A tarp is a large, flat piece of fabric with almost endless uses. Cover a collectible car in storage, protect patio furniture from rain, or shield equipment and supplies on a job site. This post explores the most common uses for tarps, covers, and industrial curtains.
Tarps come in vinyl, clear vinyl, canvas, polyethylene, and mesh. Vinyl tarps are waterproof and resist tears, mildew, and rot, great for outdoor storage. Canvas tarps are breathable and help control moisture. Poly tarps are lightweight but tough, ideal for quickly covering structures or camping. Mesh tarps let air through while still blocking wind and providing shade.
Read on to get a better sense of what tarps can do for you.
What Types Of Protection Do Tarps Deliver?
Tarps offer more protection than most people expect. Beyond basic coverage, many include features like waterproofing, fire retardancy, and heavy duty fabric construction. Here are the key protections tarps provide.
UV Ray Protection
UV rays from the sun damage skin, eyes, and surfaces. Tarps help block these rays. Many tarps also have UV treatments that protect the fabric itself from sun damage, helping it last longer.
Tear, Puncture, and Abrasion Resistance
Tarps take a lot of abuse from weather, transit, and handling. Tough materials and tight weaves help them resist tears, punctures, and abrasion. When damage does occur, it tends to stay small and contained.
Waterproof and Water Resistant Protection
Water causes serious damage from rain and snow to flooding and broken pipes. Waterproof and water-resistant tarps offer fast, reliable protection for roofs, equipment, materials, and patios. Keep one on hand before water becomes a problem.
Mold and Mildew Resistance
Standing water and moisture can lead to mold and mildew. Many tarps, especially those made from polyethylene and vinyl, are treated to resist both, keeping the cover and whatever is underneath clean and safe.
Grease, Oil, and Acid Resistance
Industrial, manufacturing, and auto body settings often involve oil, grease, and acids. Vinyl and polyethylene tarps resist these substances, protecting whatever is underneath.
Fire Retardancy
When fire is a risk, use a fire retardant tarp. Options are available in vinyl, clear vinyl, canvas, and polyethylene. They meet fire standards including CPAI-84 and NFPA 701 and also resist tears, abrasion, UV rays, grease, oil, acid, and mildew. Many are fully waterproof. Do not wait for a problem, get the right cover now.
Anti-Static
Electronic equipment in offices, plants, and warehouses is vulnerable to electrostatic discharge, water, and dust. Anti-static tarps protect sensitive devices from damage and costly shutdowns.
These covers are made from fire-retardant vinyl at 11.8 oz. per square yard. They are 100% waterproof and resist UV rays, punctures, tears, and mildew.
Grommets
Grommets are metal rings set into the edges of tarps and curtains. Made from brass, nickel, or aluminum, they make it easy to tie down covers in any setting, from securing freight on a truck to covering a damaged roof. They are spaced 12 to 36 inches apart around the perimeter, depending on the product.
Color Options
Tarps come in many colors. Some products offer 10 or more options. Choose subtle earth tones like white, silver, or tan, or go with bright colors like red, orange, and yellow for safety use. Camouflage patterns in green and brown are also available. Clear options let light through while still blocking UV rays.
What Are The Best Tarp Products For The Job?
Choosing the right tarp starts with the material. Here is a quick guide to the most popular options.
Vinyl Tarps
Vinyl tarps are tough, waterproof, and work in nearly any setting; residential, recreational, industrial, and more. Made from heavy duty 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, anti-static, camouflage, and outdoor movie screen versions.
Common uses include truck tarps, carport covers, vehicle covers, camping tarps, firewood tarps, roof tarps, field tarps, hockey nets, golf screens, and divider curtains.
Clear Vinyl Tarps
Clear vinyl tarps protect against wind, rain, snow, and cold while keeping full visibility. They are 20 Mil or 30 Mil thick, anti-microbial, and available in a fire retardant 20 Mil option.
Use them on porches, decks, patios, entryways, and gazebos to extend outdoor use all year. They also work well as vehicle and equipment covers when you need to see what is underneath.
Canvas Tarps
Canvas tarps have been used for centuries. They are breathable, which helps control moisture, air circulation, and heat buildup underneath. They come in tightly woven cotton, waterproof, and fire retardant versions.
Common uses include equipment covers, car covers, painting tarps, camping tarps, roofing tarps, ground covers, landscaping tarps, divider curtains, leaf collectors, and hammocks.
Polyethylene Tarps
Poly tarps are the most popular tarps in the world. They are lightweight, 100% waterproof, and resist UV rays, tears, rot, and mildew, all at an affordable price.
Use them as car and truck covers, roof tarps, construction tarps, woodpile covers, garden tarps, ground covers, tent covers, and more. They come in many sizes, thicknesses, grades, and colors. Specialty options include camouflage and fire retardant versions.
Mesh Tarps
Mesh tarps are made from vinyl or polypropylene. They block sun and wind while letting air pass through. Shade factors range from 40% to 95% and they come in many colors.
Specialty options include hurricane tarps, fire retardant tarps, truck tarps, containment tarps, and debris netting. Mesh tarps do much more than just provide shade.
Nylon Tarps
Nylon tarps are made from denier nylon with a urethane coating for added durability and flexibility. They are water-resistant, tear-resistant, and abrasion-resistant. They work well for residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, and construction use.
Industrial and Divider Curtains
Industrial and divider curtains create partitioned spaces in businesses and homes. Made from vinyl, clear vinyl, mesh, and canvas, they resist UV rays and mildew. Use them for wash bays, clean rooms, paint booths, and divider walls.
Tracking hardware, including straight and curved tracks, trolleys, support mounts, and end stops makes installation easy. They are a cost-effective way to improve efficiency, privacy, and temperature control in warehouses, plants, dealerships, porches, and patios.
Custom Tarps
Need a size that is not in stock? Custom tarps and curtains are made to your exact dimensions. They are often more affordable than buying multiple standard tarps to get the right fit. Use the Tarps Now 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, mesh, nylon, and poly. Order only what you need.
Tarp Accessories
Tarp accessories help you secure, maintain, and repair your covers. Use clips, bungee balls, grabbers, shock cords, rope, and rubber straps to hold tarps in place. Tarp tape, glue, and grommet kits handle repairs and DIY builds. Tarp cleaners and protectants keep covers in good shape for longer.
Tarps Now Has The Tarps You Need
What is a tarp used for? Just about anything that needs protection. From garages and backyards to job sites, warehouses, and freight, there is a tarp for it. Tarps Now carries the widest selection of tarps, covers, industrial curtains, and accessories available.
Ready to order or need help finding the right product? Call us at (888) 800-1383 or email sales@tarpsnow.com. Our team is ready to help.
Thank you for reading!
