Everyone will need a tarp or a few at some point.
Not all tarps cover equally, however.
Tarps are made from polyethylene, mesh, vinyl, and canvas, and each one has its strong points.
Polyethylene, in either medium or heavy-duty form, is used more often and is the most versatile.
But, polyethylene isn't ideal for all tasks, however, and sometimes, one of the other materials does the job better.
Polyethylene, or poly, tarps are the most regularly used for short and long-term coverage.
Medium-duty material is ideal for various short-term uses.
With a thickness of 6 mil and a six by six denier count, medium-duty tarps can cover investments outdoors or temporarily serve as a patch on a damaged roof after a hurricane or tornado.
Heavy-duty poly tarps, on the other hand, will protect investments outdoors for several months at a time.
Although these tarps can essentially cover anything, they're used to protect seasonal vehicles from water and UV damage during the winter, keep a baseball field from becoming muddy, store hay without a barn, and also keep a truck load from being damaged by water or moisture.
For the latter use, vinyl tarps come in handy.
As the thickest and most durable tarp on the market, vinyl is used for many of the same purposes as polyethylene, only when more coverage is needed.
Additionally, vinyl tarps are designed to be flame resistant, as well as waterproof and UV resistant.
Sometimes, however, a tarp may actually need to let sunlight or moisture through.
In this case, mesh tarps are ideal.
The material, although treated to be UV resistant, blocks out 50 to 75 percent worth of sunlight.
As a result, this tarp, made from polypropylene, is used to create a lowlight garden or shaded area and is used by contractors and on construction sites as a screen.
Canvas tarps, on the other hand, are used as a drop cloth in many cases.
They're used for temporary protection in some instances outdoors, although their ideal use is protecting an area in preparation for painting.
The weight and texture of canvas tarps keeps the material from moving and, additionally, prevents any object from being damaged by paint.