Heavy Duty Poly Tarps

Heavy duty poly tarps are the least expensive and most widely used type of tarp. Heavy duty poly tarp can be purchased as an industrial-sized roll or as a ready-made sheet. The material itself is made from polyester or nylon mesh and coated with polyethylene. The fabric is often high density and treated with UV coating, sometimes on both sides.

The qualities of heavy duty poly tarps include they are designed for continuous outdoor exposure, being able to be both heat and cold resistant. A heavy duty poly tarp indicates a heavier fabric, with a higher weight per square yard and denier count. A denier count indicates the density of the fibers in the weaving, which is measured at one gram per 9000 meters. The weave of this fabric is typically 14x14 deniers, which creates a strong, tear resistant material. Because the material is a sheet of coated fabric, a heavy duty poly tarp is still highly flexible, as well as being water resistant or waterproof and mildew and rot resistant. Also, the tarp has arctic flexibility, which means it will still be functional and flexible at freezing temperatures. Although a heavy duty poly tarp can come in any number of colors, and patterns such as camouflage, the most common colors are silver, brown, and silver/brown. White is common for outdoor use, for being aesthetically pleasing and being more reflective of sunlight.

Reinforcement is another common but important quality of a heavy duty poly tarp. The tarp has rope reinforcements along both edges and reinforced grommets at the corners and sides. A reinforced grommet is supposed by a triangular piece of fabric around the metal hole. Grommets for this type of tarp come in various quality grades depending on the metal used. Such metals include aluminum, steel, high strength polymer, brass, and stainless steel.

Tarps have a number of uses, and, specifically for heavy duty poly tarps, such uses include covering, waterproofing, insulation, and trucking. Often, covering includes ground, roof, and building covering, protecting truck loads during transport, and use as a tent canopy.