Just for comparison, HD sells the 20x30 10mil tarp for $105 (=$0.175/sq ft). HF sells the 20x30 12mil tarp for $55 (= 0.09/sq ft). HF tarp is thicker by 2mil and 1/2 price. The HF beats HD on these tarps. Inexpensive enough to be disposable when they weather out.
Some of those cheap Harbor Freight tarps have an issue that's a deal-breaker for me: UV damage - even after just a few weeks of PNW summertime sunshine - will absolutely destroy certain tarp material. It ends up creating THOUSANDS of tiny constituent pieces of woven fibers that blow/scatter across a wide area. My side/backyard is ~2 acres, and while mowing, I've found parts across the entire area. Being synthetic material, it doesn't quickly break down and decompose; it just sits there, contrasting w/ grass and generally looking terrible.
Have had good results from using a rectangle Vinyl Swimming pools from Walmart to cover the standard riding lawn mower. Have gotten 5 years out of them.
The only place that used to sell good tarps was Sears years ago they sold green and a silver one with the leather like reinforced corners expensive but they lasted I believe I paid about 60 dollars for a 12X 100 Foot one and that is still in one piece no rips after being strung up on a couple of camping trips per year for more than 30 years ! Many storms it weathered but I will add it was always rolled up neatly and dry and stored inside the camper it made it nice on rainy weekends that we could still all stay outside and not risk getting our camper awnings all torn up by wind which are pretty costly to replace so a 60 dollar tarpwas worth the cost plus I camped in a group of about 40 people that enjoyed the shade and cover btw I used to attach a set of vise grips to my ropes and throw those over the ree limbs that worked great too and nobody fell out of a tree or had to climb them
Yeah but I am not sure if you can find the Sears ones any more - Or if the Mfg is still around and just sells other places so if you know drop it here and ill look into them...Thanks
After years of replacing inexpensive tarps (California high desert) I reverted to my Army days and bought canvas. I’ll never go back. They really weren’t that expensive either. 8x10 was about $40, but they last and last.
Purchase the Replacement cover, according to the Item Number(there are several different size covers) Once installed, purchase and cover with the Silver Tarp 19'x29.4'. 19' front to back with overlap split. When the Silver tarp expires, replace to keep the soft cover in good condition. I have mine on a framed wood floor and secured the Silver tarp along the framing with a singer nylon line woven through the grommets. Feed a rope through the end grommets to snug the tarp down over the front and back.
When I need tarps I go to Ocean State Job Lot, they're the exact same ones you get at HD or Lowes and they are half the price. For the price you can't go wrong.
1 failed from being out in the environment all the time and the other is still holding up well that has been in a covered area but it does have some degradation but still of use.
Any recommendations on a mosquito shade netting? I want to make a square room with canopy fittings for the back of my 4runner. Be able to see out, have shade and no mosquitoes coming through.
Better but not near the best. I bought a 20x30 and it lasted about 10 months, silver side up. I even bought some smaller ones from HF about 6 months ago and they actually had pin holes. Chinese quality control is ship it out, get the money and fix the problems on the next order. I bought American made tarps from McMaster-Carr for about 2 1/2 times the money and they are still holding up almost 3 years later. Also, the aluminum grommets on the Chinese HF tarps are really bad. American tarps have brass grommets that actually work.
They claim these are waterproof but they are not. If they are hung they shed water but lay them flat on the wet ground and lay down on it. Won’t be long you will be wet from the water coming up through it.
