Ag Films FAQs

Grain Covers
Silage Covers
Waste Lagoon Liners
Floating Covers
Hay Covers
Ceiling Material

Q:	Isn’t plastic just plastic?
A:	No. Even though a number of companies want you to believe that “it’s just plastic”, there are a number of major differences within materials out in the ag marketplace. Being able to compare test values is a good first step. If a company is not prepared or doesn’t want to provide a product data sheet, it should be a red flag as to the type of product it is. Raven post all product data sheets right out on our website to assist customers and will send a physical sample of material upon request.
Q:	What’s the difference between Raven’s Grain covers and the typical woven materials?
A:	Raven Dura♦Skrim® grain covers have been designed to offer the ultimate in protection for your grain pile while eliminating some of the challenges that are present with the use of a woven grain cover. Check out our literature to help understand some of the key differences.
Q:	What do the ASTM test methods mean to me?
A:	The ASTM (ASTM International, originally known as the American Society for Testing and Materials) standardized test methods are used so a fair comparison can be made between products manufactured by various companies. You can learn more about the actual test methods by visiting our Learning Center feature and clicking Test Procedures. Reputable manufacturers will normally always provide a product data sheet with the standard ASTM test methods used for their industry.
Q:	How do I purchase materials from Raven?
A:	The most common way for you to purchase plastic from Raven Industries, Inc. is to contact your local Raven distributor. If you don’t know who that is, feel free to use the Find Distributor option at www.ravenag.com to request a distributor contact you. Another method is to utilize the www.buyplasticnow.com website, but if you use large quantities of material, you are far better off contacting a distributor that brings the product in with larger quantities to minimize the freight per roll cost.
Q:	What is the largest size grain cover I can purchase?
A:	Raven is well known for its ability to produce extra large hay covers to fit your pile. Raven can produce panels up to 5,000 lbs in widths of 200’ plus, depending on the thickness along with lengths up to 500’. The overall size of the pile being covered will dictate how many panels would be required.
Q:	Does Raven make covers that will fit round piles or ring lift systems?
A:	Yes, we manufacture covers that eliminate the “waste” on the corners by making a step tarp. For the ring lift systems, we use our technology to get the covers made, but we do utilize one of our distributors to handle the information gathering and sales aspect of the ring lift systems.
Q:	Does Raven specify installation guidelines?
A:	We offer some guidelines for putting the grain covers on. Most facilities have their own preferred method, so this is purely informational.
Q:	How do I unroll a Raven Grain cover?
A:	The normal method to unroll the cover is to pull it up and over the peak of the grain pile (width) and then unfold the length.
Q:	How do I connect two or more Raven Grain covers?
A:	The most typical method of connecting Raven grain covers is to sew them. Most facilities are equipped with a sewing machine for installation.
Q:	What is an MSF?
A:	In the plastic industry, MSF is a common term used, when pricing material. It simply stands for thousand square feet. The “M” is the Roman numeral for thousand. “SF” simply is the abbreviation for square feet.
Q:	Can everyone who sells plastic manufacture plastic?
A:	No. There are a number of companies that want you to think they are manufacturers of plastic, when in reality they simply convert materials. Raven extrudes (makes the plastic) as well as converts for your specific needs.
Q:	Why would it matter if we buy plastic from a convertor instead of a manufacturer?
A:	An actual manufacturer can guarantee high quality control and product consistency within a factory controlled environment. Our QA and production departments are continually verifying the extrusion process is meeting the specification requirements. All our covers are manufactured under the strict guidelines of our ISO 9001:2008 certified management system. A convertor many times will purchase the raw material goods based cost to maintain their overall profit margins and selling price.
Q:	Wouldn’t a heavier/thicker cover be better?
A:	While it would seem logical that a thicker grain cover would be better, the more important variable is what different types and grades of plastic resins are used. Many lighter weight high performance plastics can easily exceed the strengths of a much heavier plastic and would be easier to install. In some particular applications a thicker cover may be recommended, if certain conditions are going to be present.
Q:	Wouldn’t a woven coated product work for covering my grain piles?
A:	We wouldn’t recommend a woven cover for this application. While you can receive some protection with a woven coated product for a short amount of time, the amount of rain, air and sun protection is very limited. As the material is applied to the pile, the physical stresses put on the cover “fracture/crack” the very thin coating of polyethylene quite easily. Once this coating has been damaged rain/snow/air and sunlight can get to your pile directly.

Q:	Isn’t plastic just plastic?
A:	No. Even though a number of companies want you to believe that “it’s just plastic”, there are a number of major differences within materials out in the ag marketplace. Being able to compare test values is a good first step. If a company is not prepared or doesn’t want to provide a product data sheet, it should be a red flag as to the type of product it is. Raven post all product data sheets right out on our website to assist customers and will send a physical sample of material upon request.
Q:	What do the ASTM test methods mean to me?
A:	The ASTM (ASTM International, originally known as the American Society for Testing and Materials) standardized test methods are used so a fair comparison can be made between products manufactured by various companies. You can learn more about the actual test methods by visiting our Learning Center feature and clicking Test Procedures. Reputable manufacturers will normally always provide a product data sheet with the standard ASTM test methods used for their industry.
Q:	Would it be a better deal to buy plain 6 mil C&A plastic with recycled resins?
A:	Plastics can be manufactured using many different formulas all producing certain qualities to the plastic. Recycled resins are available in several grades and can make a large impact in the performance of your plastic. Typical construction and agricultural plastic generally contains a large amount of post consumer recycled resins. These recycled resins can work fine in some applications, but in a thin 6 mil plastic the resins tend to breakdown unevenly in the extrusion process causing thin spots across the film. They also have very little resistance to sunlight or any ultra-violet exposure and begin to breakdown quickly. The main function of a C&A film is to be used in temporary applications and can serve a purpose here, but in longer-term and outdoor covering applications a higher grade plastic should be selected to avoid a degraded, torn, or shredded cover that needs to be replaced to soon.
Q:	How do I purchase materials from Raven?
A:	The most common way for you to purchase plastic from Raven Industries, Inc. is to contact your local Raven distributor. If you don’t know who that is, feel free to use the Find Distributor option at www.ravenag.com to request a distributor contact you. Another method is to utilize the www.buyplasticnow.com website, but if you use large quantities of material, you are far better off contacting a distributor that brings the product in with larger quantities to minimize the freight per roll cost.
Q:	What is the largest size silage cover I can purchase?
A:	Raven is well known for its ability to produce extra large silage covers. Raven silage covers are manufactured in most common widths all the way up to 150’ wide. Covers beyond 150’ are built using increments of 25’. Raven also manufactures 1000’ long rolls for covers up to 80’ wide. Everything else is built to a max length of 500’.
Q:	What does OTR stand for?
A:	OTR stands for Oxygen Transmission Rate. This is the amount of oxygen that passes through a material in a square meter per day.
Q:	How does reducing the OTR help me?
A:	Reducing the amount of air transfer in the silage pile assists in a number of ways, but the two primary reasons include: 1) A reduction in the amount of spoilage on the top of the pile and 2) a reduction in the amount of dry matter loss throughout the pile. Both of these factors will directly affect your bottom line and overall feed quality.
Q:	Doesn’t my normal silage cover keep air out of my pile?
A:	A normal silage pile plastic will keep some oxygen from the silage. The average silage film will have an OTR value between 1100 cc and 2000 cc’s/sq. meter/day. While this is an improvement over not covering at all, the new FeedFresh silage cover has an OTR rating of less than 7cc’s/sq. meter/day.
Q:	Does Raven specify installation methods?
A:	It is understood that the silage cover will be applied and covered with tires, sandbags or a similar ballasting method to hold down the silage cover. The process in-which a cover is placed, is completely up to the producer. Care should be taken to protect the integrity of your cover during installation since a cover can only be fully effective when care is taken to prevent openings in the cover that would allow rain/snow/sunlight and air to reach the pile.
Q:	What is an MSF?
A:	In the plastic industry, MSF is a common term used, when pricing material. It simply stands for thousand square feet. The “M” is the Roman numeral for thousand. “SF” simply is the abbreviation for square feet.
Q:	Can everyone who sells plastic manufacture plastic?
A:	No. There are a number of companies that want you to think they are manufacturers of plastic, when in reality they simply convert materials. Raven extrudes (makes the plastic) as well as converts for your specific needs.
Q:	Why would it matter if we buy plastic from a convertor instead of a manufacturer?
A:	An actual manufacturer can guarantee high quality control and product consistency within a factory controlled environment. Our QA and production departments are continually verifying the extrusion process is meeting the specification requirements. All our covers are manufactured under the strict guidelines of our ISO 9001:2008 certified management system. A convertor many times will purchase the raw material goods based cost to maintain their overall profit margins and selling price.
Q:	Wouldn’t a heavier/thicker cover be better?
A:	While it would seem logical that a thicker bunker cover would be better, the more important variable is what different types and grades of plastic resins are used. Many lighter weight high performance plastics can easily exceed the strengths of a much heavier plastic and would be easier to install. In some particular applications a thicker cover may be recommended, if certain conditions are going to be present.
Q:	Wouldn’t a woven coated product work for covering my silage piles?
A:	We wouldn’t recommend a woven cover for this application. While you can receive some protection with a woven coated product for a short amount of time, the amount of rain, air and sun protection is very limited. As the material is applied to the pile, the physical stresses put on the cover “fracture/crack” the very thin coating of polyethylene quite easily. Once this coating has been damaged rain/snow/air and sunlight can get to your pile directly.

Q:	What materials are typically used for Lagoon Liners?
A:	The industry standard for lagoon liners is generally 30-80 mil geomembranes. Depending on specific site details and requirements, we have several options for this application. Our most common geomembrane for lagoon liners is our 30 to 45 mil reinforced polyethylene J-Series or non-reinforced polypropylene geomembranes.
Q:	Someone told me they had used an 80 mil HDPE smooth liner, is this the best way to go?
A:	Although this is included in the standard line of materials used in this type of application, it would not be our recommended liner due to the heavy weight and non-flexible characteristics of a high density polyethylene. Raven provides several options for this application and all of them include excellent flexibility characteristics. Our reinforced Dura-Skrim J-Series far exceeds the strength of a much heavier membrane without the weight and handling issues during installation. Raven produces large factory welded panels up to 5,000 lbs to closely meet your lagoon size limiting or eliminating the need for field seaming.
Q:	How long can a typical Raven lagoon liner last in an exposed application?
A:	Many of our liners are appropriately stabilized to survive up to 20 years or more in the Continental U.S. Your project location and details will help to determine the expected longevity for your application.
Q:	What size liners can Raven Produce?
A:	This depends mainly on the material being used. Panel size is primarily governed by weight and we can produce large custom sized panels up to 5,000 lbs to meet your dimensions. Please refer to our website liner calculator feature for an estimated panel size and then call a Raven representative for more details.
Q:	What color liners are available from Raven?
A:	We have white and black materials in our standard product lineup and also offer many other custom colors available with minimum order requirements.
Q:	I have heard something about a liner meeting GRI GM17. What is that and do your liners qualify?
A:	The term “GRI” stands for Geosynthetic Research Institute. This organization sets several standards for the geomembrane industry such as GM17. Materials must meet stringent requirements to qualify for these standards. Raven Industries does provide several materials that meet these standards. Please contact a Raven representative for more details.

Q:	What materials are typically used for Floating Covers?
A:	The industry standard for floating covers is generally 30-80 mil geomembranes. Depending on specific site details and requirements, we have several options for this application. Our most common geomembrane for floating covers is our 30 to 45 mil J-Series reinforced LLDPE polyethylene. The reinforced J-Series is a great choice since it can exceed the performance and strengths of much thicker non-reinforced materials and yet keep the overall weight down by utilizing a lighter weight product.
Q:	How long can a typical Raven floating cover last in an exposed application?
A:	Many of our liners are appropriately stabilized to survive up to 20 years or more in the Continental U.S. Your project location and details will help to determine the expected longevity for your application.
Q:	What size covers can Raven Produce?
A:	This depends mainly on the material being used. Panel size is primarily governed by weight and we can produce large custom sized panels up to 5,000 lbs to meet your dimensions. Please refer to our website cover calculator feature for an estimated panel size and then call a Raven representative for more details.
Q:	What color covers are available from Raven?
A:	We have white and black materials in our standard product lineup and also offer many other custom colors available with minimum order requirements.

Q:	Isn’t plastic just plastic?
A:	No. Even though a number of companies want you to believe that “it’s just plastic”, there are a number of major differences within materials out in the ag marketplace. Being able to compare test values is a good first step. If a company is not prepared or doesn’t want to provide a product data sheet, it should be a red flag as to the type of product it is. Raven post all product data sheets right out on our website to assist customers and will send a physical sample of material upon request.
Q:	What do the ASTM test methods mean to me?
A:	The ASTM (ASTM International, originally known as the American Society for Testing and Materials) standardized test methods are used so a fair comparison can be made between products manufactured by various companies. You can learn more about the actual test methods by visiting our Learning Center feature and clicking Test Procedures. Reputable manufacturers will normally always provide a product data sheet with the standard ASTM test methods used for their industry.
Q:	How do I purchase materials from Raven?
A:	The most common way for you to purchase plastic from Raven Industries, Inc. is to contact your local Raven distributor. If you don’t know who that is, feel free to use the Find Distributor option at www.ravenag.com to request a distributor contact you. Another method is to utilize the www.buyplasticnow.com website, but if you use large quantities of material, you are far better off contacting a distributor that brings the product in with larger quantities to minimize the freight per roll cost.
Q:	What is the largest size cover I can purchase?
A:	Raven is well known for its ability to produce extra large hay covers to fit your pile. Raven can produce panels up to 5,000 lb in widths of 200’ plus, depending on the thickness along with lengths up to 500’. The overall size of the pile being covered will dictate how many panels would be required.
Q:	How do I connect two or more Raven Hay covers?
A:	The most typical method of connecting Raven grain covers is to sew them. Most facilities are equipped with a sewing machine for installation.
Q:	What is an MSF?
A:	In the plastic industry, MSF is a common term used, when pricing material. It simply stands for thousand square feet. The “M” is the Roman numeral for thousand. “SF” simply is the abbreviation for square feet.
Q:	Can everyone who sells plastic manufacture plastic?
A:	No. There are a number of companies that want you to think they are manufacturers of plastic, when in reality they simply convert materials. Raven extrudes (manufacturers the plastic) as well as converts for your specific needs.
Q:	Why would it matter if we buy plastic from a convertor instead of a manufacturer?
A:	An actual manufacturer can guarantee high quality control and product consistency within a factory controlled environment. Our QA and production departments are continually verifying the extrusion process is meeting the specification requirements. All our covers are manufactured under the strict guidelines of our ISO 9001:2008 certified management system. A convertor many times will purchase the raw material goods based cost to maintain their overall profit margins and selling price.
Q:	Wouldn’t a heavier/thicker cover be better?
A:	While it would seem logical that a thicker cover would be better, the more important variable is what different types and grades of plastic resins are used. Many lighter weight high performance plastics can easily exceed the strengths of a much heavier plastic and would be easier to install. In some particular applications a thicker cover may be recommended, if certain conditions are going to be present.

Q:	Does Raven manufacture a poultry ceiling material?
A:	Yes, Raven manufactures an impressive poultry ceiling product called Dura♦Skrim J6WBA and J6WHDA.
Q:	Are the J6WBA and J6WHDA materials like other common ceiling materials used in the poultry industry?
A:	No. The J6WBA/J6WHDA materials were designed specifically for the poultry industry. These materials have a heavy reinforcement scrim laminated between two sheets of high strength Polyethylene. The materials that are commonly used are woven coated products.
Q:	What is so different about J6WBA/J6WHDA compared to woven?
A:	The primary difference is simply the way the products are made. The J6WBA/J6WHDA materials are basically a membrane product, so they do not “pinhole” during installation, thus providing far superior negative pressures in the barn. Another important difference would be durability. The Raven poultry material can withstand the cleaning and sanitizing process for a much longer period of time due to the manufacturing process of the J6WBA/J6WHDA laminates. Woven materials are produced by weaving polyethylene ribbons with the ribbons accounting for the bulk of the material thickness. A thin layer (standard 1 mil) of coating is applied to the outside of one or two sides depending on the product. With the woven material you are basically relying on the thin layer of coating (standard 1 mil) for protection. This coating layer fractures rapidly during installation causing the material to pinhole.
Q:	What are the affects of superior negative pressure?
A:	This answer relates back to the fact that J6WBA/J6WHDA does not pinhole. Since this is a feature of the product, it will be easier to achieve a consistent negative pressure, because air cannot penetrate through the ceiling and get into the barn. For a more detailed discussion, check out this link to the University of Georgia Extension Service.
Q:	How do I purchase Poultry ceiling material from Raven?
A:	Calling into our Ag sales team is the first step. Our number is 800-635-3456. It is a high priority for Raven to provide customers with the most accurate information on sizing and cost.
Q:	What is the widest ceiling material Raven produces?
A:	We can manufacture fabricated rolls that are 13.333 feet wide in a layflat configuration. Call in for options on roll widths and lengths at 800-635-3456.
Q:	What color is the Raven ceiling material?
A:	The Dura♦Skrim J6WBA is constructed with a white surface on one side and a black surface on the other side. This product is produced in a white/black configuration to allow versatility during installations requiring black side down or white side down. The Dura♦Skrim J6WHDA is constructed with a white surface on both sides.