Plastic and Sunlight

digitS'

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The companies suggest that UV-resistant plastic film be replaced every 4 years. That is probably a bit too short a time but not off by much.

Somewhere on TEG, I have pictures of my PVC garden and lawn sprinkler stands. So, how long does PVC last out in the sunlight?

The lawn sprinklers are drained and left on the east side of the house whenever not used including through the winter. I had the good sense to make them with the heavier grade PVC. Recently, I replaced the hose fitting on one of them. There was printing on the pipe.

I checked the internet. That hardware company went out of business in 1999! People have asked me how long these stands will stand up. Well, if I don't fall over them or put them away in the winter with some water left in them, it looks like 20 years plus!

Steve
 

digitS'

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Here is one of the lawn and flower bed sprinklers.

The sprinklers themselves may have all been replaced by now. I might even have put more than one threaded coupling on it - don't remember. One of the tall stands for the garden, I broke and repaired with a coupling.

20 years old pipe still intact:

DSC00078.JPG
Steve
 

flowerbug

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thin clear film i wouldn't expect to last more than 4-5yrs.

some black plastics we've had don't last long at all when exposed to the sun. 5yrs is pretty good. we have some layers under the rinsed crushed limestone that have been there for 20+yrs. it is no fun though to replace (i've done a few sections already).

the worst is when it begins to crumble and then you have to get all those pieces. that is the reason i don't like to use it at all.

for pipes above ground here the key likely parts of your longevity is the remembering to get the water out of them before the cold weather arrives and using a thicker grade.
 

digitS'

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I once put plastic film under two box frame planters. They were going over packed, depleted ground that was very infested with bind weed, quack grass and other perennial weeds. Of course, I tried to remove all those roots but ... A few years later, I was so happy to pull out that film!

Exposed to sunlight, Construction Grade film cannot survive 3 months of our summer.

key likely parts of your longevity is the remembering to get the water out of them before the cold weather arrives and using a thicker grade.
Yes. Thin grade pvc is so easy to break and -- ice will break either. Gotta get that water out for winter.

Steve
 

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