% sealed greenhouse cooks crops during midday hours. Plan for openings: roll-up ridge, side windows at the gables, or sections of the side that roll up with a crank. The ideal total ventilation height is equivalent to 15-25% of the roof area. Without this open fraction, your greenhouse goes from being a tool to a crop-destroying oven.
For Dominican territory, the critical factor is the interior temperature. Although diffuse plastic reduces direct radiation heating, in July and August the greenhouse can easily exceed 45 °C inside if ventilation is insufficient. Consider combining plastic with shade netting (40-50% shade) on the exterior during the hottest months: the crop breathes better and maintains productivity.
Do not use this greenhouse plastic as agricultural ground cover for mulching. These are different products: this is transparent diffuse to let light through, while agricultural ground plastic is opaque to block weeds and warm the soil. Confusing them ruins both applications. For mulching, use specific agricultural ground plastic.
What width for your greenhouse?
If you are dimensioning a greenhouse and are unsure what width of plastic you need based on light, height, and structure orientation, ask the virtual assistant. It will provide a calculation of useful width with a margin for perimeter fastening.
Complementary Products
A complete greenhouse combines the cover with interior floor elements and auxiliary fastening elements.
Weed control fabric is the interior floor covering of the greenhouse between crop lines: it blocks weeds and keeps the soil clean. Agricultural ground plastic is the alternative for mulching beds inside the greenhouse. Plastic clamps solve specific fastenings: irrigation hoses on the structure, sensors, stakes tied to roof guides.
Maintenance and care
Greenhouse plastic requires seasonal attention to achieve its maximum useful life:
- Roll storage: in a cool, dark, and rodent-free place. A roll exposed to the sun for months loses its useful life before reaching the structure.
- Monthly inspection: check fastening points and friction areas. A small tear (5-10 cm) can be repaired with specific greenhouse polyurethane tape (do not use standard adhesive tape, it won't withstand the sun). A larger tear requires replacing the panel.
- Dust and dirt cleaning: every 6 months, wash with a hose and neutral soapy water. Dust and salt decrease light transmittance and reduce productivity.
- Actual lifespan in Caribbean sun: 3 years declared without maintenance. With regular cleaning and fastening review, it reaches 4-5 years.
- Planned replacement: when the plastic yellows, loses transparency, and shows micro-cracks, schedule replacement. Waiting until it breaks can ruin a crop in full development.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why 200 µm and not thicker?
200 µm (Gauge 800) is the international standard thickness for warm tropical greenhouses. It provides sufficient mechanical resistance, adequate light transmittance (≈88%), and allows for on-site handling without special equipment. Thicker gauges (250-300 µm) are for areas with frequent hail or extreme sustained winds; in the Dominican climate, they are oversized and reduce useful light.
Can I leave the plastic installed during hurricanes?
It is not advisable: the plastic acts like a sail and can drag the entire structure. Before announced hurricanes, open all vents to equalize exterior-interior pressure, or dismantle the plastic and store it. Some growers roll the plastic up to the ridge and secure it there during the active hurricane season, leaving the structure bare.
What do I do with the plastic at the end of its useful life?
Greenhouse polyethylene is 100% recyclable. There are recycling plants that accept large quantities of used agricultural plastic and transform it into pellets for new products. Before discarding it as general waste, contact your nearest recycling center. The amount of plastic from a 500 m² greenhouse exceeds 100 kg: it is worth recycling.