What Is A Tarp Used For?

A tarp is a large, flat piece of fabric that can be used for many different purposes. You might use a tarp to cover your collectable car in storage, or to keep the rain off your patio furniture. Companies often use tarps to protect their inventory from the elements, or to cover equipment and supplies at a construction site. There are almost endless uses for tarpaulins. In this blog post, we will explore some of the most common ways people use tarps, covers, and industrial curtains. Whether you are looking for ideas on how to better utilize your tarps, or curious about all the different ways they can be used to protect your possessions, areas, animals, and people, there is something here of interest.

Tarps are versatile and cost-effective tools for providing protection outdoors, in storage, and other areas. They come in a variety of materials designed for a multitude of applications, including vinyl, clear vinyl, canvas, polyethylene, and mesh. Vinyl tarps are usually waterproof along with being tear, mildew, and rot resistant, so they are great for protecting items stored outside against the elements, while canvas tarps offer versatility and are breathable countering moisture issues. Polyethylene tarps are lightweight while still having excellent tear and puncture resistance, making them ideal for quickly covering structures, goods or for camping while mesh tarps allow air to pass through yet still providing excellent strength, which is perfect for creating shade and wind resistance. No matter how you utilize them, tarps made from these distinct fabrics will provide dependable protection with their unique benefits.

The following article will provide some helpful insight into the vast protection that the wide variety of tarp products on the market provide for individuals, businesses, and organizations. From the most basic applications to some creative uses, you will get a stronger sense of what tarps are used for.

What Types Of Protection Do Tarps Deliver?

Whatever you are trying to cover with a tarpaulin you will find even more protection than initially meets the eye with features like waterproof or fire retardant treatments as well as fabric construction with maximum protection and durability in mind. Below we are providing some of the basic protection and optional features that are commonly desired and delivered from tarp products.

UV Ray Protection

The sun casts ultraviolet radiation through a number of wavelengths of which UVA and some UVB rays make it to the earth after passing through the atmosphere. These UV rays are dangerous to human eyes and skin along with causing harm to other living things and inanimate surfaces too. A tarp in its basic construction will help shield from these rays. In addition, many tarp products have UV ray treatments that protect the tarp itself from the wear and tear that the sun will cause to a cover helping it last longer.

Tear, Puncture, and Abrasion Resistance

While protecting your things tarps take on a lot of abuse from the elements, surrounding environment, in transit, or from people and creatures. Through the material creation and weaves along with treatments for some products, these fabric barriers as a whole are incredibly strong holding up to damaging effects that include tears, punctures, or abrasions. Often these issues are prevented and if there is an occurrence of physical damage, it will be limited to a small section not growing. The objective is to maintain the best surface for the protection it presents.

Waterproof and Water Resistant Protection

Water is a force of nature, absolutely essential to life yet very destructive for things in its path. Whether it is rain, snow, floods or even broken pipes and mold caused by standing water, the dangers posed should not be underestimated. Luckily there are ways one can guard against these issues in fast and efficient ways including waterproof tarps and water-resistant tarps that help generate additional levels of protection wherever they are needed. Whether it is covering roofs, equipment, materials, or patios these versatile products give peace of mind no matter what kind water issue might come your way.

Mold and Mildew Resistance

Mold and mildew often result from standing and excess water and other related issues that can cause a lot of concerns and health issues if allowed to happen and persist. The material utilized in many tarp products including polyethylene and vinyl along with the treatments administered to cover products helps prevent the occurrence of mold and mildew on the covers.

Grease, Oil, and Acid Resistance

In numerous settings including industrial, manufacturing, construction, and auto body shops, operations have oil, grease, and some acids are utilized and present. The durable fabrics used in tarp products such as vinyl and polyethylene utilized in solid and mesh tarps resist many oil, grease, and acidic substances protecting the goods and structures underneath.

Fire Retardancy

When the risk of fire is present, look no further than a fire retardant tarp for safety and protection. Fire protective covers are offered in selections of materials including vinyl, clear vinyl, canvas, and polyethylene. Not only do these tarps meet fire regulations standards such as CPAI-84 and NFPA 701 they are resistant to tears, abrasions, UV rays, grease, oil, acid, and mildew as well 100 percent waterproof for many of the products. You can feel confident that they are up to the necessary standards while fitting your needs perfectly when it comes to size or thickness. Equip yourself with these essential solutions today, do not wait until disaster strikes before covering your things.

Anti-Static

Working in an office, plant, warehouse, or shop with delicate electrical and digital equipment can be risky. Unforeseen issues including water can put your valuable tech at risk of damage, not to mention the additional threats encountered from dust and other substances. But fear not, anti-static tarps provide superior defense for keeping sensitive devices safe from malfunctioning ,shutdowns, and costly losses. These specialty covers are made from durable fire retardant vinyl that is 11.8 ounces per square yard making them heavy duty along with providing 100 percent waterproof protection. They are also UV ray resistant allowing the anti-static covers to be a powerful force against any potential issues caused by punctures, tears, or mildew buildup.

Grommets

Metal grommets (eyelets) are like superheroes of the tarp and industrial curtain world. Made from resilient materials such as brass, nickel, and aluminum, these small but mighty metal rings provide a practical solution for quickly tying down tarps in all sorts of environments. From securing freight on trucks to covering damaged roofs and other structures, you do not realize just how important they can be until you need them. With their equal spacing typically from 12 inches up to 36 inches apart depending on the product fitted in the hems around the perimeter it will not get any easier or more efficient than this. One thing is certain, when it comes time for securing your covers, these incredible eyelets will quickly get the job done.

Color Options

You can get creative and personalize for making your environment safe with tarp products that come in spectrum diverse colors. Some products have 10 or more color options. These range from the subtle earthtones of white, silver or tan to vibrant shades such red, orange, and yellow that are ideal for safety uses. You can also blend in effortlessly with a variety of green and brown camouflage patterns. Screen out light pollution and UV rays with a few clear color options on select products for additional practicality. Brighten up any living space while also keeping safety a top priority, all without sacrificing style.

What Are The Best Tarp Products For The Job?

Get the absolute maximum protection for your items with the right tarp for your specific application. Choose from a variety of materials such as canvas, vinyl, clear vinyl, mesh, and polyethylene. Each of these fabrics offers different levels of coverage. To follow you will discover which material is best suited to meet your needs. Whether you are after something durable like canvas or clear-as-day visibility from clear tarps, we will help guide you through the array of covers available in today's market.

Vinyl Tarps

Vinyl tarps are a multi-purpose, extremely reliable choice for safeguarding a wide array of items, ranging from residential structures to recreational and industrial equipment. Constructed using a resilient and waterproof PVC material, vinyl tarps come in an assortment of sizes, thicknesses, material weights and colors to provide optimal protection for whatever needs require covering. The seams of these heavy duty tarps are heat sealed for maximum security, with strong rust-resistant grommets for superior tying down offering further reinforcement. Vinyl tarps also offer added advantages including resistance to UV rays, wear and tear, abrasion, rot, and mildew. Furthermore, special feature options such as fire retardancy, anti-static properties, camouflage colors, and outdoor movie screens may be available depending on the specific tarp. With its universal appeal in various settings such as trucking, agriculture, warehousing, and more, vinyl tarps can be utilized as truck tarps, carport covers, vehicle covers, camping tarps, firewood tarps, roof tarps, baseball and softball field tarps, pet and livestock shelters, hockey shooting nets, golf hitting screens, and divider curtains.

Clear Vinyl Tarps

A great option for those looking to protect their outdoor spaces throughout the year will find clear vinyl tarps useful. These thick (20 Mil and 30 Mil), durable covers offer protection from wind, rain, snow, and cold temperatures while also providing excellent visibility of anything that lies underneath. The material is anti-microbial. Fire retardant options are available in the 20 Mil thickness. Clear vinyl tarps can be used as covers or barriers on porches, decks, patios, entryways, and gazebos. They are perfect for taking full advantage of these areas all year round. The clear heavy duty tarps are also ideal for vehicle and equipment covers where clear views of the items underneath is important.

Canvas Tarps

Canvas tarps have been around for centuries, providing protection and shelter from rain, snow and other water-related issues. They come in a variety of styles to suit different needs and applications from heavy duty cotton fabric covers that are tightly woven to waterproof or fire retardant canvas versions of tarpaulins. Canvas tarps offer many benefits such as breathability, air circulation, moisture control, heat protection and flame resistance. Popular uses include equipment covers, car tarp covers, painting tarps, camping tarps under tents, roofing tarps, ground coverings, landscaping tarps, and divider curtains. These versatile canvas tarps can also be used as leaf collectors or even hammocks.

Polyethylene Tarps

Polyethylene (poly) tarps are the most popular and widely used type of tarp worldwide. With features such as being extremely lightweight for easy handling and 100 percent waterproof along with being UV ray, tear, rot and mildew resistant, poly tarps are a great choice for many different applications like covers for cars and trucks, material covers, carport covers, roof tarps, construction tarps, woodpile covers, landscape and gardening tarps, ground covers, tent covers, campsite tarps, or a slip and slide for the kids. They also are available in a wide selection of sizes, thicknesses, grades, and colors to meet any needs you may have. In addition to all these benefits there are also special features such as camouflage colors for added privacy or fire retardancy for extra safety. So, if you are looking for a durable tarp with plenty of options that will meet your budget, then look no further than poly tarps.

Mesh Tarps

Mesh tarps are an incredibly popular and versatile product that can be used for a variety of purposes. They are made from strong mesh fabric that includes vinyl or polypropylene, providing protection from the sun while allowing airflow to pass through. Mesh tarps come in a wide range of shade factors, ranging from 40 percent up to 95 percent, as well as various colors. In addition, there are also specialty mesh tarp products like hurricane tarps, fire retardant tarps, truck tarps, containment tarps and debris netting. These mesh tarps offer much more than just shade.

Nylon Tarps

Nylon tarps are an incredibly versatile type of cover that can be used for a variety of purposes. Made from denier nylon fabric, these tarps come in different thicknesses and colors and have a urethane coating for added durability and flexibility. They are water resistant, tear-resistant, and abrasion-resistant making them perfect for both residential use as well as crafts, commercial work, industrial applications, agricultural needs, or construction projects.

Industrial and Divider Curtains

For businesses and even residences that need to create partitioned areas, industrial and divider curtains are the perfect solution. With materials like vinyl, clear vinyl, mesh, and canvas that are durable, UV ray resistant, and mildew resistant, these curtains can be used to create divider curtains, wash bays, clean rooms, and paint booths. In addition to the durable material of the curtains themselves, hardware such as straight or curved tracking along with track trolleys, support mounts and end stops allow for efficient curtain systems. Industrial curtains provide a cost effective way to improve efficiency in warehouses, manufacturing plants, or car dealerships as well in porches and patios offering privacy control, weather barriers, and temperature regulation.

Custom Tarps

For anyone looking for the perfect size tarp or industrial curtain, custom tarps and curtains are the ideal solution. Not only can they be crafted to fit special dimensions, they are also cost-effective when compared to buying multiple tarps to try and fit the special dimensions. With Tarps Now's Custom Size Tarps Builder app, ordering a custom tarp has never been easier, just enter your specifications in a few clicks and you will have your perfect sized product in no time.

Fabric by the Yard and Roll

If you are looking to create your own tarps, curtains, fabric repairs, and other projects requiring tarp material, there is an abundance of fabrics available for purchase. Popular and common materials include vinyl, clear vinyl, canvas, mesh, nylon, and other cloths. These fabrics are offered by the yard or roll so you can order just the amount you need for your specific project or inventory.

Tarp Accessories

Tarps and covers are a great way to protect your belongings from the elements, but they do need to be periodically maintained and repaired on occasion. That is why tarp accessories exist. These items help you maintain, repair, and extend the usefulness of tarps, covers, and industrial curtains by providing clips, bungee balls, grabbers, shock cords, rope, and rubber straps for securing them in place. They also provide tarp tape and glues for enhancing or repairing existing tarps as well as grommet kits for these grommet repairs or additions and for creating your own custom tarps or curtains. To keep your tarps looking their best, there are tarp cleaners and protectants available. With these helpful tools at hand, you are sure to get the most out of every tarp.

Tarps Now Has The Tarps You Need

What Is A Tarp Used For? In short, for just about anything where protection is needed. As you have read in this blog post, there is a tarp for nearly everything that requires guarding from the sun, rain, snow, dirt, debris, pests, and people. They are ideal in the garage, backyard, porch, construction job site, warehouse, manufacturing plant, or for covering your freight. When you decide to get a tarp or few, look no further than the widest selection around of tarps, covers, industrial curtains, and accessories that Tarps Now provides to help you to protect your possessions. If you have questions on anything or you are ready to order, please do not hesitate to contact us at (888) 800-1383 or sales@tarpsnow.com where one of our pleasant, experienced, and helpful tarps team member looks forward to speaking with you.

Thank you for reading!