Hello to all. This is my second post on the Monkey, first being my introduction. I have a question to ask about a DIY budget tarp project. I was in my local Aldis food store the other day and came across a large 'Car Cover they had in there that caught my I eye. Always on the lookout for items that are on the cheap and can be re-purposed, I instantly thought 'cheap trail tarp. It is a large car size as it says, 200"x 77"x 60'' or roughly 16.5'x 6.5'x 5', (5' being the depth). It says it is " weather resistant" and water repellent" and is made of "100% polyester". I have no experience with these and really don't know if they are what they say they are. My thoughts were that this is a decent chunk of fabric that has possibilities, with a little modification and maybe some additional waterproofing. I guess my question is how does polyester hold up to waterproofing and trail use. Any thoughts, suggestions, or is this just a stupid idea? Oh yeah, I said cheap, it's $14.99 USDs.
Don't know about the inexpensive ones, but the good ones in the old days always "breathed" to protect the paint and keep down the heat. Idea seemed to be to protect the car, not steam and heat it.
I use a Boat shrink wrap . Most boat shops that do winterization and wrapping will sell how ever much you want pretty reasonable . The stuff does not tear and it can be welded to it's self . completely resistant to water and snow and I use it to cover my vehicles . It comes in white and blue and clear and green. Doctor shrink. The stuff out lasts regular tarp materials in some of the absolutely worst conditions and 10 continuous years in the sun is not unusual for this material . As I said I cover my vehicles with it in the winter when I lived in the mountains . it makes snow removal a breeze (virtually no ice on the wind shield) and people from snooping in my truck in the ski resort parking lot.
@arleigh Damn! That is a great idea! I'm looking at purchasing a tractor (used of course) but don't have a place to put it out of the weather until I get the second garage built and was thinking I would purchase one of those 'garage-a-box' type things but they're expensive and don't last long, throwing money away but this is a good interim solution to get me through the winter that would be better than plastic sheeting or a tarp. Maybe I will get that tractor after all...
Those Polly car covers don' tend to last long. When I first brought home the 42 PowerWagon, I had to leave it out side for the winter and by the third snow, it tore and leaked all over. More of a mess to clean up then it was worth. The cheep plastic tarps are about the same durability. I ended up pushing the PW into the wood ahead and dealt with fetching wood around It!
Most last a season or two along the Gulf Coast. A treatment of silicone or other water repellent is common. Lightweight and cheap enough to bury at the last campsite used until it bit the dust. Go for it.
Might see if you can find old army surpluse tents, they some times sell damaged ones super cheep, those make pretty good covers, and will usually last more then a few years!
@crowdaddy I think any tarp that you can purchase for $14.99 wouldn't last you a night. I purchased a cheap tarp at Home Depot for $10, 5'x7', just to stick in the truck in case I needed something rather waterproof but its crap. I threw it over the woodsplitter and it's already starting to go to pieces and we only been hit with one snow so far, did get 2 feet of the white crap but still... I will pick up a heavy-duty one next time, they're not too bad and got some 16' x 20s' thrown over my wood pile...
Yeah, that's about what I figured. Like I said always on the lookout for things that can be re-purposed. I have plenty of good tarps now, nylon and canvas. I always snag old tents that I see put out for trash. If for nothing else, a good supply of bag making material. That said I have 4 large rain flies found discarded, that have lots of life left in them. I believe I will pass on the poly car covers though. thanks to all for the replies... CD
Proof of the putting. For decades my boss would only use commercial tarps to cover boats storred out side in the elements on an isthmus where the wind and snow did it's worst , The tarps didn't last the winter. Finally he went to using boat shrink wrap and it all changed . The boat shrink wrap lasted several years , particularly on boats that virtually never got used . the only reason any of them were compromised was by people breaking in . There is no tarp material better .
