Bought a couple one year tarps to day

37chief · Nov 3, 2011

I bought a couple more tarps from Harbor Freight today. I use them to cover my tractors, and mowers I don't know of a better cover for the money. I buy a few each year, for my good tractors. The other tractors just get a piece roofing tin. The best stuff came from my previous employer. The company had a 70x70 ft or larger waste chemical storage pond. The pond was lined with a material called Hyplon. When the pond was removed I got a few large pieces. The material must be at least 20 years old, and still is in good shape, except for a few rips, even after being out in the sun all those years. Wish I would have got more. Stan

northvale · Nov 4, 2011

any membrabe sheet roofing will last, EPDM, Hypalon, PVC. I have some of each 23 years old now. The PVC broke up last year when frozen. Now the halves are walk off mats in the pole barn.

showcrop · Nov 4, 2011

I used those tarps a few times to cover some things with good paint. The movement in the wind caused the paint to wear. Now I use old rubber roofing, it stays put for the most part. I still use the light ones for short-term covering wagon loads of hay etc.

mkirsch · Nov 4, 2011

Yeah, that's my problem with tarps too... They tend to rub and scratch up the paint, and they always get holes poked in them at any corner.

If you've got the roofing tin, why not put some 4x4s and 2x4s underneath and turn it into a barn?

greygoat · Nov 4, 2011

A silver "heavy duty" one purchased October
2010, just rotted and fell apart. But every
place I looked just had the same "China" stuff!

BillyinStoughton · Nov 4, 2011

I got lucky a few years ago and found some rubberized canvas tarps that are used to protect loads of hay being transported over the road. They are heavy as all get out, but I could never see one of them failing.

Mike (WA) · Nov 4, 2011

The silver ones are really brittle- I thought I was getting a better quality when I got one to cover a stack of lumber- but the first windy day, it ripped in about 4 places, and was useless. The blue ones and brown ones don't rip as bad, at least until the sun weakens them.

One trick to avoid them tearing out the grommets on the edge- I get a small round rock and wrap the tarp around it (where I want a tie point) and put a couple of twists on the rock, then tie around the twist (so the rock prevents it from pulling through). Will last for the life of the tarp, not just until the first good wind.

The east end of our county is pretty back-woodsy and hillbilly. Lots of jokes about marrying relatives, etc. One guy was trying to praise the industriousness of his neighbor- "He changes his roof tarps whenever they get a little ragged."

Doug in Illinois · Nov 4, 2011

The best luck I have had with tarps is used billboard sign "tarps".

The last one I bought was in Bowling Green, MO at what used to be called Niemeyer RTN.

They have now changed hands, so don't know if they still have them.

But you can get them off Ebay. Lots of different sizes, weights, and prices.

The one I would likely buy is 14x48 feet for $45.00 plus shipping. Where you are will make a difference in shipping price, but to my place is $27.11. So just say $30 + $45 = $75.00 total.

That is what I gave for my last one in Bowling Green, but I think it was 20 mil instead of 13 mil this one is.

The 20 mil is almost too heavy for one man to wrestle the whole thing over a trailer load of hay by himself. DOUG

Brad Gyde · Nov 4, 2011

To add to what Doug said:

In best of Farm Show 2011 there is a whole page about said billboard tarps.. I have been gonna look into a couple.. haven't yet.. They look like they'd work just as good as anything in the picture in the magazine..

www.billboardtarps.com or call 877-771-TARP it says in the article..

Brad

Bought a couple one year tarps to day

37chief

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northvale

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showcrop

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mkirsch

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greygoat

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BillyinStoughton

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Mike (WA)

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Doug in Illinois

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Brad Gyde

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