Shrink wrap becomes drum-tight once heated and it moulds right away to a structure or building. It doesn’t flap in the wind, providing containment and protection on scaffolding or wherever it’s applied. This holds true when the shrink wrap is installed correctly. Otherwise, problems will arise, and it may not work as intended.
This guide comes in handy in situations like this. It lists common issues and how they occur. Plus, some tips to help you solve them, saving you time and hassle.
1. Shrink Wrap Welds Coming Loose
There are many possible reasons why welds can come apart after you’ve welded shrink wrap around the scaffold. But it all boils down to how the material is soldered.
In its basic form, shrink wrap is a polyethylene film. When you put it over scaffold tubes and use your shrink gun with regulator and hose, it will shrink to fit really tightly. This creates a taut covering that makes the shrink wrap so robust. It’s also often heat welded to other sheets along their edges to create a continuously bonded skin around the entire scaffolding.
The weld can weaken if there isn’t enough heat applied to the edges, or they are wet or contain debris before welding. In return, they’ll lose their tension and may start flapping or get blown off in strong winds.
The solution
Let qualified and trained operatives get the job done. Their expertise ensures proper use of shrink guns, so they won’t leave the shrink wrap with wrinkles or air bubbles that would weaken the bond.
SP Group offers shrink wrapping courses to help contractors upskill their employees and maintain high-quality standards for their business.
2. Shrink Wrap Films Tearing Up
While hot air passes over, tiny holes may appear and grow larger as the film shrinks and pulls them apart. This usually happens due to improper handling of the shrink wrap before installation. For instance, the roll might be dragged on the ground, dropped repeatedly, or snagged on scaffold fittings as it’s pulled over the structure for installation.
The solution
Handle the wrap carefully and avoid getting it caught or entangled on a sharp edge until it’s heat-welded into position. You can also ask your supplier to individually wrap the rolls for added protection. SP Group can offer you this service—just leave a note when ordering. Our 5-star customer service team is also available for any further questions.
3. Visible Thin Patches on Shrink Wrap
You may notice thinner or transparent areas in the film after it has shrunk in place. They tend to be more visible from the inside when light shines through from the outside. This usually occurs when the installer applies hot air to the shrink wrap film inconsistently or excessively. In return, it causes the plastic to become too thin and might even lead to holes.
The solution
The installer must maintain a 30 to 40-cm distance when applying heat to the sheeting. This allows the heat from the weld gun to pass through consistently. Also, make sure the weather conditions are suitable when installing the shrink wrap. You wouldn’t want to continue in winds exceeding 20mph, or the effort will be wasted!
Tips: Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), such as heatproof leather gloves or scaffold gloves, is recommended. If any holes appear, they should be covered with shrink wrap patch tape.
We’ve just looked at the most common scaffold shrink wrap problems and ways to solve them, and we hope this guide will help you tackle these issues if they arise.
Shrink wrap is one of the effective means of Safegard scaffold protection, alongside FR debris netting and scaffold sheeting. If you have more questions about this monarflex alternative, contact us at +44 (028) 9442 8611. SP Group is a scaffold supplier based in the UK and Ireland.