What do you use for tarps?

[newbury]

I was going to post this in the "Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck" thread but think this may get a better audience.

Tried to look back in the threads for any discussion on the HF tarps. Didn't quickly find one so I'm starting one.
I just did a HF run today and bought one of their 28x59 silver tarps for $120 (after 25% off coupon) and got the 5.5x7.5 ft blue tarp for free.

I've been using their silver tarps frequently since 2009, covering tractors, equipment and trailer loads. So far I've worn out 2 or three of them, mostly when using to cover a trailer or equipment moving down to Mississippi at 70mph. One wore out due to being stretched over my backhoe for several years. The wear outs are usually only in a few spots where the tarp was strained by flapping in the 70mph wind or stretched over the top of the backhoe boom. I'm just going to cut those tarps down to a smaller size.

Their blue tarps seem to only last about a year in sunlight, but for free they are worth it.

Last year I had the audacity to buy a 16x20 8oz tarp from Tarps Direct, but that cost $83. And it's HEAVY.

After discount their large silver tarp cost me $0.64/sq yd, while 8oz tarp cost $2.33/sq yd.

Since the HF silver tarp in a 15x20 format costs $0.86/sq yd (figuring a 20% coupon) even though it may only last half as long as the Tarps Direct offering it seems the HF is the better offering.

So what are other TBN'ers using for large tarps for long term use?

 

[Ed of all trades]

To me a tarp is a temp. thing. Not to be used long term. I have a few tarps but they last for years because I seldom use them for longer than a day or two at a time. Ed

 

[BKBoiss]

I'm with Ed on this, tarps are temporary or replaced periodically, I gave up on the tarp shed thing, I do however have a couple of shed "doors" that I just replace every spring, I buy 10x12 cheapie tarps for around 3-4 bucks on sale at crappy tire and usually have a stack of 8 or 10 in the shed. They work for shed doors, quad covers, dumping a load of gravel/dirt on the yard with no clean up after etc. etc. if they are that cheap I find I have no problem just slapping on a new one. When I bought the expensive heavy ones I always fooled around trying to get more life out of them.

 

[murphy1244]

I have tried TSC silver and black Tarps and HD brown tarps and I get two years max out of them.I cover firewood with them.

 

[SARG]

Hey ... Did you guys know those huge billboard signs you see around the cities are actually heavy duty tarps ? And you can buy used ones that will not wear out for a few years.
They are vinyl and I have one on my topsoil pile that's lasted over four years so far.
Bad news is the shipping costs as much as the tarp.

New Vinyl 13-16 oz. Archives | Billboard Tarps

 

[stuckmotor]

I've got a silver Harbor Freight tarp that's been covering hay for nearly years. I stacked the hay in the shade to try and make the tarp last longer. It looks like it'll make it through a third year.

 

[Looking4new]

I buy the el-cheapo ones from crappy tire as well. They go over any loose load I have in my trailer to get from point A to point B, then the tarp comes off and gets folded up and stashed in the garage. My current one is 2 years old.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

I have a couple of the heavy duty tarps from farmtek and they work pretty well. IIRC they are the 12.5oz tarps and man are they a handful. I used to store my hay outside on pallets under the tarps but I have given up on that idea. The tarps have held up for 4 years so far but I'm not going to find out how much longer they last. I used to use a 12x16 canvas tarp for my working pile of round bales and I think I got 3 years out of it. AS long as I kept it up off the ground it seemed to hold up ok. I really should have sealed it with some linseed oil or something though to help protect it but I more than got my use out of it.

 

[lamanated]

I picked a heavy tarp up on Craigslist that was used for covering coffee beans on rail cars I think, works well, Black on one side but white with advertising on the other Paid $70

 

[davesl708]

I use the silver tarp from HF. It has been in full sun for five years now covering an old tiller. I guess when it goes bad will replace it with the same.