NEWExplore America's campgrounds on our interactive map

How to Join Tarps

Written By
Philip Powe
Philip Powe
Mar 28, 2011
2 minute read

Tarps are an essential part of many camping trips or outdoor gatherings. You can use them as a covering for food preparation areas or as a barrier against cold or rain. In the yard, you can can lay out tarps to cover a high-traffic area and reduce stress on your grass. Most tarps are not large enough for every job, but they have the advantage of coming with single metal eyelets at the corner and double eyelets in the middle.

Items you will need

  • Zip ties

  • Scissors

  • Heavy duty self-adhesive Velcro

Tarps of Equal Size

Lay out the tarps in the yard and place together the ends where they will connect.

Overlap the eyelets of the tarps so they all match up.

Feed the zip ties through the eyelets and cinch the zip ties down. Overlap two eyelets. Feed a zip tie through one eyelet and back through the other. Feed the pointed end of the zip tie through the opening at the other end. Pull to tighten. This will lock the zip tie in place. Trim the excess zip tie. Repeat for the other eyelets.

Connecting Tarps of Different Sizes

Lay out the tarps on a flat surface. Check the length and the width of the tarps. Try and piece them together with the largest pieces in the middle and the smaller pieces on the edges.

Remove the backing of the Velcro and attach it to one edge of one of the pieces of tarp. Do not cut it into small sections. Attach the Velcro along the length of the tarp's edge. Use multiple pieces if necessary, all along the tarp's edge. Push down on the Velcro to ensure the adhesive backing is attached.

Advertisement

Attach the other part of the Velcro to the bottom of another section of tarp. Push down on the Velcro. Connect the pieces. This will create a strong bond that will be suitable for people to walk on safely.

Tips

When possible, attach tarps of the same size and from the same manufacturer.

Remove zip ties with scissors.

Philip Powe

Philip Powe started writing in 1987 for St. Louis area newspapers. He has since written for "St. Clair County Historical Society Journal" and the "American Association of State and Local Historians Journal." Concentrations are in home and…

Sponsored
Gone Outdoors Logo

Explore the outdoors with the best source for fishing, boating, camping, hunting, firearms, electronics, trailers and towing, maintenance and much more.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.