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Sheeting / Containment & Vapor Barrier
Dura Skrim
String-reinforced polyethylene sheeting for containment, covers, liners, and crawlspace vapor barriers — clear, fire-retardant, and white/black grades from 5 to 12 mil. Free shipping.
Dura Skrim is a string-reinforced polyethylene sheeting that sandwiches a high-strength scrim between two layers of poly film, so a puncture or nick can't run into a long tear the way it does with ordinary plastic sheeting. UV inhibitors give roughly a year of outdoor life, which is why it's the go-to for construction containment, abatement enclosures, vapor barriers, water and erosion containment, equipment covers, and agricultural covers — in clear, fire-retardant, and white/black grades.
What Is Dura Skrim?
Dura Skrim is a string-reinforced polyethylene sheeting. Unlike ordinary plastic sheeting, it sandwiches a high-strength scrim — a grid of polyethylene cords — between two layers of poly film. When the film is punctured or nicked, that scrim surrounds the damage and stops a tear from running, which is exactly what you want on a job site where accidental contact is a given. Both outer layers carry UV inhibitors and thermal stabilizers, so the material holds up to roughly a year of outdoor exposure without going brittle.
That combination of tear resistance and UV life is why Dura Skrim shows up on construction enclosures, abatement projects, vapor barriers, erosion and water containment, equipment covers, and agricultural covers. The single biggest decision is the grade, because it sets the color, the fire rating, and how tough the film is.
Interactive Tool
Build Your Roll List with the Dura Skrim Product Selector
Add each area you need to cover, match it to the right grade — clear, fire-retardant, or white/black — pick the mil and roll width, and build a live parts list with current pricing you can add to cart in one click.
Open the Product SelectorClear vs. Fire-Retardant vs. White/Black
The part numbers look cryptic but follow a simple pattern: the number after the "R" is roughly the mil thickness, and the letters describe the film — "CC" is clear, "CCU" is UV-stabilized clear, "CCF" adds a fire-retardant formulation, and "WBK" is white-on-one-side, black-on-the-other. So R5CC is 5 mil clear, R10CCF is 10 mil fire-retardant clear, and R12WBK is 12 mil white/black.
Clear (R5CC, R10CCU)
Translucent film that lets light through — the everyday choice for general containment, covers, liners, and water containment.
Fire-Retardant (R5CCF, R10CCF)
Clear film engineered to meet or exceed the NFPA 701 flame test. Required for occupied buildings, scaffolding enclosures, and abatement.
White/Black (R6WBK, R8WBK, R12WBK)
Opaque film — white on one side, black on the other — that blocks light. The choice for vapor barriers, crawlspaces, and ag covers.
Rule of thumb: clear for general containment and covers, fire-retardant where building or fire code requires it, and white/black anywhere you need to block light — most often crawlspace vapor barriers and agricultural covers.
Understanding Mil Thickness
Mil measures the film's thickness — one mil is one-thousandth of an inch — and it's the simplest way to compare how heavy-duty a roll is. A higher mil means a thicker, tougher film that resists tears and punctures and lasts longer under abuse and exposure.
| Thickness | Duty Level | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 5–6 mil | Standard duty | Everyday covers, liners, containment, and most vapor barriers |
| 8 mil | Heavy duty | Demanding crawlspace and cover jobs with more wear |
| 10–12 mil | Maximum duty | Long exposure, high traffic, rough surfaces, and long-term encapsulation |
Heavier film costs more and is a little stiffer to handle, so step up in mil when the application demands it rather than by default. For most covers and barriers, 5 to 6 mil does the job.
Roll Widths & How Much You Need
Every Dura Skrim roll is 100 feet long; what you choose is the width. Widths run from about 6 feet up to 60 feet depending on the grade, so the goal is to pick the width that covers your span with the fewest seams.
Measure the area you need to cover, choose the width closest to your span, and add a little for overlap where two panels meet — roughly 6 to 12 inches. For a clean, continuous barrier, seam the panels together with Butyl Seam Tape.
Dura Skrim as a Crawlspace Vapor Barrier
One of the most common reasons people buy Dura Skrim is crawlspace encapsulation, and the white/black grades — R6WBK, R8WBK, and R12WBK — are built for it. The reinforcement resists tears as you drag the material across piers and footings and during later foot traffic, the opaque film blocks light, and the heavier mils stand up to long-term ground contact. For under-slab and crawlspace work, choose your mil based on how much traffic and wear the barrier will see, seal the seams and any pipe penetrations with the appropriate tape, and lap the material up the foundation walls.
The Grades at a Glance
| Grade | Film | Fire Rated | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| R5CC | Clear, 5 mil | No | General covers, liners, containment |
| R10CCU | Clear, 10 mil (UV) | No | Heavy-duty clear containment and covers |
| R5CCF | Clear, 5 mil | Yes (NFPA 701) | Fire-code enclosures and abatement |
| R10CCF | Clear, 10 mil | Yes (NFPA 701) | Heavy-duty fire-rated enclosures |
| R6WBK | White/black, 6 mil | No | Crawlspace barriers, ag and light-blocking covers |
| R8WBK | White/black, 8 mil | No | Heavier crawlspace and surface protection |
| R12WBK | White/black, 12 mil | No | Maximum-duty, long-term white/black barrier |
Installation & Seaming Basics
01Relax the Material
Roll it out and let it lie flat before fastening so it settles and seams line up cleanly.
02Overlap & Seam
Overlap adjacent panels and bond them with butyl seam tape for a continuous barrier; seal pipe penetrations for vapor and gas applications.
03Fasten & Inspect
On enclosures, fasten to the frame or scaffolding at regular intervals to control wind whip; inspect periodically and patch nicks promptly.
Dura Skrim FAQ
What is Dura Skrim used for?
Dura Skrim is a string-reinforced polyethylene sheeting used for temporary containment, covers, liners, and vapor barriers — including construction enclosures, temporary walls, scaffolding wraps, abatement, crawlspace and under-slab vapor barriers, erosion and water containment, equipment covers, and agricultural covers. A scrim layer gives it far greater tear and puncture resistance than standard plastic sheeting.
What's the difference between clear and white/black Dura Skrim?
Clear grades such as R5CC and R10CCU are translucent and used for general containment, covers, and liners. White/black grades such as R6WBK, R8WBK, and R12WBK are opaque — white on one side, black on the other — to block light. White/black is the choice for crawlspace and under-slab vapor barriers, agricultural covers, and surface protection where blocking light matters.
What does the mil number mean on Dura Skrim?
Mil is the film thickness — one mil equals one-thousandth of an inch. Higher mil means a thicker, tougher film that resists tears and punctures and lasts longer. Dura Skrim is offered in 5, 6, 8, 10, and 12 mil. 5 to 6 mil handles most everyday covers and vapor barriers, while 8 to 12 mil is for heavy-duty, long-exposure, or high-traffic use.
What is fire-retardant Dura Skrim?
Fire-retardant Dura Skrim — the grades ending in F, such as R5CCF and R10CCF — meets or exceeds the NFPA 701 flame test. It offers the same tear resistance and durability as standard Dura Skrim with added fire safety, making it the right choice for occupied buildings, scaffolding enclosures, abatement projects, and enclosed spaces where fire code applies.
What size Dura Skrim roll do I need?
Every Dura Skrim roll is 100 feet long; you choose the width to cover your span with the fewest seams. Widths range from about 6 feet up to 60 feet depending on the grade. Measure your area, pick the closest width, and add a little for overlap at the seams — roughly 6 to 12 inches. Seam panels together with Butyl Seam Tape for a continuous, watertight barrier.
Is Dura Skrim a good crawlspace vapor barrier?
Yes. The white/black reinforced grades — R6WBK, R8WBK, and R12WBK — are widely used for crawlspace and under-slab vapor barriers and full encapsulation. The reinforcement resists tears during installation and foot traffic, the opaque film blocks light, and heavier mils such as 8 and 12 stand up to long-term ground contact. Seal seams and penetrations with the appropriate tape for a complete barrier.