Zipwalls are wonderful and the way to go if you want to create a barrier. I use them for sectioning off rooms in water damage situations or making drying chambers. It's also very nice to be able to put a zipper down the middle to make a way to get in and out.
Of course I tried to be "cheap" at first and got some extendable poles and rubber sanding blocks. LOL, you should have seen me try to make that mess work. You cannot get them tight enough, and there is no way to make them "hold" the plastic. I returned the poles....
If you need something like this, save yourself the effort and go with the real deal and get the Zipwall. While it may seem overpriced, it actually works well and saves tons of effort.
I got the Zipwall 4 pack plus with foamrails and love it.
John Olson had a good deal on it a while back... Or you can pick them up at your local Sherwin Williams paint store.
The "Smartseal" above also looks good....
You WILL be much happier if you purchase a product that is designed for the purpose rather than trying to "rig" something up yourself. And good extension poles and sanding blocks are not cheap anyway.
Good luck...