Tarp Covers

Tarps can cover any number of materials, from equipment, boats, and transporting lumber to roofs. Tarps are made from three distinct types of materials: polyethylene, canvas, and poly mesh. Each material is better suited for a different need. For example, heavy duty polyethylene, or poly, is used best for a cover when materials are transported or as a temporary roof cover, but canvas can be used as a more sturdy equipment cover or as a drop cloth in painting. Each has its pros and cons, and depending upon what the tarp is used for should determine the type of fabric chosen. One type of tarp is generally not multipurpose.

Heavy duty poly tarps are the least expensive and most widely used type of tarp. Heavy duty poly tarps 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. Poly tarps 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.

Heavy duty poly tarps are commonly used as a truck cover because of their high resistance to tears. However, the material for a truck cover doesn�t matter, as long as the tarp is durable. Lightweight materials, such as polyethylene, are preferred but cotton, mesh, and vinyl-coated polyester/nylon are also used commonly as truck tarp materials. A truck tarp is different from a standard tarp in that it must fit a specific truck or load. In some cases, they can be custom made for transport. Tarps used for transporting come in two types: lumber and steel. A lumber tarp is used most of the time to transport lumber in a truck with an eight-foot height, although the tarp can be used to transport any other materials in a truck with a similar height. As far as the fabric is concerned, certain fabrics are better for certain loads and trucks. A lumber truck indicates a large load over eight feet in dimensions, while a steel truck indicates a low load. Tarps for both, however, should have an additional row of D-rings. In addition, UV exposure and weather conditions should also be considered.

In a hurricane, a heavy duty poly tarp can serve as a temporary patch on a roof and can protect objects from water and debris. Although a tarp may not save everything, it will reduce damage and debris considerably. If used to protect a vehicle or boat, the tarp will shield against water damage and debris but it will not protect against significant damage, such as a fallen tree. A tarp for a roof can be used as temporary protection against leaks and damages done by the hurricane until a contractor or roofer can come to fix the damage done by the hurricane. In addition, a tarp on a roof can protect the inside of the house from further damage and devaluing from water and other debris.

Tarping a roof preserves the house and roof for the option of future rebuilding. A tarp will provide temporary coverage on a roof for up to 90 days. At that point, seeking professional help to fix the roof is necessary. When tarping a roof, never stand on a roof if it is steeply pitched or a tarp and do not go out on a roof during a storm.

Tarps can also be used as a cover on sports fields, specifically baseball fields, to protect against UV rays and harsh weather. A baseball field tarp will provide year round coverage for grass, dirt, and sod against wind and water so that fewer games will be canceled because of an unplayable field. High school to professional-level teams use a baseball field tarp and, even recently, tarps will come with chain lining around the edges so that stakes and sandbags will not to be needed in a storm. Most tarps have a three year warranty and can stand temperatures as low was -40�F and winds as high as 65mph.

A baseball field tarp should have a high mesh count, particularly 14x14 weave, and a thick polyethylene coating. Covers for sports other than baseball can be canvas, but baseball field covers are generally heavy duty polyethylene. The tarp itself weighs up to 1500lbs depending on size and should be water, tear, and acid resistant. Weight can vary, but baseball field tarps are heaviest as a full infield tarp and lightest as a standard lightweight polyethylene tarp.

Canvas tarps are an alternative to polyethylene tarps. The material is either single or double fill 100% cotton military duck and is treated for water and mildew. Sometimes, a canvas tarp is even treated to be flame retardant. A canvas tarp often has a longer lifespan than many plastic tarps and, in addition to not being made of plastic, the amount of usage also makes it more environmentally friendly than a poly tarp. Although the fabric is treated, if a canvas tarp is retreated with such chemicals as Canvak and Iosso, the material will continue to last and be water repellant. In terms of protecting materials, a canvas tarp allows for more breathability than plastic, will not accumulate water or condensation on the inside, and traps less heat. Typically, a canvas tarp is best suited as a ground cover or project cover for wood piles or farm equipment.

Boats can be covered with a canvas or poly tarp, but the important factors when choosing a tarp for a boat are its location during the winter and the breathability of the material. If a tarp material does not allow for air circulation below the cover, mildew, mold, and bacteria can develop over the winter when the boat is in storage. Mildew and dry-rot can also result from a plastic or vinyl cover pulled too tightly over the boat. The most common materials for a boat tarp are 100% cotton canvas boat duck, at 10 oz. per square yard, and a 50/50 poly/cotton combination, at 11oz. per square foot. A canvas tarp will offer a boat more breathability, although, because of a lack of resistance to UV rays, the tarped boat should be kept under a carport.