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Protective Poly Tarps for Apartments and Condo Complexes
Many people appreciate the convenience of apartment and condo living. Like many single family homes, some of these residences do not have storage or garage space available. With a condo or apartment, however, privacy can sometimes be a greater concern in these situations, with many neighbors close by. In addition to protecting against dirt and weather, tarps provide a level of protection for items stored within public sight.
If you live in a condominium or apartment complex, you may not have access to sheltered storage such as a shed or garage for your vehicles or other belongings. Items such as bicycles, big wheels, and outdoor toys may be kept a little more secure and protected with a poly tarp. Waterproof tarps can shield your belongings from curious neighbors and protect items from weather exposure.
If you have a carport or common storage area, protective poly tarps can be useful to protect belongings from dirt, debris, and curious neighbors. Additionally, in public areas, a tarp covering secured around your stuff can help label and identify it properly. You may select a tarp in a specific color and write your name on it for easy identification and to avoid confusion.
Perhaps you have an open air parking space or driveway for your vehicles. Your daily transportation can be protected from excess sun and foul weather with a tarp. Additionally, recreational vehicles and spare vehicles can be protected from the elements as well.
If you own a vehicle that you use occasionally such as a motorcycle, personal watercraft, or boat, a tarp is a good layer of protection for times in between. The tarp barrier may create enough of a perceived burden or added time concern to dissuade theft or other unwelcome attention. Secured under a tarp, your belongings will be fairly obscured from curious passersby and the tarp may provide a deterrent to individuals with criminal ideas.
Tax Free Hurricane Tarps
With hurricane season on the horizon, the state of Virginia will begin a week long sales tax holiday on May 25th. The tax break is designed to give Virginia residents a financial incentive to prepare for potential hurricane activity and subsequent damage this season. Recent hurricanes left many residents without power for prolonged time frames, caused extensive property damage, and were responsible for numerous deaths in the state. With this in mind, residents are expected to take advantage of the sales tax savings to purchase emergency supplies.
Virginia residents may choose to purchase state approved items for preparedness priced at $1000 or less which include flashlights, hurricane tarps, storm-shutters, batteries, radios, and generators. This opportunity should raise awareness about preparation and increase residents’ preparedness in the event of hurricanes in the 2012 season. Keeping supplies on hand to weatherproof property and contend with storm inflicted damage can minimize the extent and expense of recovery efforts required following a hurricane in the region.
Emergency hurricane tarps are an especially practical purchase during the sales tax holiday. Waterproof tarps can provide a layer of protection in numerous applications. In the event of leaky or broken windows, hurricane tarps can protect home belongings from water damage. Tarps can reinforce sand bags, provide emergency shelter, and patch damage following a hurricane’s passing.
Along similar lines of emergency preparedness, the state of Alabama will hold a sales tax holiday on July 6-8 for residents to purchase items aimed at severe weather and tornado preparedness without paying state sales tax. Local sales taxes may also be waived at the discretion of individual municipalities within the state. Both this and the sales tax holiday in Virginia provide an opportunity to raise awareness and serve as reminders to purchase supplies to help minimize and recover from damage related to severe weather. Emergency tarps are infinitely useful items to keep on hand for these purposes.
Blue Laws and Tarps
If you’ve ever visited a supermarket in Connecticut on a Sunday, you may have noticed many displays being covered with tarps. Tarps have been used to conceal stacked cases of beer and refrigerator cases containing beer and alcoholic beverages in accordance with the state’s somewhat controversial Blue Laws prohibiting the sale of alcohol on Sundays. With CT’s governor expected to sign a bill allowing the sale of alcohol from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., these tarps will be shelved for the first time on a Sunday.
While the consequences of this expected change in Connecticut law may not have an effect on most people throughout the country, they do bring to mind the extensive uses for tarps. The details illustrate one aspect of the usefulness of tarps in particular. Tarps are good for concealing things. They can provide a physical as well as visual barrier.
Popular uses of tarps to conceal things include construction tarps. They may be used to conceal ongoing progress or unsightly damage in need of repair. Frequently, tarps are used to conceal truck loads and prevent contents from escaping while at the same time, the vehicle’s contents can be sheltered from rain, wind, sun exposure, and theft.
Concealment tarps are often printed with decorative visual images or advertising messages. This ornamentation can actually improve the effectiveness of the tarps to conceal the contents beneath. Graphic images are distracting to viewers and can take their mind off what is being covered and refocus attention to the visual cues printed upon the tarps.
Preventing prying eyes from seeing what is stored below a tarp goes hand in hand with protecting the items beneath. In the case of the beer cases in Connecticut, perhaps the thought process behind using tarps to conceal displays is along the lines of out of sight out of mind. Tarps will inevitably continue to be used during off hours for beer sales throughout the state.
Tarps and Pet Safety
April is Pet Safety Awareness Month. As the month dwindles down, take these last few days to consider the comfort and safety of your family pets. Tarps can be very useful in providing a safe and secure environment for animals. Also, pet kennels and beds provide security and comfort from other animals or the environment.
Pets are susceptible to the weather just like people. Tarps can be used to provide inexpensive shelter to animals, in a similar way as they are used by humans for backpacking and camping. Heavy duty tarps are very durable and are a pretty cheap way to keep animals protected.
Tarps can be installed to provide shade for family pets much like a run-in shed for livestock. As temperatures are heating up in the march towards summer, shade screens and tarps can be installed in an elevated, horizontal fashion to shield pets from heavy rainfall, harsh sunshine, and falling tree debris. Vertical tarps add shelter from wind. The shade can keep water bowls cooler and pets refreshed.
Pet beds are a great option to give animals, especially dogs, a platform on which to rest. An elevated pet bed is an even better way to provide safe comfort. Outside, this platform can keep pets protected from overexposure to frost, rain, and mud. Installing an elevated pet bed beneath a shade tarp keeps pets safe from harmful natural elements.
Pet kennels are another great way to keep pets safe. Steel frames and mesh walls protect animals from other animals and keep them safely on your property. Rip-stop, waterproof polyethylene covers keep pets shaded and dry in inclement weather. These kennels are convenient to provide comforting security to animals that are nervous about being left home alone for short periods of time.
Creative use of tarps provides good options to keep pets safe and comfortable. Ready made pet beds and kennels are also wonderful additions for a pet’s well-being. During these final days of Pet Safety Awareness Month, evaluate the safety conditions around your home for your animals. If they are in need of shelter from environmental elements, remember that tarps are convenient and affordable.
Canopy Replacements for Carnival and Fiesta Tarps
Spring has certainly made an appearance throughout the country and summer is well on the way. Outdoor events and gatherings are very popular in these seasons. From backyard picnics, to fairs, to concerts, and more, carnival canopy tarps and fiesta party tents are a common sight providing shade and shelter at many events. Over time, the tarps used for the canopy panels may show signs of wear and tear, while the canopy framework remains sound. Replacement tarp panels keep these shelters looking and performing like new.
Carnival canopies are designed to be sturdy, but frequent setup, dismantling, and use may eventually leave their mark. Carnival replacement tarps are available to restore the appearance of various frame sizes and panels. Depending upon which portion of the canopy is damaged, replacement tarps are available for side panels, front and back doors, and roof tops in many dimensions. Carnival tarps are a welcome feature and a common sight at warm weather events. These structures provide wind, sun, and water protection to guests and items for many occasions.
Fiesta or party tents are similar to carnival canopies. Fiesta canopies are subject to the same wear with frequent use, setup, and breakdown. Fiesta canopies are also available in many sizes to restore the various parts of a damaged canopy. The durable frames are protected from many sources of potential damage by the panels, and replacing the tarps saves money and waste.
Replacement tarps are constructed of durable, UV and water resistant material. Color choices include the popular red stripe, along with blue, and yellow options. Outdoor party tents should look great to set a fine tone for seasonal outdoor events. Duct tape and patch repairs are fine for short-term or small-scale repairs, but if a canopy starts to look shabby, a replacement tarp is just the thing to add new life to the party.
Tarps Assist Long-term Recovery Efforts
It’s been more than a year since devastating tornadoes tore through several counties in North Carolina. In some areas, tarps can still be seen providing protection for buildings that have not yet been repaired. These tarps serve as reminders of the great extent of damage, time, and expense involved with repairs.
Hard hit Shaw University in downtown Raleigh ended the spring semester early a year ago to focus on the great scale of repairs. A year later, the university has recovered and classes have resumed back to normal. Success like this might serve to keep other restoration projects motivated, but the repairs to be done in some communities are daunting.
According to a recent news story, many residents around the Raleigh area have cleaned up the debris and are focused on rebuilding. Some have moved away faced with the heavy clean up and repairs ahead. In other areas, it’s reported that buildings remain much the same as they did days following the tornadoes. These structures are covered in tarps.
The good news is that tarps have been used to protect the remaining integrity of damaged structures. Moisture and wind exposure continues to degrade exposed structures, but heavy duty tarps can protect buildings and belongings stored within. Tarps are good items to keep on hand in order to prepare for the potential of weather damage to a home or other building. If a tree limb should damage a roof, for example, a tarp can provide quick cover to prevent an already bad situation from getting worse.
In the aftermath of damaging storms and throughout the recovery process, heavy duty tarps provide protection from the elements. Frequently, following tornadoes, hurricanes, and other devastating weather events, communities will organize collections for tarp donations. If you would like to help, conduct an internet search to find a community effort in progress that is accepting deliveries. Your donation can help communities survive and recover in the aftermath of storm damage.
Tarps are an Economical Vehicle for Artistic Expression
Keith Haring - Untitled - 1983
Printing on tarps is nothing new, but it is worth pointing out that tarps can provide a large amount of space for artistic expression on a small budget. Tarps can be hung in place of a wall mural painted directly on a building and are easily relocated. In the right hands, an inexpensive poly tarp can be transformed into a piece of fine art worth upwards of $25,000.
Construction tarps are routinely customized with printed images to conceal work in progress and maintain the expected appearance of a location. For example, a tarp printed with an image of the front of a building is often draped over the front of the building while undergoing renovations. Tarps are also frequently printed with images and used for decorative or advertising purposes.
Recently in the news, a special private sale at Sotheby’s New York and an exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum feature the work of an artist that created fine art with tarps as his canvas. Keith Haring‘s work demonstrates yet another ingenious use for tarps. He created fine works of art on both canvas and poly tarps. His works of art listed at Sotheby’s are expected to fetch prices from $25,000 to $1.5 million.
Keith Haring’s tarp art and other pieces are also on display in an exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum. Haring was mentored by the likes of Andy Warhol and was an influential figure in the NYC art community in the late 1970s throughout the 1980s. Despite passing at age 31, Haring created a widely recognized body of work and his cultural contributions remain a legacy. His inspiring approach to art is shown as his art transforms mundane poly tarps to fine art of cultural significance.
Artists working on a budget and searching for an outlet for their creativity might follow Haring’s example and invest in a couple of poly tarps. These tarps come in a variety of colors and sizes that can be used as aspects of expression. Tarps are inexpensive and provide a broad surface as an artist’s canvas. Previously used tarps often develop signs of wear and tear which may be useful for artists looking for texture or recycled character. Just as art is only limited by the bounds of the imagination, the uses of tarps follow suit.
Tarps and Emergency Gear
Emergency tarps are a staple item in the event of damaging events and violent weather such as tornadoes, mudslides, and fires. Personal protection is important in search and rescue as well as clean up and restoration efforts. In addition to emergency tarps, individuals require an array of emergency gear to maintain order and safety while working to clean up and restore affected areas.
Most people are familiar with the blue tarps used as protective cover in the aftermath of foul weather and other damaging events. These waterproof tarps prevent further damage from occurring until necessary repairs can be completed. Although suitable tarps for this application come in many different colors, blue is the typical choice and signals that repairs are underway.
In emergency situations, items such as caution tape and safety cones are useful to secure areas to minimize public risk. As tarps are being installed and clean up is in progress, emergency workers may be exposed to numerous dangers. They also need protection from hazardous environmental factors following a disaster.
Emergency workers require personal protection so they can assist others through times of danger and loss. Safety helmets, biohazard kits, rain gear, and search and rescue helmets are some of the emergency gear that minimize the dangers these workers are exposed to while helping others. Safety vests keep emergency workers visible as they shovel out debris and restore damaged locations. Gloves are also an important part of personal protection when dealing with miscellaneous debris. Keeping a first aid kit on hand is also paramount to keeping people safe during recovery and cleanup.
Emergency tarps not only protect property from prolonged exposure to the weather but can also be used to shelter emergency workers from excess sun, rain, and wind exposure in the aftermath of destructive events. Tarps are versatile, inexpensive, and often reusable. Keeping a tarp or two on hand is practical, because you never know when a situation may arise that could use one.
Tarps and Tebow in the News
Tarps are right at home at most athletic fields. They are used for advertising banners, sunshades, and to cover the fields for protection in inclement weather. As a precursor to all of the publicity surrounding the recent trade of Tim Tebow to the New York Jets, tarps were becoming quite a media buzzword as news stories and blog posts around the country speculated on the prospect of Tebow going to Jacksonville.
Tarps block out seven sections of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ home stands at EverBank Stadium. Jacksonville is the second smallest football market in the NFL, yet the stadium is among the largest. The tarps are easily removed to allow for capacity crowds at events such as Super Bowl XXXIX, sellout match-ups between popular college football teams, and the annual Gator Bowl. Since installing the tarps in 2005, the Jaguars organization has taken a good deal of ribbing for its oversized stadium.
Although a source of derision, the use of tarps in EverBank Stadium is actually clever and not uncommon at professional sporting venues struggling with attendance issues. New owner, Shahid Khan, and Jacksonville fans look forward to capacity crowds and removing the tarps, but in the meantime they reduce the seating capacity and provide potential for revenue generation. Any athletic field looking to boost advertising revenue can benefit from tarps in the stadium. Stadium tarps can be printed with sponsor advertisements and are easily moved and replaced as needed.
Athletic field tarps don’t typically make national headlines, unless they are used during a rain delay for a very popular televised sporting event. Tarps typically get television exposure during weather delays at sporting events like Major League Baseball games. When weather becomes inclement, MLB television viewers will see groundskeepers roll out protecting athletic field tarps to prevent the field conditions form deteriorating. High schools and other athletic facilities across the country and around the world use tarps for the same reasons but with far less publicity.
Tarps for Sail: Affordable Polytarp Sails
Tarps find many uses with boating. You can cover a boat with a tarp to prevent too much sun and rain exposure. You can store your boat under tarps in the off season. You can use tarps to keep supplies on a boat dry or for spur of the moment rain cover while boating. Did you know you can also use tarps to build sails? Polytarp sails or polysails are becoming more popular due to their affordability and durability.
White tarps are increasingly being used to create sails, because traditional sails are very expensive. Do-it-yourself boat builders have discovered an inexpensive alternative by using polyethylene tarps as material for sail construction. Polyethylene tarps, carpet tape and reinforcing rope cost a small fraction of the price of regular sails. Adding grommets and stitching reinforces strength and function. Ingenious home boat builders and hobbyists also add polytarp sails to small fishing boats and canoes.
While white tarps are preferred for their resemblance to traditional sails, any color tarp may be used. What’s important is to select a suitable quality tarp for your polytarp sail. It’s important to choose heavy duty tarp material that is UV treated, and 14 x 14 canopy grade weave is suggested. A lighter weight tarp may be used on spinnakers, but mainsails, jibs, and mizzens require the durability of heavy duty tarps.
Sailing is long associated with affluence, but a great number of sailing enthusiasts find the pastime very expensive and polytarp sails are an inexpensive solution to one of the pricier aspects of sailing. A simple internet search will provide step-by-step plans and instructions to construct a polytarp sail. If you undertake a boat building project, for an affordable option to outfit the sails, consider polysails. Likewise, if you have a sailboat or plan on purchasing a sailboat in need of sails, explore the option of using polytarp sails.
