Tarps, canvas, vinyl, poly...

[Bretny]

Its that time of year again. Im splitting wood like a mad man for next year with no place to put it and also need to cover some equipment.

What type of tarps last a long time and can take a snow load?
What do you use and what do you cover with it?

I have a 10x12ft canvas tarp coming for my tractor but at almost $60 thats a bit pricy for firewood. I figure this $60 tarp to be more of an investment in the tractors well being than anything else.

 

[seber]

The only tarps that will last the winter will be canvas or old billboard signs. The billboard signs are virtually indestructible.

 

[Jazz1]

Light coloured poly are cheap and last a couple years. I get damaged tarps free as we haul chips and instead of repairing these heavy duty tarps they get tossed. Brought home 3 10’x30’ tarps the last few weeks

 

[Bretny]

Jazz those look more like vinyl?

 

[Jazz1]

Jazz those look more like vinyl?

Yes, its a tear resistant vinyl. 10'x30' weighs about 100 lbs, note the D rings on the blue tarp.

 

[zendriver]

It's UV rays that kills a tarp.

I have had good luck with the silver reflective tarps from Harbor Freight.

 

[LevalleSr]

You should be on the look out on recycle day for folks disposing of backyard pop up tents, the 10 x 10 tarp would serve you well. You might have to seal the center section of the tarp for prevent water coming in.

 

[The Cobbler]

lumber wraps are good cheap(free) tarps if you can get them

 

[BFroa]

I have ordered a few from these folks:

www.billboardvinyls.com

 

[Wyoming09]

I use a large one (30'x50') of these to cover the in-ground swimming pool for the winter. I get several years use out of one.

https://www.menards.com/main/tools/...ack-heavy-duty-tarp/tps68/p-1444436079640.htm

 

[Boilerhouse]

lumber wraps are good cheap(free) tarps if you can get them

That's what I did this summer. These tarps come with the lifts of lumber and are tossed out as the lift is being dispensed. The local yard seemed happy to give it away. I cut mine into 20 ft long, 4 foot wide sections, and stapled it to the top of the wood pile, leaving the side of the pile exposed so it could dry. It seems to be working well.

 

[thebeekeeper1]

I'm in the process of switching from using tarps, which end up getting expensive, to the metal used to build pole barns. It's a bit of a drive but Central Illinois has a place where you can buy seconds. It ends up being about a $1.58 a lineal foot, and all the pieces are 3 ft wide. They will cut it to length for another dollar per cut. If you put 3/8" eyes on the bottom of your rack you can run ratchet straps up and over and the metal folds down nicely over your woodpile. This is a perfect solution that only costs once. I have a picture, but I can't figure out how to post it.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Those billboard tarps seem like a real good way to go.

 

[larry4406]

12x24 “heavy duty” 10mil tarp at Walmart for $29.87. I’m on my 3rd year of wood storage with it.

I ripped a 2x4x16 lengthwise. I have it zipped tied to the eyelets to hold it down. Lifts up easy for getting wood and doesn’t blow away.

 

[gearhead1]

I have ordered a few from these folks:

www.billboardvinyls.com

Great to know. Thanks for posting. This is why I love GJ.

I have my demolition derby cars with the big hole cut in the hood and the window glass out, so I’m always looking for ways to keep water of the engine and leaves out of the car when they’re being idle over the winter. We usually park them in the woods or close to trees to help hide them from the neighbors.

If anyone has any other tarp type solutions, I’m all ears!

 

[theoldwizard1]

The only tarps that will last the winter will be canvas or old billboard signs. The billboard signs are virtually indestructible.

Yes, but they have hole to let the wind (and rain) go through !

 

[theoldwizard1]

I'm in the process of switching from using tarps, which end up getting expensive, to the metal used to build pole barns.

Cheap metal "car ports" are good start. If you want them to stay in one place you need to attach each leg to some kind of footer. Even if that means digging an over sized post hole and placing a concrete pier block in the hole. I would put the pier block in upside down (wide part up) and the top of the block 12"-18" (deeper is better) below grade. The leg needs to be ATTACHED to the block.

Then add the cheapest "tin" to 3 side that you can find.

 

[jgromada]

I have ordered a few from these folks:

www.billboardvinyls.com

learned something today, a good day

 

[Lassen Forge]

We inherited a stack of old canvas tarps when we bought the place, some were set up as soft walls for the shop overhangs, and the rest (I'm guessing) were spares for those. I've had one of those finally go bad after hanging for 10+ years either rolled or dropped... for the money, it's hard to beat the longevity of canvas.

I've never played with billboard material, but if I get a chance to, that may be next.

 

[matt_i]

After some years of using the silver tarps for tractors I feel like I'm wasting money. I'm on the track of acquiring a heavy duty sewing machine so I can stitch marine canvas (Sunbrella, etc). Its not cheap but I'm figuring $200-250 in materials for a ~10 year life is a big savings over what it would cost for the same number of tarp-years, with a much greater ability to resist water intrusion. The silver tarps start looking like swiss cheese from the inside after year #1. I've considered the billboard ones but haven't pulled the trigger. The sewing machine would be useful for so many other things...

 

[pcmeiners]

Thanks for the link for the billboard tarps

 

[Copymutt]

7000’ here in sunny Colorado. Those blue, silver Walmart, Harbor Freight tarps should be banned in high UV environments. After one yr. microscopic blue, silver
plastic contaminates get blown into the atmosphere and have been found in the Arctic. They degrade quickly. A prime example of temporary technology.

 

[Bretny]

The HF blue tarps are absolutely terrible. I still have some free ones that i havnt used. Mostly i used there silver 10mil tarps. I made a wood framr to cover my boat in the winter. I would get 2 years out of them max but i put alot of thought into the wood frame that helped support it. After basicly all the gromets half ripped and the peak part of the tarp was getting thin it would go into firewood service.

The problem with my firewood tarps are there on the wood for 2 years. I try to split in fall for the following year.

I just got a 10x12ft canvas for a tractor that i have covering firewood at the moment. Snow by the end of the week so we will see how it lasts..even if it is only 1 day old.