The holidays are a time for family, friends, and giving. If you are stuck on gift ideas, consider tarps. They are practical, useful, and always put to work, a gift people will actually use.
This guide covers popular tarp types, industrial curtains, and accessories. It also includes creative ideas for using tarps during the holidays.
Tarps protect against rain, snow, wind, sun, pests, and debris. Mesh and shade tarps create cool, comfortable shade for patios, furniture, and outdoor areas.
Tarps also work great for holiday setups. Use green, red, or black tarps with string lights as a backdrop for outdoor decorations. Industrial curtains can divide large spaces during gatherings, giving kids their own area or creating a quiet spot for conversation.
Read on for popular tarp products and fun holiday uses.
Tarp Products That Will Look Good Under The Tree
Buying for someone who has everything? Give the gift of practical protection. Here are some popular tarps, curtains, and accessories that make great gifts for family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors.
Canvas Tarps
Canvas tarps are the original tarp. They have been used for centuries, starting as cargo covers on ships and growing into a wide range of uses today including manufacturing, construction, painting, landscaping, agriculture, and trucking.
Most are made from tightly woven heavy duty cotton. They are tough and breathable, which helps prevent condensation under the cover. Waterproof and water resistant options are available. Fire retardant canvas tarps are also available.
Popular products include Rhino-Tex waterproof canvas tarps, painters drop cloths, and natural duck cotton tarps. Common uses include equipment covers, painting tarps, camping tarps, leaf tarps, firewood covers, hammocks, and ground covers.
Awning / Marine Canvas Tarps
Awning and Marine Canvas Tarps are made from waterproof acrylic, the same material used in Sunbrella fabric. They are great for awnings, canopies, porches, pergolas, and boats. Strong, long-lasting, and available in vibrant colors.
Vinyl Tarps
Vinyl tarps protect against extreme weather, sun, debris, and pests. They are used in residential, commercial, agricultural, trucking, and industrial settings.
Made from durable PVC, they come in many sizes, thicknesses, weights, and colors. Key features include heat-sealed seams, rust-resistant grommets, and resistance to UV rays, tears, abrasion, rot, and mildew.
Specialty options include fire retardant, camouflage, anti-static, awning, and outdoor movie screen versions. Common uses include truck tarps, car covers, roof tarps, camping tarps, baseball field tarps, and hockey shooting tarps.
Outdoor Movie Screen Vinyl Tarps
Outdoor Movie Screen Vinyl Tarps make a fun and unique gift. These 18 Mil thick screens come in nine sizes from 5' x 9' up to 18' x 24'.
The 16 oz. fabric is white on both sides with a black block-out layer for the best picture quality. They are waterproof, UV-resistant, mildew-resistant, and fire retardant. They handle temperatures from -40°F to 180°F. Brass grommets spaced 12 inches apart make them easy to hang on trees, poles, or structures.
Vinyl Canopy Tarps / Awning Tarps
Vinyl Canopy and Awning Tarps are built for high UV areas like awnings, canopies, curtain walls, boats, and tents. They are waterproof, fire retardant, and resist UV rays, punctures, tears, abrasion, dirt, mold, and mildew.
Poly Tarps
Poly tarps are lightweight, affordable, and account for 56% of all tarp sales worldwide. They are 100% waterproof and resist UV rays, tearing, rot, and mildew.
They come in many weights, thicknesses, grades, sizes, and colors. Specialty options include clear poly, string-reinforced, fire retardant, camo, drain tarps, and poly sheeting.
Common uses include roofing tarps, ground covers, carport tarps, garden tarps, greenhouse tarps, leaf tarps, and slip and slides.
Mesh Tarps / Shade Tarps
Mesh and shade tarps are versatile covers used for shade, privacy, material protection, and wind blocking. Shade factors range from 40% to 95% and they come in many materials and colors.
Specialty options include fire retardant tarps, hurricane tarps, truck tarps, containment tarps, and debris netting.
Truck Tarps
Truck tarps make a great gift for the trucker on your list. Made from vinyl, polyethylene, nylon, and mesh, they work for pickup trucks, box trucks, dump trucks, and trailers.
Specialty options include flatbed tarps, lumber tarps, coil tarps, steel tarps, smoke tarps, refuse transfer trailer tarps, and asphalt RFL tarps. They come in many sizes, weights, grades, and colors.
Equipment Covers / Industrial Covers
Equipment and industrial covers protect machinery, structures, and flooring. They come in stock sizes and custom options. Products include box covers, equipment covers, cylinder covers, and round covers, made from vinyl, clear vinyl, canvas, and mesh. Fire retardant and waterproof options are available.
Curtains
Industrial and divider curtains improve efficiency, privacy, and temperature control in porches, patios, workshops, and entryways. They are made from clear vinyl, vinyl, poly, and canvas, all waterproof and resistant to tears, abrasion, grease, oil, rot, and mildew.
Clear vinyl curtains are especially popular for outdoor living spaces. They block wind, rain, and snow while keeping the area open and visible, great for extending outdoor use into fall and winter. Fire retardant options are available.
Waterproof Tarps
Waterproof tarps are one of the most useful gifts you can give. They protect equipment, vehicles, supplies, and structures from water damage.
Made from polyethylene, vinyl, clear vinyl, neoprene, Hypalon, and waterproof canvas, they come in many sizes, thicknesses, and colors. Use them as roof tarps, trailer tarps, carport covers, firewood tarps, equipment covers, and outdoor furniture covers.
Custom Tarp and Industrial Curtain Products
Need a size that is not in stock? Custom tarps and industrial curtains are made to your exact dimensions, fabric, thickness, and color. They are often more affordable than buying multiple standard tarps to cover the same area. Use the Custom Size Tarp Builder app to order in just a few clicks.
Fabric by the Yard and Roll
Need fabric for a DIY project, repair, or inventory? Tarp fabric is available by the yard or in full rolls. Options include vinyl, clear vinyl, canvas, poly, mesh, nylon, neoprene, and Hypalon. Order only what you need.
Tarp Accessories
Tarp accessories help secure, maintain, and repair tarps and curtains. Useful items include tarp clips, bungee balls, tarp grabbers, rubber straps, and cord for tying down covers. Tarp tape, glue, and grommet kits help with repairs and DIY projects. Tarp cleaners and protectants keep covers in good shape.
Creative Holiday Uses For Tarps
Tarps are not just for the garage or job site. They can be a fun and creative part of your holiday season too. Here are some great ideas:
Wrap a gift in a lightweight tarp, it is a gift inside a gift.
Hide and protect gifts in the attic, garage, or shed. A tarp keeps them safe and dry until it is time to hand them out.
Cut, paint, glue, or sew tarp fabric into holiday decorations and cutouts. These materials are durable and can be reused for many holidays to come.
Lay a small tarp on the floor during wrapping, crafts, or cooking. When you are done, just roll it up and toss the mess.
Paint or decorate a tarp to make a festive holiday banner for your home, business, or organization.
Wrap your Christmas tree in a tarp when bringing it home. It keeps your vehicle clean and makes hauling the tree in and out much easier. Use it again when taking the tree out — it catches the dry needles and makes cleanup simple.
Use a small tarp or piece of tarp fabric as a Christmas tree skirt to protect the floor underneath.
Cover outdoor decorations with a tarp to protect them from wind, rain, and snow.
Use colored tarps as a backdrop for holiday displays inside or outside. Add string lights and decorations to make them even more festive.
Lay a tarp on the lawn or driveway as a landing pad for Santa and the reindeer.
Keep your firewood covered with a tarp so it stays dry and ready to burn all season long.
Use tarps or curtains as dividers to break up large spaces or reduce noise during busy gatherings.
Put up clear vinyl tarps or curtains on your porch, patio, or entryway to add more entertaining space. Clear vinyl blocks wind, rain, and snow while keeping the area open and bright.
When You Need a Tarp for the Holidays or for Anytime, Tarps Now is Your Tarp Source
Shopping for tarps, curtains, or accessories? Tarps Now has everything you need. Have a question or need help? Call us at (888) 800-1383 or email sales@tarpsnow.com. Our team in St. Joseph, MI is ready to help.
Tarps Now wishes you a safe and happy holiday season!
