Im looking for tips on dealing with tarps

For dealing with tarps in high winds, don't be afraid to move the truck. I always tried to find a spot on the leeward side of a building or wall that would block the wind for me. If you can't find that, parking the truck into the wind as was previously suggested can also help.

As for folding them up, search 'folding tarp' on youtube and you'll find videos that show exactly what nailbender was describing.

 

In freezing rain/ icing conditions, I spray my tarps with cheap windshield washer solvent before folding up. I try to keep a spray bottle of it. Doesn't seem to take much.
Sometimes the receiver will let me spread my tarps out inside while waiting to unload which helps to get them dry also.

 

Since you are a little feller I would get a rope with a good clasp type hook on the other side. This might help you untarp as you throw the hook (with rope) over load, hook it to d ring and pull back. I have used this when undoing a frozen tarp. Dont put it in the middle just do the ends. Always pay attention to "older guys" who look like they have been flatbedding for 40 years. They can teach you all kinds of tricks to keep from "looking like a monkey trying to screw a football" when tarping or securing a load.

 

Common mistakes are no padding on sharp corners and tarp not tied down tight enough and flapping in the breeze. They will split and wear a hole quicker than anything if left flapping in the breeze. And dont forget the padding dangit!

 

Cardboard, furniture moving blankets, cheap plastic walmart tarps, corner protectors, pieces of old strap, or pretty much any old thing you have laying around that looks like it will work.

 

cardboard will not last long & hard to store, but useful at times. movers blanket is nice. a lot of times you can pick up scrap felt pieces at steel mills laying around. also finding old pieces of old tore tarps some one may have discarded & cut into pieces. old carpet is good too. that is always free, if you run across it. the problem for me is not what to use or where can I get it, but where to store it. with all the stuff you MIGHT need to take a load, you can fill your spaces beyond capacity & have more empty weight than you want.

 

Go to a carpet place and get some of their discarded carpet samples. Have a sharp utility knife so you can cut them into smaller pieces as needed.

I carry a jar of 3/4" roofing nails and nail the carpet pieces on sharp corners of crated loads. They are short enough you can easily pull them off of the corners when your'e untarping.

My biggest frustration tarping was not being able to keep corner protectors in place when I was rolling out my tarps. The nails make it much easier.

 

The last company I ran flatbed for was a steel vendor. The loads were all steel and other metals in various forms shapes and sizes, i.e. beams, plates, coils, channel etc all on the same truck. For edge protection/padding they used smaller heavy green canvas tarps. They worked well in that application.