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.
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.
References
- "Camping's Top Secrets, 2nd: A Lexicon of Camping Tips Only the Experts Know"; Cliff Jacobson; 1998
Tips
- When possible, attach tarps of the same size and from the same manufacturer.
- Remove zip ties with scissors.
Writer Bio
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 garden, philosophy and history. Powe holds a Master of Arts in intellectual history from Southern Illinois University.
