Plastic sheeting is measured in mils.A mil is a measurement that equals one-thousandth of an inch, or 0.001 inch. One mil also equals 0.0254mm (millimeter). Thus a mil is not the same thickness as a millimeter. The term "mil" is not an abbreviation but a unit of measure.The chart below gives you an idea of mils to millimeters to inches. An every day trash bag ranges between 1.2 mils and 1.7 mils. A much stronger trash bag that offers better tear resistance is between 3 mils and 6 mils. A credit card is around 30 mils thick while a common deck of playing cards including the box is approximately .75 inches thick or 750 mils.
A digital micrometer can assess the thickness of various types of plastic sheeting. What gets interesting is if the plastic sheeting has string reinforcement known as scrim/ skrim or string. If the plastic is measuredover the scrim, them it will be thicker than if it is measured where there isn't any scrim. The scrim gives the plastic much more strength when it comes to tear and puncture resistance.
Heavy Duty Plastic Sheeting- what is it? It first boils down to what job will the plastic sheeting be required to perform? A six mil reinforced film can be considered "heavy duty" when it is used to cover a desk to keep it clear of dust. That same "heavy duty sheet" would not be strong enough to line a land fill. Understanding the strength and thickness of the film, it's composition and additives and chemical make-up as well as the job it has to perform will help determine if a film is fit for the job at hand. It is critical that the film not only be assessed on it's mil thickness. For example, if the film is in the sun, it needs UV protection additives to maintain its strength.
Thickness
Plastic Sheeting Mil Thickness Uses
1-2 mil
Economical/ light duty protection for indoor painting • Covering equipment • pallets • furniture during painting
3 mil
Self-Adhesive plastics for:Counters, Carpeting, Floors, Hardwood, Tile, Bath Tubs C&A Films: Painting, Covers (thickness equivalent is a plastic shopping bag)
6 Mil
Barge Liners/ Liners •Construction Enclosures•Temporary Erosion Control•Construction Enclosures • Remediation Covers
Temporary liners or Covers • Shipping and Packaging•Insulation Membranes • Curtains•Job Site Covers • Vapor Retarders • Lumber Covers • Cargo Wraps·Silage Covers • Greenhouse Plastic • Heat Shrink Wrap • Anti-Static Equipment Covers
8 Mil
Temporary walls, plant dividers, building enclosures and containment tents,Shipping container covers and liners,Floor covers, dust partitions and clean room enclosures,Pallet, cask and drum covers for outside storage,Pallet. Cable reel and drum covers for outside storage.,Architectural vapor retarder in walls and ceilings and in roofing systems.
10 Mil
Pond/Canal Linings • Outdoor Coverings • Remediation Liners • Cargo Oil Field Pit Liners • Silage Covers• Unexposed lining applications Construction Enclosures • Vapor Retarders • Asbestos Abatements • Fumigation Covers•Insulation Membranes • Temporary Walls-Curtains • Job Site Coverings • Temporary Wall Remediation Covers• Temporary Erosion Control -Thickness equivalent would be 10 sheets of paper.
12 Mil
Daily Land fill Covers • Cargo Covering • Interim Landfill Covers• Remediation Covers or Liners • Outdoor Covers •Temporary Rainshed Covers
14 Mil
Protective Coverings for decks on Navy ships, Coast Guard Fleet, Megayachts, Commercial Flooring, Hospitals, Laboratories, Government Facilities, and Power plants.
15 Mil
Under-slab Vapor Barrier • Foundation Wall Vapor Barrier
20 Mil
Aquaponics liners • Vapor Retarders • Daily Landfill Covers • Interim Landfill Caps • Erosion Control Cover • Under-slab Vapor Retarders • Earthen Liners • Grain Storage
24 Mil
Hay Covers
30 Mil
Containment Liners • Oilfield Pit Liners • Fish Hatchery Liners • Canal Liners • Interim Landfill Covers • Outdoor Covers
Root barrier, pit liners, soil remediation, canal liner
