Tarpaulin
A tarpaulin (
Inexpensive modern tarpaulins are made from woven polyethylene; This material has become so commonly used for tarpaulins that people in some places refer to it colloquially as "poly tarp" or "polytarp".
Uses
Tarpaulins are used in many ways to protect persons and things from
Tarpaulins are also used for advertisement printing, most notably for billboards. Perforated tarpaulins are typically used for medium to large advertising, or for protection on scaffoldings; the aim of the perforations (from 20% to 70%) is to reduce wind vulnerability.
Polyethylene tarpaulins have also proven to be a popular source when an inexpensive, water-resistant fabric is needed. Many amateur builders of plywood sailboats turn to polyethylene tarpaulins for making their sails, as it is inexpensive and easily worked. With the proper type of adhesive tape, it is possible to make a serviceable sail for a small boat with no sewing.
Plastic tarps are sometimes used as a building material in communities of indigenous North Americans.[4] Tipis made with tarps are known as tarpees.[5]
Types
Tarpaulins can be classified based on a diversity of factors, such as material type (
Actual tarp sizes are generally about three to five percent smaller in each dimension than nominal size;[citation needed][clarification needed] for example, a tarp nominally 20 ft × 20 ft (6.1 m × 6.1 m) will actually measure about 19 ft × 19 ft (5.8 m × 5.8 m). Grommets may be
Type of material
Polyethylene
A
Canvas
Canvas tarpaulins are not 100% waterproof, though they are water resistant. Thus, while a small amount of water for a short period of time will not affect them, when there is standing water on canvas tarps, or when water cannot quickly drain away from canvas tarps, the standing water will drip through this type of tarp.
Vinyl
Polyvinyl chloride ("vinyl") tarpaulins are industrial-grade and intended for heavy-duty use. They are constructed of 10 oz/sq yd (340 g/m2) coated yellow vinyl. This makes it waterproof and gives it a high abrasion resistance and tear strength. These resist oil, acid, grease and mildew. The vinyl tarp is ideal for agriculture, construction, industrial, trucks, flood barrier and temporary roof repair.
Silnylon
Tarp tents may be made of silnylon.
U.S. color scheme
This section relies largely or entirely on a single source. (February 2021) |
For years manufacturers have used a color code to indicate the grade of tarpaulins, but not all manufacturers follow this traditional method of grading. Following this color-coded system, blue indicates a lightweight tarp, and typically has a weave count of 8×8 and a thickness of 0.005–0.006 in (0.13–0.15 mm). Silver is a heavy-duty tarp and typically has a weave count of 14×14 and a thickness of 0.011–0.012 in (0.28–0.30 mm).
Some of the more common colors in that scheme are:
Color | Name | Approx. thickness | |
---|---|---|---|
Blue | light-duty tarp | 0.005–0.006 in (0.13–0.15 mm) | |
Yellow or orange | medium-duty tarp | 0.007–0.008 in (0.18–0.20 mm) | |
Green | medium-duty tarp | 0.009–0.010 in (0.23–0.25 mm) | |
Silver | heavy-duty tarp | 0.011–0.012 in (0.28–0.30 mm) | |
Brown | super-heavy-duty tarp | 0.016 in (0.41 mm) |
Etymology
The word tarpaulin originated as a
In the mid-19th century, paulin was used for such a cloth.[citation needed]
See also
- Awning
- Basha (tarpaulin)
- Fly (tent)
- Gym floor cover
- Loue (tent)
- Tarp tent
- Tent
- Tonneau cover
- Visqueen
References
- ^ "tarpaulin - Definition of tarpaulin in English by Oxford Dictionaries". Oxford Dictionaries - English. Archived from the original on December 14, 2017.
- ^ "tarpaulin". Dictionary.com Unabridged (Online). n.d.
- )
- ^ Printed program for Dear Listener: Works by Nicholas Galanin. 2018.
- ^ Hopper, Frank (10 May 2018). ""Those Are Sacred": A First-Person Account From the Tipi Demonstration That Shut Down Traffic". The Stranger. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- ^ Tar, Online Etymology Dictionary