Tarps, The Silent Helper in the Yard

Tarps have seemingly limitless uses around the house, but they're also great outside of the house. If

Keep pests away from your precious plants

you have a green thumb, consider bringing a tarp along the next time you work in the yard. Whether you are raking leaves, pulling weeds or pruning trees, a tarp makes a great place to put all your lawn and garden waste before you actually dispose of it. And when you're finished working in the garden, all you have to do is gather the corners of the tarp up and haul it away to the designated disposal area, which makes cleanup a snap.

Tarps are also great for protecting plants that may need a little extra insulation during colder months. Simply wrap a tarp around said plants and anchor it when the weather starts to cool down to give them the protection they need overnight.

Keep your firewood protected rain or shine

If you enjoy sitting in front of a roaring fire and have a valuable stash of firewood, consider a tarp to protect your firewood from the elements. After all, nothing is worse than discovering all of your wood is wet and useless. Instead, if you cover it with a tarp, your firewood will be dry and ready each time you're ready to use your fireplace.

If you enjoy sitting in the backyard, looking over your yard and feeling proud of all you have accomplished in your own little corner of the world, but find it is too hot to sit in the bright sun in the summer, consider a tarp as sun shade. Tarps make for an incredibly cheap alternative to expensive awnings and provide just as much shade. Plus, tarps couldn't be easier to install and rearrange as the sun moves.

No matter how you decide to use it, an investment in a backyard tarp will pay great dividends.

Tarps - The Secret Weapon to a Successful Camping Trip

Tarps can help turn even the most vehemently anti-camping people into veritable outdoorsmen or outdoorswomen by making the experience infinitely more comfortable. Before you even pitch your tent, lay down a tarp to protect your tent, and, by association, yourself, from the hard ground, which can be wet and rocky. A tarp helps prevent all that moisture and sharp edges from seeping through into the tent, which makes for much more comfortable nights.

Protection from the sun 

We highly recommend you bring along another tarp to use as a canopy, either to protect the top of
your tent as well, or to provide a shaded sitting area for lounging around outside your tent. In addition to shade, a tarp protects picnic tables and chairs from falling debris, which means you'll have to do a lot less cleanup and will end up with a much tidier campsite overall. And, if it rains, a tarp above your tent will provide an extra layer of protection and ensure the trip is a lot less miserable for all the campers trapped inside.

While you're out for the day, a tarp makes a great way to protect your supplies and gear. After all, you don't want to return to find that someone - or something - has rummaged through it and/or polished it off. And you never know when there might be a sudden downpour, which could make for a pretty uncomfortable night. You can also use tarps to help protect pets if you're leaving Fido behind for a bit. And you might even be able to help redirect wind and reduce the number of bugs around your campsite and/or help retain warmth from the campfire, if needed.

If you're staying at a crowded campsite, a tarp can help provide some much-needed privacy from the watchful eyes of other campers. Simply erect the tarp around your campsite to thwart prying eyes. This could be especially important if you are staying at a campsite that doesn't have formal bathrooms and you are stuck going in the woods.

Don't let the weather stop you

And, if you're really into roughing it, tarps can even be used to create a camping shelter in and of themselves. In short, tarps can help make everything from basic shelters to much more comfortable shelters.

Simple Uses for Tarps Around the House

A tarp can serve many functions within a single home. Take home improvement tasks, for example.
A tarp can help hide or protect the part of your home that is a work in progress as it is being completed. You can protect yourself and your family from the elements, while also adding an aura of mystery to the project itself if you have nosy neighbors. Tarps also make terrific drop cloths for painting projects. Simply lay one down to protect carpet or flooring from drips and splatters, which seem to happen no matter how careful you are. And tarps are terrific for holding leaks at bay until the plumber or roofer can stop by to address the source of the problem if your roof springs a leak. You can even use a tarp as a makeshift shower curtain, if need be. The only limit for these multi-functional devices is your imagination.

Keep out the elements during construction

Tarps also multitask in the garage. Use a tarp to protect a vehicle from dust and debris, which is especially important if the car in question is a valuable one that you especially want to protect. Tarps are also a great way to protect firewood in storage to ensure that it is dry and ready to burn whenever you want to use your fireplace. Again, the only limit is the number of ways you can dream up.

If you're lucky enough to own a motorcycle, boat, RV, snow machine, jet ski or the like, use a tarp to

Quick and easy boat cover

cover the vehicle in the off-season or whenever else it is not in use for year-round protection. These valuable assets will be safe and secure even if a storm hits or a proverbial act of God strikes your storage area. And, for those with kids around the house, a tarp can be used to cover a sand box or other outdoor child-friendly structures to ensure years of fun, safe, dry play.

As if that wasn't enough, you can even rely on tarps to provide inexpensive shade. And with all the tarps to choose from, your temporary tarp shade may even become a more permanent one.

5 Simple Things You Didn't Know You Can Do With a Tarp

At PTM Tarps, we're obviously a little biased when it comes to tarps. If you're still on the fence about these multipurpose wonders, let us give you five ways to use tarps that you may have never considered before.

Enjoy camping rain or shine

1. On your next camping or hiking trip, bring an extra tarp and a pair of scissors. That way, if you get caught in the rain, you won't get soaked. Instead, you can cut out some holes for your head and arms
and craft yourself a makeshift poncho. Your family and friends may laugh at you at first, but you'll get the last, mostly dry, laugh.

2. An extra tarp is always a great idea in case of an emergency. If you hit a deer, for example, or a fellow hiker falls and twists his or her ankle, you can place the person or deer on the tarp and use it to haul the animal or person to safety. Tarps could also help you signal for help if you got hopelessly lost in the woods and could be used to wrap up a potential hypothermia sufferer and keep him or her warm until help arrives.

Simple summer fun

3. Think summer fun. You don't have to go to the store to look for a slide and spend a lot of money
on fancy toys. Instead, lay down a tarp and turn on the hose and let everyone slide away, over and over again. Or, if you're really feeling adventurous, use a tarp to create a makeshift pool by either digging a hole or covering the bottom of an inflatable pool with a hole in it.

4. If you're high on stuff and low on the means to carry it with, you can easily turn a tarp into a backpack by wrapping up everything inside and tying with just a little rope.

5. Stranded at sea? No problem - just use your tarp to create a sail and let the wind ferry you to safety.
See? There's almost nothing tarps can't do.

Find the Tarp that Meets Your Needs - Poly, Canvas, Vinyl or Mesh

PTM Tarps carries a wide range of tarps to suit an even wider range of needs. If you're confused about which type of tarp is right for you, let us lay it out for you - pun intended:

Poly tarps are perfect for a construction site

Poly tarps are made from a plastic-like material and, as a result, they are waterproof. These are the
tarps commonly used for weather relief and are slightly less expensive than some other kinds of tarps. If you're preparing for a storm or the like, this is the tarp for you. Poly tarps are also great for construction sites, camping trips, events and anywhere else you don't want to get wet.

Canvas tarps, on the other hand, are made from a woven fabric of natural or synthetic fibers. This tarp is commonly used by professionals like painters and truckers because they provide a spill-proof barrier that can withstand high winds. Canvas tarps can also protect delicate surfaces like hardwood and can also help protect materials that will be stored outdoors. The key to take away about canvas tarps is that they are strong, which also makes them ideal for some events.

Vinyl tarps resist pretty much everything, including oil, grease, acid and mildew, so they are ideal for many industrial applications, too. These tarps are also waterproof and can withstand extreme weather conditions.

Mesh tarps can be used for just about everything

Finally, mesh tarps have nylon threading that is almost screen-like. These tarps allow some water or wind to get through, which means they provide some shade and weaken winds.  Mesh tarps are great for home and yard use. Some mesh tarps are also used by sports leagues or as privacy screens for any number of applications. Gardeners also like mesh tarps to help shade low-light plants.

If you have a specific need, like a pool cover, a snow fence or a floor covering, tarps can work, too. Please reach out to use directly and we'll help find the perfect tarp.

Tarp Applications for the Everyday Farmer and Rancher

If your livelihood depends on the work you do outdoors, you perhaps need tarps more than anybody.

Tarps are farmers' and ranchers' best friends. Tarps will pay for themselves both in and out of the barn. Use a tarp as a hay or grain cover to protect feed from adverse weather, as well as the resulting rot and mildew, which renders the feed useless. In other words, a tarp can help protect the investment you make in feeding your livestock or poultry, as well as the livestock and poultry itself. A sturdy cover like a tarp also helps the feed retain its nutritional value because every farmer worth his or her salt knows you don't want to leave feed exposed to sun, day in and day out. What's more, a durable tarp like many of the tarps offered by PTM Tarps can easily withstand daily use, so you don't have to worry about wear and tear, even if you're moving it day after day.

Perfect to protect bails of hay from the elements

Farmers and ranchers can also use tarps as livestock and poultry curtains and to shore up their barns and/or pens in fall and winter months. If you're going to use a tarp around animals, be sure to look for one that has high tear resistance. A tarp that also has some moisture-resistance will help further ensure the animals stay warm and dry. You should also consider tarps as an inexpensive way to provide shade within the stalls themselves, particularly if you live in a warmer climate. And tarps also make great greenhouse covers and can help protect agriculture as well.

And should you need to store anything outside, perishable or not, a tarp can protect said item from the ground, as well as the elements. Simply lay one down and one over to provide the most protection.

How to Shop for Tarps

You are thinking of buying a tarp! This is a guide to introduce you to the different types of tarps, their different usages and the specifications you want to look for on the tarp package. Tarp is a great way to protect materials, to use in construction sites, to build a canopy and many more.

First, you need to decide the size of the tarp. Most tarps suppliers carry a variety of sizes from 05’x07’ up to 170’x170’. Don’t try to buy 2 or 3 tarps for your need when you can just buy one.

Second, you want to consider what type of tarp you will need. Among the most popular tarps is the Polyethylene tarp, aka poly tarp. As the name suggests, it is made out of polyethylene and comes in a medium or heavy duty which is determined by the mesh count (explained in the next section). It is commonly used in outdoor coverage (vehicle, boats & RV’s), to build a canopy, to cover a truck bed, or as a temporary protection. Valance tarps are poly tarps and are great choice for canopies. Valance tarp eliminates the gap between the tarp & frame so rain runs down outside the frame and makes enclosing the canopy very simple. 
Mesh tarps are made out of fabric. Versatile and easy to use, which makes these tarps excellent choice for a quick and easy shelter for public events. They are commonly used for nurseries, gardens and general outdoor work (construction sites & roof protection) and campsites. They are also mildew and rot resistant and will not crumble. 
Vinyl Tarps made out of synthetic plastic, thus waterproof. These tarps cost more but they are good for tough usages and they resist oil, grease, acid and mildew. Many are used to protect vulnerable items such as machinery, tools, crops, fertilizer, stacked lumber, unfinished buildings, covering the loads on various types of trucks, and many other things from the air elements. They are excellent in both hot and cold weather. Canvas Tarps, made out of cotton canvas that is wax coated for a water repellent finish, are commonly used for covering outdoor areas while giving it a high end look compared to Poly tarps. They also used for construction projects.

The smaller the weave, the more durable the tarp

Third, what to look for on your tarp package. You want to look at the mesh count. Mesh count refers to the web threads per square inch horizontally and vertically. The smaller the weave, the more durable the tarp will be. A good heavy-tarp will has a mesh count of 12 x 14 & 14 x 14. Next, you should check the thickness of the tarp. It is measured in mils and ranges from 6 to 18 mil. If you live in a snow area, you definitely want to shop for a thicker tarp.
Lastly, make sure the tarp is U.V. Protection. This will save you from the Ultraviolet light, which is harmful to your health and can cause sunburn and some forms of cancer.  Also, make sure it has grommet (eyelet) at least every 18’’.

Now you are an expert in tarps. With these things in mind, you can make the right smart tarp purchase. Remember at PTM Tarps, we have got you covered!

 Shop now