What do the Thais commonly use this ribbed plastic sheet for?

[giddyup]

I bought a big sheet of this from Baan and Beyond, probably 8X5 feet for 119 baht, (630 baht at Thai Watsadu), it's to block the rain from coming into our laundry. It's only about 3mm thick and pretty flexible. It's available in most big hardware stores and comes in a few different colours, and there's usually a lot of it so it must be commonly used, but what for, besides what I'm using it for?

 

[RichCor]

It's commonly used as construction and crafting material.

 

If you do an Internet search on it you'll find it's like asking 'how long is a piece of string'.

[giddyup]

11 minutes ago, RichCor said:

It's commonly used as construction and crafting material.

 

If you do an Internet search on it you'll find it's like asking 'how long is a piece of string'.

Like what in construction, it's not that strong, and both Thai Watsadu and Baan and Beyond keep literally hundreds of sheets, so there must be a fair turnover.

[RichCor]

Mostly temporary indoor construction, where some type of cheap semi-rigid lightweight lowcost barrier material is needed (an alternative to using a piece of cardboard, pane of glass, or sheet of plywood; especially where something thicker than film sheet plastic is needed).

 

You're correct in saying it doesn't have the same strength properties as other temporary conventional construction materials so used mostly as a space separator and not weight or load bearing capacities -- but I have seen them cut and folded into box shapes for storing or transporting items. 

 

It's really too flexibly used here to give it even a top 10 single-use designation.

 

  

 

[bankruatsteve]

We have used it to line chicken nest boxes and rig up as protective cover for weather.  They don't last long though.

[giddyup]

2 hours ago, bankruatsteve said:

We have used it to line chicken nest boxes and rig up as protective cover for weather.  They don't last long though.

Yeah, I was a bit worried about that as I've used it as a rain protection for a laundry window. At least they are cheap enough to replace.

[kamalabob2]

It is often used in arts and crafts school projects. 

[Greenside]

 

21 minutes ago, kamalabob2 said:

It is often used in arts and crafts school projects. 

I think you are confusing this with Futureboard which is available from art supply shops as well as DIY outlets.

 

The stuff the OP is asking about, along with acres of green or black shade netting, is an essential part of the standard "modifications" that are the first thing locals do to any shiny new moobaan house the moment they move in.  The two metre (if you're lucky) gap between houses is clearly unnecessary, as is the front garden, but a few rough wooden posts, some cellophane string and a plastic cable tie or two is all that's needed to transform all that wasted space into a nice, damp junk filled eyesore and if the neighbours complain it can be more or less covered up with the addition of a picturesque vinyl Lactasoy banner or two.

 

Even a the architect of a low end developer must have nightmares about it....

Edited July 17, 2020 by Greenside

[Metropolitian]

The one in the picture are mostly used as shades.

And the thin one for arts/crafts and advertising sheets.

 

     

 

At Global:

 

 

 

[fredob43]

On ‎7‎/‎18‎/‎2020 at 9:24 PM, Metropolitian said:

The one in the picture are mostly used as shades.

And the thin one for arts/crafts and advertising sheets.

 

     

 

At Global:

 

 

 

There are two types of this plastic sheeting. The stuff they sell in Global and the likes is normally the cheap stuff. Cheep ones will last around 3 years max before it cracks and lets water and dirt in. There is a better type at double the price. (Has a so called 10 year guarantee) It will last a lot longer than the cheep stuff, But I have found that even that only last 5/6 year Max. 

Our last lot would have lasted much longer if it hadn't been buggered by golf ball size Hailstones. Why do we use it two reasons it lets the light in and bends. Covers the pond, part of the Carport and other bit's to keep the sun/rain off.

 

Now about to replace with a new type small corrugated ones. How long that will last Buddha only knows.     

Edited July 20, 2020 by fredob43

[fredob43]

26 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

There are two types of this plastic sheeting. The stuff they sell in Global and the likes is normally the cheap stuff. Cheep ones will last around 3 years max before it cracks and lets water and dirt in. There is a better type at double the price. (Has a so called 10 year guarantee) It will last a lot longer than the cheep stuff, But I have found that even that only last 5/6 year Max. 

Our last lot would have lasted much longer if it hadn't been buggered by golf ball size Hailstones. Why do we use it two reasons it lets the light in and bends. Covers the pond, part of the Carport and other bit's to keep the sun/rain off.

 

Now about to replace with a new type small corrugated ones. How long that will last Buddha only knows.     

Update on above post. (AS USUAL TVF WONT LET ME EDIT) Couple of quick snaps to show what I have done. It does help a lot with heat in rooms. The bit extending the Car port & to the right is there mainly for rain. I don't do getting wet when I get out of my lump or unloading from the boot/Trunk.

 

There is also a bit to the left of C/Port that covers the pond, stops it from going green.

The one on the side shows the dirt that has got in due to holes in it. C/P one is just as bad but doesn't show that much in snap.

 

All works for me but it as said doesn't last for more the 5 year Max. So be prepare to fork out a fare bit of cash every few years. In my case it around 9/10k THB per year. N/B that's only for the plastic at the front not the side.  

 

 

Edited July 20, 2020 by fredob43

[fredob43]

20 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

Update on above post. (AS USUAL TVF WONT LET ME EDIT) Couple of quick snaps to show what I have done. It does help a lot with heat in rooms. The bit extending the Car port & to the right is there mainly for rain. I don't do getting wet when I get out of my lump or unloading from the boot/Trunk.

 

There is also a bit to the left of C/Port that covers the pond, stops it from going green.

The one on the side shows the dirt that has got in due to holes in it. C/P one is just as bad but doesn't show that much in snap.

 

All works for me but it as said doesn't last for more the 5 year Max. So be prepare to fork out a fare bit of cash every few years. In my case it around 9/10k THB per year. N/B that's only for the plastic at the front not the side.  

 

 

Tried to edit yet again, but no joy. (THANK YOU TVF) The plastic sheets in global and the likes are already cut to size. But all this plastic sheeting is available at smaller shops (Has to be ordered) comes at 2.10MT wide and up to 6MT long. That way if you have to have longer like I do you can fit it in one piece.