6 Best Wind Resistant Greenhouse Plastic For Exposed Farms That Lasts Seasons
For exposed farms, choosing the right plastic is key. We review the 6 best wind-resistant films, focusing on durability to last multiple seasons.
There’s no sound quite like a greenhouse plastic sheet whipping in a 40-mile-per-hour gust, except maybe the sound of it tearing free from the frame moments later. If your farm is on an open prairie, a coastal plot, or a windy hillside, you know that standard greenhouse film is often a losing bet. Choosing the right plastic isn’t just about keeping the weather out; it’s about protecting your investment and ensuring your season isn’t cut short by a single storm.
Set up this portable 8x6 EAGLE PEAK greenhouse in seconds thanks to its innovative pop-up design. The durable steel frame and premium PE cover create a stable environment for plants with zippered doors and mesh windows for easy access and ventilation.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Thank you!
Understanding Plastic for High-Wind Locations
Not all greenhouse plastic is created equal, especially when wind is your primary enemy. The first thing people look at is thickness, measured in "mils." While a 6-mil film is a good standard, thickness alone doesn’t guarantee wind resistance. The material’s composition and construction matter far more.
The real difference lies in single-layer versus woven or reinforced films. A single-layer polyethylene film, even a thick one, can get a small puncture from flying debris that quickly becomes a massive tear in high winds. Woven or rip-stop films, on the other hand, contain a grid of stronger threads that stop tears from spreading, buying you precious time to make repairs.
There’s always a tradeoff between strength and light transmission. The toughest, most reinforced materials might diffuse light more or have slightly lower overall transmission rates. For most crops, this is a minor issue compared to the catastrophic failure of a weaker film. The key is to understand that you’re choosing a film for its structural integrity first and its optical properties second.
Tufflite IV Woven Film for Superior Strength
When you need something that simply refuses to tear, woven film is the answer. Tufflite IV is a standout in this category because it’s built less like a sheet and more like a fabric. It’s made from woven ribbons of polyethylene that are then coated on both sides.
This construction gives it incredible tear strength. If a branch pokes a hole in it during a storm, the hole stays a hole. The weave contains the damage, preventing it from running the entire length of your high tunnel. For anyone who has watched a small rip turn into a shredded roof in minutes, this feature is a game-changer. It’s a multi-season film designed to take a beating and keep on protecting your crops.
Sun Master Super-4: The Rip-Stop Solution
Sun Master Super-4 offers a slightly different approach to the same problem. Instead of a fully woven fabric, it’s a high-quality polyethylene film with a reinforcing grid embedded within it. This is true "rip-stop" technology, similar to what you’d find in high-end tents or sails.
The advantage here is a fantastic balance of strength and clarity. You get excellent tear resistance from the reinforcement grid, but the film between the grid lines is crystal clear, allowing for maximum light transmission. This makes it an ideal choice for growers in windy locations who are also trying to maximize winter light for early-season starts or overwintering greens. It’s a robust, reliable film that doesn’t compromise on plant health.
Ginegar Sun Selector 4-Year for Durability
Ginegar is a name you hear when people talk about top-tier films. Their strength comes not from a woven grid, but from advanced manufacturing. They use a five-layer co-extrusion process, which essentially fuses five different layers of plastic together, each engineered for a specific purpose.
This multi-layer construction provides exceptional resistance to punctures, tears, and the general fatigue caused by constant wind buffeting. It’s incredibly tough. While it might not stop a tear from running quite like a woven film, its initial strength makes those tears far less likely to happen in the first place. This is a premium film for growers who want long-term durability and excellent light properties without a woven pattern.
FarmTek Dura-Film Super 4: A Reliable Choice
Sometimes, you just need a dependable workhorse from a company that understands farm structures. FarmTek’s Dura-Film Super 4 is a widely available and trusted 6-mil, 4-year film that gets the job done. It’s a high-quality single-layer film, but its strength lies in its excellent UV stabilization package and quality control.
Wind damage often starts after the sun has done its work. UV radiation breaks down plastic, making it brittle and weak over time. A film with a superior UV package, like this one, retains its strength and flexibility for its full rated lifespan. For farms with consistent, but not hurricane-force, winds, this is often the most practical and cost-effective solution. It’s the reliable baseline against which other, more specialized films are measured.
BTL Armorlon AT-160 for Extreme Conditions
If your farm is in a location where the wind is truly relentless, you may need to look beyond traditional greenhouse plastics. BTL’s Armorlon is a woven, coated material that is more akin to an industrial tarp or pond liner. Its strength is absolutely phenomenal.
This is a choice you make when survival of the structure is the only thing that matters. The tradeoff is significant: light transmission is much lower than any dedicated greenhouse film. You wouldn’t use this for growing light-hungry summer crops. But for an overwintering structure, a barn-style high tunnel for equipment storage, or a greenhouse in an alpine pass, its brute strength is unmatched. It’s an extreme solution for extreme environments.
Palram Sunlite Panels: A Rigid Alternative
If you’re tired of replacing film altogether, the best "plastic" might not be a film at all. Polycarbonate panels, like Palram’s Sunlite series, offer a rigid, long-term solution. These twin-wall or multi-wall panels are incredibly strong and impact-resistant, shrugging off wind, hail, and snow loads that would destroy a film-covered structure.
The wind resistance of panels is inherent to their design—they can’t flap or whip. They are fastened directly to the frame, creating a solid, unified structure. This rigidity also provides superior insulation, helping you moderate temperatures more effectively than with a single layer of film.
Of course, the investment is much higher. You’ll spend significantly more on panels than on film, and they require a sturdy, square frame for proper installation. But if you plan on being in place for a decade or more, the cost of re-skinning a film greenhouse every four years can start to catch up. Panels are a permanent solution, not a seasonal replacement.
Installation Tips for Maximum Wind Resistance
The best wind-resistant plastic in the world will fail if it’s installed improperly. A loose, flapping sheet of plastic is a sail, and it will fatigue and tear itself apart at the attachment points. The single most important goal is to get the film drum-tight.
To achieve this, follow a few key rules. First, use a proper lock channel and wiggle wire (also called spring wire) system. Stapling film under wooden battens creates pressure points and invites tears. Lock channels distribute the stress evenly along the entire length of the frame. For extremely windy sides, don’t be afraid to use two pieces of wiggle wire side-by-side in the same channel for double the grip.
Second, timing is everything. Install your plastic on a calm, sunny, and warm day. The heat makes the film more pliable, allowing you to stretch it tight over the frame. As it cools in the evening, it will shrink slightly, creating that perfect, unshakeable tension. A tight film sheds wind instead of catching it. Finally, make sure your structure itself is sound and well-anchored. The plastic is only as strong as the bows and purlins it’s attached to.
Choosing the right covering for a greenhouse in an exposed location is a critical decision that balances strength, light, and budget. Whether you opt for a tear-proof woven film, a durable multi-layer plastic, or a permanent rigid panel, the investment pays off in peace of mind. Remember, the material you choose is only half the battle; a tight, secure installation is what will truly see you through the seasons.
