Buying Flatbed Tarps

Hopefully this customer will be paying you very well for throwing an 8 foot tarp. Don’t do it for free.

 

Used to do something like that. Had them folded so when you opened them, it was only half the tarp, then just fold what would be the drop a few times, then do the same on the other side. Worked good, and was quick.

 

We tarp everything with 8’ drops. That’s why I bought my own 4’ tarps.

 

3900 bucks was my last quote on bulkhead, 4' light weight sides, stakes, 6' center arch bows, and tarp. If it fits, it ships. If not it sets.

I know its not for everyone. Just how lazy I have became.

 

Is there any such thing as Tarps with Extension? like a 4ft drop tarp but you can add 2ft/4ft tarp extension and make it a 6ft drop/8ft drop

 

Not sure. Sounds like a good idea. But that would be alot of material to carry around that really isnt good for anything else... Also , not sure an extension would hold up to the wind , depending how its secured onto the main tarp.. If its not 100% sealed up, u will be letting water and debris in to the freight, which defeats the point of tarping.

 

As Tibbett points out, the attachment to the main tarp would be the problem since if you used, let's say snaps, even if it had an inside lip that would fit up under the main tarp to keep it waterproof, you have the problem of wind and friction from bungees pulling on it that could/would pull the snaps loose when in motion. The better more secure alternative, would be to have a zipper attachment with an under lip to maintain waterproof properties, but you'll be looking at one LONG zipper on both the extension and the main tarp, ergo...very expensive option, not to mention additional weight of that extension with a brass zipper, as plastic zippers would be useless in our work environment.....but it you're willing to pay, I suppose you could draw it up and propose it to be done by a tarp maker, like TBK Tarp in Lake Station, IN Flying J, or some other local to you tarp maker. Good luck with it if you choose to accept this mission, Jim.

In post thought, maybe both snaps and zipper would be an even more secure alternative. Snaps on the inside underneath connection, with a zipper closer on the outside. You'd need two sets of these zipper/snaps combination, as you'd want two 4' extensions for each side.

 

could you imagine trying to fight a tarp zipper after u just truck 1500 miles thru snow and ice and road salt... i can see my frustration now... although i like the idea of a tarp extension. just wondering what the best way to make something like that would be.. probably a zipper type like you said.

 

Yeah, I imagine it will present it's own set of problems, but if he wants it, it can be done.
I imagine, something like a latching system every foot might work, too, but I can't see it being anymore light weight than snaps and/or a zipper. Now some snaps are a pain to get opened and closed like the one on my magazine holder loop for my belt. PITA to get open or close, but once closed, it's a bear to undo, which means it would be an even bigger pain having that kind of effort for a bunch of snaps down the length of a tarp, making it almost useless or undesirable. Quick snaps to quickly join the tarp, is what I had in mind, and then the zipper to secure it, so the snaps could be spaced considerably further apart.
It's like anything, you have to trade convenience, usability or durability for anything other than just a straight up implementation.

 

I would use grommets and rope instead of a zipper. But I don't think you'll save much time with any system compared to just rolling up the excess on an 8' tarp when you get smaller loads. Unless I planned on doing oversize, I'd just get a conestoga if time and effort was the main reason.