A greenhouse cover is the cheapest square foot of that structure and the only one the crop sees every hour of every day. We co-extrude greenhouse film in three layers with UV, IR and anti-condensate packages, and we ship it to growers and distributors across the US greenhouse belt from California to Michigan to the Southeast. Here is the buying conversation, minus the confusion that costs growers a season.
What 6 mil with a real UV package means
The "6 mil" is thickness; the UV package is what separates a one-season sheet from a four-season cover. Our standard film carries UV stabilization rated for multi-year exposure under US sun loads, and we back it with a written pro-rata warranty against UV degradation. Ask any supplier the same question: what exactly does the warranty say, and is it in the PO or in a brochure? Cheap film with no UV package looks identical on day one and is brittle confetti by month fourteen, which is a lesson too many growers have paid for once.
The additive conversation, in grower terms
- IR blocking: keeps night heat in the house. In Michigan and Ohio winters this is fuel money; in mild climates it still flattens the night temperature dip that stresses starts.
- Anti-condensate (AC): makes condensate sheet instead of drip. Drip water spreads disease and burns leaf where it lenses sunlight. AC treatment is the single most requested upgrade from growers who have lived with drip for a season.
- Diffused light: scatters direct sun deeper into the canopy. Lettuce, leafy greens and ornamentals respond visibly; fruiting crops vary, so ask us by crop.
Single or double layer inflated?
Double poly with an inflated gap between layers is the US workhorse: roughly 20 to 40 percent better heat retention than single layer, at the cost of a blower and a little light loss. Most gutter-connect and gothic houses run double 6 mil. Single layer suits high tunnels, shade houses and seasonal structures. We slit film to your house width with extra for lock-channel tuck, so crews are not fighting short sheets on install day.
Indicative pricing and logistics
Film prices by weight, which converts to roughly $0.09 to $0.16 per square foot FOB India for standard 6 mil 4-season construction, with IR and AC packages at the upper end. A 40-ft container carries 20 to 22 tons; a typical 30x96 high tunnel re-cover uses a few hundred pounds of film, so distributors consolidate many houses per container. Production is 2 to 4 weeks depending on width and additive package; ocean transit 4 to 6 weeks East or West Coast.
Grower questions we get in spring
How long does install season stock last?
Film stores for years if kept cool, dark and rolled. Distributors who pre-buy in winter for spring demand avoid the resin-driven price bumps that show up mid-season.
Can we get it in white or with shading built in?
Yes, white-over-crop and cooling films with different light transmission are standard options; tell us the crop and region and we will suggest transmission numbers instead of guessing.
Widths, additive packages and warranties are on the Greenhouse Film page. For ground-level covers see the mulch film guide and silage wrap for dairies.
