Greenhouse Film

Greenhouse film

When searching for greenhouse film on the internet, you will find a large number of different types, designs and also a lot of bluff packages. This does not necessarily make the process of finding the right film for your greenhouse any easier. We would therefore like to give you some decision-making aids and tips to make choosing the right garden film a little easier. We would also like to help you calculate the correct dimensions for your greenhouse film and give you a few tips on how best to attach the film to the greenhouse.

Am I in the right place to buy greenhouse film?

Do you need film for your greenhouse? Are you a commercial gardener, a hobby gardener looking for a greenhouse film for your garden or do you simply need an UV-resistant special film for a different purpose? The answer is: you've come to the right place if you need film for your greenhouse and you will get your money's worth, because our prices for plastic film are certainly very attractive. We have suitable producs for different customer groups. As a professional gardener you can order complete rolls of film in large widths and lengths, or as a hobby gardener you are more likely to be looking for a few running metres of garden film, since you probably want to build your own small greenhouse in your garden. We have many dimensions of greenhouse film available in the shop by the metre and you can order your desired size to the metre from a wide range of sizes and two qualities (very high and premium quality).

Grid film or greenhouse film?

In general, greenhouse film should be as transparent, translucent and clear as possible. For this reason, grid films are viewed critically because of their opacity. On less sunny days or seasons, grid films provide additional shading and deprive the plants of valuable sunlight. Arguments that grid film has a shading effect on hot days are invalidated when you observe how professionals deal with such situations. The professional gardener does not use grid film for three following reasons: price-performance ratio, transparency of the film and available widths of greenhouse film. The professional gardener acts as follows:

Film thickness for garden greenhouses

A film thickness of 200 my or 0.200 mm is perfectly suitable for all greenhouses, whether large or small. Today's greenhouse foils are extremely stable and tear-resistant. They are produced from the highest quality raw materials and surprise with the highest resistance at high temperatures and at low temperatures - also during storms and light hail. The picture shows a manual test of the forces a professional horticultural film can withstand. This is a piece of greenhouse film measuring 10 x 10 cm, which (depending on the temperature) can be stretched up to 100 cm without tearing. We are talking about a stretchability of 1000%. With this knowledge, even the most loyal grid film fan should think twice and use the much cheaper professional greenhouse film in future. It saves money and performs enormously well.

How do I calculate the right size for my greenhouse film?

If you are building the greenhouse yourself, use a tape measure or a simple string and measure all sides A, B, C, D, E, F (see sketch)

You need 2 pieces of greenhouse film for the gable ends (width x length of the film = F x E)
You need 1 piece of greenhouse film for the roof & eaves side (width x length of the film = A + B + C + A x D)

Assume the greenhouse has the following dimensions:
A = 2.0 m
B = 1.5 m
C = 1.5 m
D = 5.0 m
E = 2.5 m
F = 2.5 m

Calculation of the film sheets:
2 gable sides = F x E = width 2.5 length 2.5 m
1 eaves side + roof = A+B+C+A x D = length 7 m width 5 m

This means you would need the following sheets:
2 pieces 2.5 x 2.5 m
1 piece 5.0 x 7.0 m

Do not measure too tightly (for possible overlaps of the film strips)!

Calculating the film size for round polytunnels is much easier. Measure the round arch from start to finish to calculate the width of the film for the film tunnel. Now measure the length of the polytunnel. Now you only need to calculate the front sides of your polytunnel.

How do I order film by the metre?

If you require foils by the metre, first select the desired width and type (UV3 or UV5) in the overview. On the item page you will then find the option "Running Metre". You can select the required number of running metres via the order quantity.

For example, if you select the quantity of 3 pieces for the 2 m wide greenhouse film product, we will send you a piece of film measuring 2 x 3 metres. If you need another piece of film, you can add the same item with a different quantity (length) to your shopping basket.

How long is this film UV-resistant?

It is highly recommended to choose a garden film with high UV resistance. Modern garden films have a durability or guarantee of up to 5 years. Considering all the effort involved in researching on the Internet, processing the order, paying, unpacking, spreading, cutting the film, assembling or applying and processing the film, it actually seems logical to everyone to pay attention to the quality and not just the price. Professional garden film with a 5-year guarantee usually lasts much longer than the specified guarantee period. In addition, of course, you have to buy greenhouse film with a shorter shelf life twice or more often. So here is our rule of thumb for calculating the prices, without taking into account the effort involved in applying and processing the film, which of course also speaks in favor of UV 5 film.

What is UV10 greenhouse film?

Some suppliers offer greenhouse film labelled with UV10. This is to make you believe that the film has a UV resistance of 10 years. However, this is a deception. In this case, the number 10 stands for 10 seasons. You would have to remove the film from your greenhouse after use and reattach it to your greenhouse in the next period. We do not believe in such misleading descriptions, as they give the user a false "promise". Greenhouse film with a 10-year guarantee does not exist and is not technically feasible.

Comparison of grid films and greenhouse films

We generally recommend our transparent UV film. This can be justified by the following reasons:

• Transparency / light transmission: Garden film without grid has a higher transparency. More light reaches your "sun-hungry" plants. If it gets too hot, shading netting can help. Grid films also provide shade during periods of low sunlight. This is a disadvantage that should not be underestimated.
• Price: Grid film is significantly more expensive than greenhouse film.
• UV resistance: Professional film is highly UV-resistant - 5 years, grid film - 3 years.
• Tear resistance: Grid film is slightly ahead, but our transparent UV PE film is also extremely tear-resistant. For example, a 10 x 10 cm piece can be stretched by force to up to 70 cm without tearing. In any case, this is sufficient for a hobby greenhouse.
• Dimensions: Garden film without grid is available in many large film widths (by the metre up to 12 m). Grid film is available in 1.5 m to 4 m. The large film widths of our professional horticultural film can of course also be used as lengths. Therefore, almost any size is possible.

Fastening, repairing and connecting greenhouse film

Fastening greenhouse film

Fastening garden film or greenhouse film can be a headache. That's why we have some useful fastening options for you. We are also happy to give you an advice on how you can attach and process greenhouse film in a windproof and stable manner using very simple means.

TIP 1 - Wooden greenhouse / wooden substructure / attaching to wood

We generally do not recommend using staples. Staples are not ideally suited for professional fastening and stretching of film. Tacker needles are "sharp" and therefore tear out very quickly. We also do not consider sewing or stitching to be very sensible. This is certainly not a permanent solution. We recommend screwing a simple roof batten or wooden slat onto the wooden structure from above and "clamping" the greenhouse film in between. This ensures that the PE film is fully secured and does not tear, even in strong winds, hail or storms. This method is inexpensive and has proven itself in private greenhouse construction.

TIP 2 - Greenhouse with metal or plastic substructure / attaching to metal or plastic

Here, too, you should look for a way to screw the film firmly in place. With a little patience and craftsmanship, you can quickly drill holes in the substructure and use a wooden slat or metal rail to screw the film in place so that it is windproof.

TIP 3 - Greenhouse construction made from round tubes

For this purpose, we offer extremely inexpensive and practical Omega clips / pipe clips in 8 different diameters. This is a very quick and easy way to install and remove film.

TIP 4 - Any greenhouse substructures

Stretch a sturdy rope or expander rope across the roof from one side to the other to give the UV film additional support.

TIP 5 - Reinforcing the edge (double)

By double-layering the film for your greenhouse at the edges or at the point of attachment, you naturally also increase the tear resistance at this critical point.

Tip 6 - Reinforcing the edges with UV repair tape

You can also tape the edges with our special UV-resistant repair tape to reinforce them and significantly increase the tear resistance.

Tip 7 - Eyelets

Simple plastic eyelets can also be a useful aid in some areas. There are very practical eyelets that can be hammered in and attached without any special tools using pliers or a hammer. You will find a large selection of eyelets and other fastenings in our shop.

Tip 8 - Fastening film to the floor of the greenhouse

The simplest option is to bury the film in the lower area around the greenhouse. If you do not have "loose soil" around the greenhouse, the safest, most stable and cheapest option is to screw it down with "counter battens".

Greenhouse film repair

We can only recommend one option here: use only our special adhesive tape to repair minor damage and holes. Before bonding the film with the adhesive tape, clean the bonded areas with plain soapy water. Do not use any aggressive chemicals, as these can damage the greenhouse film.

Patching or gluing greenhouse film no longer makes sense once the UV film reaches a certain age. If your film is already getting on in years and UV damage is occurring in some places (film is becoming brittle and fragile), you can no longer stop the ageing process. Don't waste money on repair tape and check whether it makes sense to buy a new greenhouse film. After five years, a greenhouse film has paid for itself.

You won't find any liquid adhesives on the market, as PE films cannot be reliably bonded with liquid adhesives. Welding film is also not easy for a layperson, but it can be done with the right equipment.

Connecting greenhouse film

When choosing the size of the film, you should ensure that you have as few connecting pieces of film as possible. This is quite easy to achieve with a little planning. Usually one to three pieces of film are enough. If connecting film strips cannot be avoided, a "counter batten" is very suitable for connecting film strips together.

We recommend using our UV-stable repair tape and, if possible, sticking it to the film from both sides to achieve greater stability and ensure a secure hold. If the film is dirty, you can use simple soapy water to clean it so that it is clean and grease-free before it is repaired, connected and glued.

Build your own greenhouse: How much film do I need?

Are you planning to build a greenhouse yourself? Are you unsure which film size(s) you need? Then simply send us a small sketch with a request for help. We will help you to determine the dimensions of the film and will be happy to help you with the planning in order to minimise waste.

What dimensions is this UV-resistant film available in?

We offer our UV PE films in widths of 3.2 m, 4.5 m, 6 m and 8 m on rolls in lengths of 5, 10, 15, 25 and 50 metres. We offer greenhouse film in widths of 10 and 12 metres on rolls of 25 and 50 metres.

If you require an intermediate length (e.g. a length of 7 or 9 metres), you can order your individual length via the "Running Metre" option. We will then cut your greenhouse film to your desired dimensions.

From a complete roll of 50 metres, the product is significantly cheaper, as there is no customisation work involved. If you are looking for other widths, please contact us. We can certainly help you. The core diameter of the films is 76 mm.

What applications is this UV film suitable for?

Greenhouse films can be used in a variety of ways - in horticulture for professional greenhouses, in the garden for hobby greenhouses, cold frames, raised beds, wooden covers, temporary roofing of all kinds, sun sails, roof seals for buildings and garden sheds, etc.

The film is used as a very long-term outdoor cover for:

• Greenhouse / foil house / hothouse
• Cultivation house
• Lean-to greenhouse
• Small greenhouse / garden greenhouse
• Round arch greenhouse
• Cold frame
• Raised bed
• Tomato house / tomato greenhouse
• Caravan / caravan covers
• Tents / awnings
• Party canopies
• Wind protection

How is greenhouse film dispatched / delivered?

We cut film by the metre from large rolls at our warehouse according to customer requirements. We fold the film products, pack them neatly in boxes and send them to our customers by parcel service. Complete rolls weighing more than 30 kg are usually dispatched by a forwarding agent. We additionally protect the edges/outside of the rolls to prevent transport damage. Delivery to other countries is no problem, of course. We offer very favourable freight costs for shipments abroad.

What colours is the greenhouse film available in?

We only offer our professional greenhouse films in transparent and translucent versions, as any colouring of the film inevitably leads to a reduction in light transmission.

Polyethylene greenhouse film and environmental friendliness

Our greenhouse foils are made from environmentally friendly high-density polyethylene (LDPE). This plastic can be recycled and has no environmental impact when burned. When polyethylene is burned in energy recycling, low-pollutant combustion products such as water and carbon dioxide are released. The disposal of PE greenhouse film is therefore completely unproblematic.

Accessories and related products

• Grid film with and without nailed edges
• Fleece, such as garden fleece, weed fleece and frost fleece
• Shading nets
• Greenhouse adhesive tape / repair tape
• Foam tape for greenhouses
• Vario Quick plug-in elements
• Omega clips and eyelets
• Fabric tarpaulins

Your question is not answered yet?

We welcome you to contact us at any time for free and obligation-free advice. Contact us by phone, email, fax or visit us in Reutlingen. We look forward to hearing from you.

Request a free quote or consultation here

Alternatively, call us for fair and honest consultation: +49 7121 9118-49