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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the point of a clear tarp?
Light through, weather out.
An opaque cover creates a dark enclosure.
A clear one keeps the space usable.
Temporary weather protection during construction is the main use.
Growing applications use the same property differently.
Every application depends on that combination rather than on one or the other.
Where is it used in construction?
Scaffold sheeting, temporary glazing and enclosures around work areas.
A building sheeted in clear material stays weathertight.
Daylight continues to reach the work inside.
That matters for the people working there.
It also reduces temporary lighting requirements.
Unglazed openings can be closed without darkening the building.
Is light transmission a real specification?
Yes, and it is not a binary property.
Materials vary considerably in how much light they pass.
They also vary in whether that light is diffused or direct.
Diffusion frequently matters more than raw transmission for growing.
Diffused light reaches lower foliage more evenly.
Published transmission figures allow the comparison to be made properly.
How long does it last in sunlight?
Not long untreated, which is the irony of the material.
It is chosen for exactly the sunlight that destroys it.
Untreated clear polyethylene yellows and becomes brittle within a season.
UV-stabilised grades last substantially longer.
They are the only sensible choice for anything left in place.
Yellowing also reduces the light transmission the material was chosen for.
What does reinforcement change?
It adds a scrim within the material, trading transmission for tear strength.
Transmission drops slightly.
Tear strength increases considerably.
On anything exposed to wind that trade is usually worth making.
Unreinforced clear film tears from a small puncture very readily.
Scaffold and exposed applications generally specify reinforced material.
Can it be used for growing?
Yes - greenhouse covers, polytunnels and crop protection all use it.
Plants underneath depend on light transmission.
Diffusion and transmission are both specified.
Anti-drip and thermal properties are frequently included too.
Service life is specified in growing seasons rather than years.
Horticultural grades differ meaningfully from general-purpose clear sheeting.
Does it need particular fixing?
The same tensioning discipline as any tarp, and reinforcement at fixings.
Wind loads clear sheeting exactly as it loads opaque material.
Flapping destroys it quickly.
Eyelets and reinforced hems concentrate and spread load as usual.
Scaffold sheeting has its own fixing requirements.
Those are frequently prescribed by the scaffold design rather than chosen.