ZipWall is a dust barrier and containment system made specifically for construction sites. It’s the perfect solution for work in finished homes or in active commercial settings. As a remodeling contractor and custom home builder, we have been using ZipWall barrier systems for about 15 years. Prior to that, we taped plastic up. We like ZipWall because it's much faster to install, more secure, and less invasive (there’s no tape sticking to finished surfaces), and it is reusable.
The system consists of extendable aluminum poles that support standard plastic sheeting. On top of the poles is a spring-loaded head with a two-piece pad that locks the plastic in place. You simply sandwich the top edge of your plastic between the two-piece pad and raise the poles up until they contact the ceiling with the spring-loaded head. You can create one wall or an entire enclosure (a self-contained room-within-a-room). If you need to have access through the plastic barrier, you can cut a slit in the plastic and attach ZipWall’s self-adhesive zipper. The zippers are designed to be used two at a time – so you can create a door virtually any width you choose. With this zipper system, dust stays contained while you’re working, and you can open a door in the plastic, allowing you to move in and out of the space as you need to.
Zippers Have Their Limitations
Now as brilliant an idea as the zippers are, sometimes you have your hands full when moving in and out of the space so the zippers can be cumbersome. The zipper system also creates a large void in the barrier if you leave it open for too long, allowing dust to escape. The other caveat is that the self-adhesive zippers stick directly to the plastic, so once you install them, you only get use of it as long as the plastic holds up. So the folks at ZipWall came up with what I feel like was a much-needed improvement by creating a magnetic door system that integrates with the plastic barrier.
With this Magnetic Door Dust Barrier kit, the rest of the ZipWall system is utilized as before, but instead of applying a set of zippers to the plastic, you install a completely reusable magnetic door system. This new system shouldn’t be confused with an existing door kit option that attaches to existing door openings (not to the plastic).
Magnetic Door Setup
Setup happens between two ZipWall poles that are placed on the inside of your barrier wherever you need your access point. With the poles in place, you start by clipping in the header bar, and then securing the two-piece magnetic strips to the side and top. These strips make a tight connection between the plastic and door that dust can’t migrate through. Once that is done, cut the plastic from the inside, which exposes the door panel – and then cut away the excess plastic. The door panel itself is made of high-tech fabric that is flame retardant and features a clear plastic window, so you can see if anyone is on the other side before you walk through.
In lieu of a zipper, the door has self-closing magnets that are sewn into the fabric. When you need to go in or out, simply push against the center of the door panel where the magnets are, which allows the center of the fabric door to separate. Once you are through, the magnets pull the fabric door closed behind you. No need to set anything down. I was actually amazed at how easily the magnets centered themselves and closed automatically.
While in general it is easy to set up, I recommend watching the video tutorial (below). On the positive side, it is a great improvement to a very useful dust control system. Although I won’t label this as negative, it works best when you have a nice straight area as your access point. It won’t work well with any kind of curve. And if the need for dust control is frequent, then the retail price of $270 (not including the poles) will be worth it.
ZipWall® Magnetic Dust Barrier Door Kit contains one flame retardant door panel, four 3’8” and two 2’1” magnetic strips, one header bar with clips for 10’, 12’, and 20’ ZipWall® spring-loaded poles, and a carry bag. Poles not included.
This article originally appeared in Tools of the Trade.
