The Toughest Plastics in Construction!
Did you know that the construction sector is the second highest user of plastic after packaging? You don’t really to expect to find plastic in your home or in the building where you work. Yet various types of plastics are being used in the construction industry, from PVC for pipes and conduit, to flute board for waterproofing barriers.
Plastics are used widely in the construction industry due to a range of benefits they provide, such as excellent strength to weight ratio, reduced costs, low maintenance, and corrosion resistance among others. The main areas of application for plastics are piping, cladding and profiles, insulation, seals and gaskets, and base for adhesives and sealants.
In the last years, recycled plastic materials have started to represent an increasing percentage of overall production of plastic for construction, helping to solve the global problem of the disposal of plastics.
Plastic Materials Used in Construction
A large variety of plastics are used in construction, with the most popular being the following:
Flute Board
Flute board, also known as fluted polypropylene. This product is a hollowed fluted plastic board made from polypropylene. One of its versions is print grade flute board, which is specifically developed to meet the needs of print and signage companies for various digital printing and laminating processes. Packing grade flute board, on the other hand, is used for surface protection, packaging, and concrete forming.
Advantages of flute board include:
- Fully recyclable;
- Lightweight material;
- Resistant to water, chemicals, and impact;
- Low price and durability;
- Easy to print on;
- Having improved UV resistance which makes it suitable for outdoor applications.
Flute board is used as floor protection on building sites, for reinforcing and insulating layers, for knockdown boxes, and for point-of-sale displays.
Corrugated Flute Board
Corrugated flute board is actually called twin wall polypropylene sheeting. This type of material can be cut to size to obtain products that are both strong and durable.
Main benefits of corrugated flute board are:
- Non-toxic;
- High impact resistant;
- Hygienic;
- Water resistant;
- Chemical resistant;
- Weatherproof;
- 100% recyclable.
Typical applications for corrugated flute board include: signage, display stands, packaging, surfaces, and protection.
Acrylic Cut-to-Size
Acrylic sheet cut-to-size represents a large part of the market share in the construction industry. Acrylic is known under various different brand names and is found in multiple forms, such as clear Perspex sheet cut to size. It is a versatile, transparent thermoplastic, with excellent optical properties and resilience to impact and scratch. Unlike glass, it conducts light better and shatters into large, dull parts in case of large impact.
Properties that make acrylic sheet cut to size the perfect option for applications such as roofing and greenhouse construction are:
- Flexibility and elongation;
- Carbonation resistance;
- Environmental friendliness;
- Stability to ultraviolet radiation;
- Excellent adhesion.
Composites
A composite material is a one which is composed of two or more different materials. Joining these materials together produces a unique finished product that boasts different material properties to those that each material began with.
Advantages of plastic composite materials such as Kevlar, PVC polyester, FRP (fibre-reinforced polymer) and other such materials are:
- Improved resistance and durability;
- Can be made fire resistant;
- Low maintenance;
- Lightweight composition;
- Availability in different colours, textures, and shapes.
One of the latest trends in the construction sector is represented by biocomposites, an important part of the green building movement. They enable the construction of green buildings, which are environmentally friendly, healthy to live and work in, and economically viable.
Polycarbonate
Polycarbonate or PC is an amorphous thermoplastic which is naturally transparent. Main reasons why polycarbonate is being used in construction include:
- Flexibility
PC can be formed into multiple shapes and structures.
- Withstanding shock and fracture
Polycarbonate sheets have a higher impact resistance compared to glass. This makes PC easier to transport and install. It does not become brittle with age, enabling constructors to avoid high maintenance and repair costs.
- Two times lighter than glass
Polycarbonate lowers construction costs as it weighs less than glass, reducing the size of foundations and structural members.
- Excellent insulating properties
Polycarbonate is a popular choice for cladding and roofing, with multiwall PC sheets doing even a better job at improving thermal performance as it creates additional air pockets around buildings.
- Light transmittance
Forget about yellowing and hazed plastic, which happens with GRP. PC sheeting is treated with UV protection to extend its life and reduce glare.
PVC
PVC (abbreviation for polyvinyl chloride) accounts for approximately 20% of all plastic manufactured around the world.
There are two main types of PVC: rigid and flexible. Rigid PVC is intrinsic flame retardant offers good electrical insulation and vapor barrier properties, but becomes brittle at 5°C (when not modified with impact modifiers and/or processing aids). Flexible PVC is easier to process than rigid PVC and has good resistance to corrosive inorganic chemicals. Disadvantages include that it tends to degrade at high temperatures and its properties can change in time because of plasticiser migration.
PVC applications include: window and door profiles, pipes, fittings, wiring and cables, internal and external cladding, ducting, flooring, roofing membranes, and wall coverings.
Polypropylene
Polypropylene is a synthetic textile material originally developed by the American corporation Phillips Petroleum in 1951.
Its properties include:
- Chemically inert;
- Mould resistant;
- Heat resistant;
- Accepting colour and dye without degrading;
- Inexpensive;
- Does not contain bisphenol A.
This material is used in a variety of plastic building materials products that need to withstand heat, fatigue, and shatter, such as carpeting, piping systems, electrical cable insulation, and plastic machine parts.
Polyethylene
Polyethylene is most commonly used in packaging due to properties such as:
- High ductility;
- Low friction;
- Good electrical insulator.
Its two main disadvantages, however, are being no-biodegradable and having a low melting point (around 80 °C).
Common applications of polyethylene in construction include:
- Protection for materials and sealants;
- Damp-proof membranes;
- Lining material for foundations;
- Concrete protection during the curing process;
- Temporary flashing material for door and windows.
Expanded Polystyrene
Expanded polystyrene or ESP foam is a lightweight, closed cell insulation providing the following benefits:
- Resistance to heat flow;
- Energy efficiency;
- Strength;
- Sustainability;
- Hygienic as it does not encourage the growth of bacteria;
- Low cost;
- Being environmentally friendly as it has always been CFC- and HCFC-free.
In the construction industry, expanded polystyrene is mainly used for exterior insulation and finish due to its high energy efficiency. It is also a part of structural insulated panels that can be used to build exterior walls, roofs, ceilings, and floors.
ETFE
ETFE stands for ethylenetetrafluoroethylene and consists of the modified copolymers of ethylene and tetrafluroethylene. It has the appearance of a flexible film, which makes it suitable for curved transparent facades.
Properties of ETFE include:
- Nor degrading under UV light;
- Resistant to weather and pollution;
- Being self-cleaning;
- East to repair by fixing tears with welding replacement patches;
- 100% recyclable;
- Its manufacturing process does not require the use of solvents.
Typical uses of ETFE include: covering electrical wiring in conditions of high stress, for wall coverings, being installed as a thermoplastic liner in pipes for corrosion and heat protection, and solar panel applications.
How the Construction Industry Benefits from the Use of Plastics
Plastics have gained a prominent role in constructions near to metal, glass, masonry, and wood due to their immense benefits:
- Durability
Some plastics can be stronger than certain materials, including metals.
- Low Cost
Many plastic materials are economical, lowering the costs of construction projects;
- Recyclable
Some plastics can be recycled completely without losing their properties.
- Saving Energy
Because plastic consumes less heat than metal, they help with improving the energy efficiency of buildings.
- Easy to Transport and Install
Plastics are lightweight so they allow quick and easy installation. Transportation is easier and also cheaper as the weight of plastic materials is lower.
Do you require construction materials made from plastic, such as acrylic cut to size? Plastic Online is a plastic fabrication company providing a full turn-key service from design to manufacture. Contact us for the highest quality flute board and a variety of other plastic materials!
