Can you believe that the 2022 calendar year is just about to be behind us? Another 365 days full of everything that we can imagine including a wide spectrum of weather events that range through perfect sunny days to hurricanes to a bomb cyclone blizzard. From ideal days to the worst that Mother Nature can throw at us and those in between we know that it is vital to protect our possessions, materials, structures, areas, and people. One of the easiest and most effective ways to accomplish these defenses is by using tarps, covers, and industrial curtains. This year was active as were tarp buyers and users. This piece will highlight some of the trends and directions of tarp products throughout 2022.
Tarps are available from general use that include polyethylene, vinyl, mesh, and canvas versions to very specialized purposes such as anti-static, movie screen, or lifting tarps. Some tarp covers are waterproof and some generate safe shade. The ultimate goal of Tarps Now is to not only offer a spectrum of products and protection, but to also educate and inform the users of these features and choices all helping find the best solution for their coverage needs.
Throughout this blog we will review some of the popular, emerging, and historically solid tarps, covers and tarp accessories that made an impact in the industry over the past 12 months. This is The Year In Review For Tarp Covers: 2022.
Popular Tarps in 2022
Throughout the past year we have shipped dozens of tarps, industrial curtains, and tarp accessories orders each day to residences, businesses, organizations, schools, teams, and municipalities around the United States and parts of North America. With the many many covers and other items that we have distributed over the last 365 days, trends both old and new develop. To follow are some of the more popular products that Tarps Now customers have purchased in 2022.
Clear Vinyl Tarps
This has been one of the more popular tarp products for a long time and has seen added popularity over the past few years. Clear vinyl tarps are crafted from extremely durable and waterproof fabric with the benefits of crystal clear views. These are utilized for many applications where views are important for security and safety. Clear vinyl tarps have seen their appeal grow vastly for hanging on porches, patios, decks, gazebos, breezeways, entryways, and enclosures. Because of the clear views, waterproof, and anti-microbial aspects combined with being tear, abrasion, UV ray, mildew, and cold weather resistant, these living spaces can be enjoyed comfortably in the cold weather months using clear vinyl tarps. The common thicknesses for these heavy duty tarps are 20 Mil (18 ounces per square yard material weight) and 30 Mil (27 ounces). There is also a 20 Mil flame retardant option for added protection for certain applications. These strong and reliable covers are made with double stitched hems that contain sturdy brass grommets equally spaced around the entire perimeter to quickly and securely hang or tie down the clear vinyl tarps.
Vinyl Tarps
Vinyl tarps have always been a popular and very reliable category of covers. Utilized from residential to recreational to construction to industrial applications, there is a wide variety of medium to super heavy duty vinyl tarps offered to guard possessions, structures, and areas against damage from hazards such as rain, snow, wind, sun, pests, and debris. Manufactured with waterproof fabric, vinyl tarps are available in a wide range of sizes, grades, material weights, and colors to deliver the ideal cover for your needs. Additional valuable included features are heat sealed seams, durable rust resistant grommets along with UV ray, abrasion, tear, rot, and mildew resistance. Additional special vinyl features exist such as fire retardancy, camouflage colors, anti-static, awning / canopy tarps, and outdoor movie screens. Vinyl tarps are commonly utilized for trucking, material covers, machine and equipment covers, and agricultural purposes. The tan 18 oz vinyl tarp is a readily available product that is growing in popularity.
Poly Tarps
When tarps are mentioned, polyethylene (poly) are probably the tarp that comes to mind or the only one you are familiar with. These covers are extremely lightweight, 100 percent waterproof, durable, and cost effective. Their popularity is shown in that they make up approximately 56 percent of the total sales in the $7 billion worldwide tarp industry. Poly tarps are offered in a wide range of products well beyond the cheap covers offered at the big box hardware and superstores. There are lightweight (5 Mil thick) up to super heavy duty (24 Mil) offered in a host of sizes, material weights, grades, and colors. For specialized protection, optional features include fire retardancy, string reinforcement, drain tarps, clear poly, and poly sheeting / plastic sheeting. One of the hottest poly products during 2022 is the very versatile 12 Mil heavy duty poly tarp. This tarp is offered in a number of colors including the popular white, silver, and tan. These are ideal for applications such as roof tarps, supply covers, firewood covers, equipment covers, groundcovers, tent covers, tarp shelters, carport tarps, and landscaping tarps.
Waterproof Canvas Tarps
As you well know, water is an issue that you have to protect against to keep your possessions dry and safe. The waterproof canvas tarp is a product that users are discovering. These covers are 20 Mil thick Rhino-Tex canvas material that is crafted from heavy duty silicone coated polyester threading yielding a 15 ounce per square yard fabric that is up to three times stronger than the typical canvas products on the market. In addition to being waterproof, these tarps are breathable eliminating the build up of condensation and mildew under the cover. Waterproof canvas tarps are also UV ray, tear, abrasion, rot, and mildew resistant to create an overall amazing and effective tarp commonly used for residential, trucking, industrial, construction, camping, agricultural, and commercial applications. Popular colors this year include tan and green.
Canvas Drop Cloths / Painters Tarps
For users that are looking to protect areas and structures during projects such as painting and renovations along with other basic shielding, our drop cloths / painters tarps are an extremely popular cover. Customers value and appreciate the versatility and wide range of applications that they are used for. These natural, 100 percent cotton covers are also ideal for covering bushes and shrubs during the winter months, covering seasonal furniture in storage, and for countless landscaping and yard work projects. This 10-ounce natural canvas and drop cloth material is very reliable for the spectrum of jobs especially the paint related jobs due to the tight weave of the cloth’s yarns that help stop paint from bleeding through the dense fabric. Drop cloths are offered in popular and effective sizes that range from 4’ X 12’ up to 30’ X 30’.
Mesh Tarps
Mesh tarps are versatile covers manufactured mainly from mesh fabric that are commonly used as shade tarps, privacy screens, windscreens, material covers, truckload covers, and landscape tarps. Mesh tarps are available in a spectrum of shade factoring ranging from 40 percent on up to 95 percent shade protection, a selection of fabrics, and a collection of colors. Providing more than just shade, there are also specialty mesh covers such as fire retardant mesh tarps, hurricane tarps, truck tarps, containment tarps, and debris netting. During the past 12 months the line of 75 percent shade mesh tarps has been extremely popular especially in white, black, and tan colors.
Insulated Tarps
Ideal for protecting an assortment of items including equipment, supplies, structures, and areas, insulated tarps have become very popular for protecting these items against changes in and consistent low temperatures along with being utilized as a concrete blanket. The durable tarp covers are manufactured with closed cell foam interior sections with multi-layers on both sides with reinforced woven coated polyethylene or reinforced PVC vinyl skins depending on the product. The hems around the four sides are folded and double stitched with UV ray resistant thread while the seams are heat welded. The covers are fitted with grommets equally spaced around the four sides generating the ability to tie down or hang quickly and safely. Insulated tarps are available in numerous sizes along with custom size options. They are also offered in a spectrum of thicknesses. These covers will range with the insulated interior foam thickness from 1/4-inch to 1-inch thick. A very popular insulated product during 2022 is the 2.1 Mil 12’ X 25’ with 3/16” PE foam insulation generating an R-3.3 R-value.
Hay Tarps
Hay tarps have become a valuable and quite popular product. These covers are great for farmers and others seeking to shield hay bales from the elements. These are made with reinforced heavy duty polyethylene material that is UV ray, rot, and mildew resistant along with being 100 percent waterproof. Hay tarps are offered in many sizes to fit hay bales and are easily installed (instructions are available). The hay covers deliver many benefits for crop protection such as guarding hay from sun, heat, rain, snow, and wind damage. When hay bales are covered with a cover, the life of the hay is extended and will help improve overall quality. Additionally, utilizing hay tarps helps improve crop yield. When the hay is protected from the elements, it is far less likely to spoil or become damaged aiding in overall crop profitability.
Truck Tarps
Truck tarps have always been high on customers radar and with the wide range of specific trucking products, these covers continue to grow in popularity. Heavy duty truck tarps are made from very durable and weather resistant fabrics that include polyethylene, vinyl, and a variety of mesh for the numerous trucking and freight applications. Specialized products offered include flatbed truck tarps, steel truck tarps, lumber truck tarps, coil truck tarps, heavy duty machinery tarps, and smoke truck tarps. mesh tarps, smoke truck tarps. These are provided in a collection of sizes, grades, material weights, and colors to all trucking needs.
Debris Lifting Tarps
The ability to lift supplies and equipment up to roofs and other high structures or items to be cleaned up, debris removed at construction, industrial, and other locations, debris lifting tarps are a valuable and now popular tool. The durable and effective lifting tarps are available to lift things to where they need to go. This heavy duty tarp is manufactured from a very strong vinyl coating over polyethene scrim that contains a high strength webbing for reinforced lifting. The lifting debris lifting tarps are provided in a number of common and effective sizes to effectively operate at the worksites.
Anti-Static Tarps
arps now provides anti-static tarps that are instrumental in protecting sensitive electrical and digital devices. Electrostatic discharge can harm the functionality of this equipment costing time and money. This type of discharge is a threat to sensitive technology as well as the harm that can occur from dust, water, and other debris. Anti-static tarps are a great tool for keeping equipment safe from damage, failure, and malfunctions. The popular anti-static cover that we carry is manufactured with fire-retardant vinyl fabric that possesses a material weight of 11.8 ounces per square yard. These heavy duty vinyl covers are also 100 percent waterproof, UV resistant, tear resistant, and mildew resistant.
Drain Tarps / Leak Diverters
Drain tarps / leak diverters provide protection within facilities to help guard equipment, supplies, and people to the problems that can develop through heavy rain, melting snow, or broken pipes. A drain tarp is an asset to have on hand to use in facilities, storage rooms, and commercial spaces at a moments notice when a leak issue develops. The leak diverters are constructed with reinforced poly or anti-static vinyl that are both durable and lightweight along with being easy to install. They are designed to catch leaking water and safely drain the water into a selected area or container. These protective covers have a reinforced perimeter fitted with metal D-rings allowing to safely affix to structures or fasteners. The 12 Mil reinforced poly drain tarp was a popular choice many during 2022.
Bungee Balls
Bungee balls are becoming more popular by the day as these fasteners are extremely effective for connecting two things together such as a tarp and a structure in a fast and easy process. The elasticity of the cord, also known as shock cord, permits for the simple positioning of the cord in securing a tarp or curtain typically through the grommets to the structure it is connecting to. The bungee balls are secured by placing the ball of the product through the bungee tail loop and tightening to the desired fit. The bungee cord connects with the hook/fastener on both ends, one on the grommet and the other to the item it is being fastened to.
Tarp Clips
Another extremely popular fastener over the recent years is the tarp clips. This item provides users the ability to instantly and safely connect a tarp to a cord, rope, wire, bungee cord, or other implement through the eyehole on the one end. The front section, which has a serrated jaw that firmly connects the tarp material up to 1/2” thick and locks into place with the clamping clip that is attached. The clips are constructed from strong plastic polymers that are as much as four times stronger than typical metal grommets. Tarp clips act as grommets allowing you to instantly create a tarp from any material or for giving an existing large tarp coverings more grommets when needed.
Zip Ties / Cable Ties
Zip ties / cable ties are the go-to for fastening almost any type of tarp or industrial curtain because they are a fast, inexpensive, and safe way of securing them. Made with strong nylon material these light and thin strips are available in multiple lengths helping match any situation. Tarps, curtains, and other items can quickly and easily be attached to fences, poles, wire, and structures by securely tightening the zip ties through the grommets or D-rings to the place where it is being connected by placing the tail end through the ratchet opening of the head of the zip tie to tighten to the desired tension.
Industrial Curtain Track and Hardware
Industrial curtain tracking and hardware is becoming more and more popular as users are taking advantage of these fixtures to layout and operate industrial curtain systems at their plants, shops, gyms, restaurants, porches, and residences. Hot dipped 16-gauge steel tracking is available in lengths of 4, 6, and 8-foot as well as curved sections that allow for nearly unlimited designs. To help install and secure the tracks connecting and mounting hardware is provided. These items include mounts, brackets, splice connectors, floor mounts, and end stops. A selection of curtain track trolleys and curtain rollers fitted with steel ball bearing or nylon wheels are offered to allow the curtains to be attached and glide along the curtain track system.
Sale Page
It is not new, the Tarps Now Sale Page has been on our website for quite a while. However, over the recent past more and more are discovering and taking advantage of the many deals that are offered daily. The Sale Page contains many popular tarp cover products and common sizes that are usually returned because of non-defective issues that include the wrong type of tarp or industrial curtain being ordered, the wrong size, or the customer did not need it after all. These return products are inventoried at our warehouse and become tarps for sale on the dedicated Sale Page. It can be accessed by locating the Sale Items link that is shown in red at the bottom of the Tarps By Category column on the left margin of the tarpsnow.com home page. This page can be viewed by clicking on the mentioned link.
Tarp Now would like to thank our many customers for choosing to use or tarps, industrial curtains, and tarps accessories. We also value those that are viewing and considering our products. It will be our pleasure to work with you and be of service in providing the information and protection you need in 2023. Always know that you can contact us with any questions or if you need help by calling (888) 800-1383 or emailing sales@tarpsnow.com. One of our experienced, helpful, and pleasant tarp team members located at our Michigan headquarters will be happy to speak with you.
Happy New Year!
