Tarping before or after securing?

Hi, Bignature. I saved a little money when I started by getting 4 16ft by 24ft steel tarps for $600. That way if you have a 4ft or less drop then put the tarps on lengthways. If you have a 8ft tarp then turn them sideways. It is more work on the 8ft jobs because they are rolled up lenghtways and not as easy as tarps with flaps on the ends but 4 tarps cover everything i need. I do also have a 12 by 12 smoke tarp that comes in very handy, like if you have a 22ft long load, too much for one but rolling 2 out is too much. In that case put the smoke tarp on the back then one big one on the rest over the top of the smoke tarp. It save a little time. I hope that helps a little, good luck grasshopper.

 

The tarped loads I have hauled have all been pretty square so I place them over the tarps but I have had a few like steel coils where I have secured first then tarped. Plenty of various size bungee cords are indeed your friend. I have yet to have a dot ask me to remove a tarp to check for proper securement either contrary to being told that if you get one in a bad mood they can make you untarp.

 

Yup, you are getting it. You only have to leave about 6 ft hanging off of the front and back, when you fold the sides around the front and back that will cover the rest. It does leave the overlap between tarps kinda small but like somebody else said you throw a 2 inch strap over each overlap to keep them from getting air inbetween them and separating. I hope that makes sense. And yes the ones with flaps would be much easier, but I was willing to put up with it. I am still using them 1 year later. I think I has only had 2 or 3 8ft tall and full 48ft tarp jobs. Most of mine are less than 4ft and 40ft or less. I keep telling myself that I am going to get some with flaps, but I'm cheap.LOL

 

The only load I've ever strapped for securement over the tarps were onions. This was when I was training. They made us do it because we were loaded outside and it was raining. We put v-boards all the way down the top of the load before strapping it down. That load made me all sort of nervous.

Now I still a lot of times have straps all over the outside of my tarps, but they're just to calm my tarps down because I suck at tarping. Never for load securement.

 

Usually there are enough d rings, but sometimes you have to get creative. Like using the small 1 inch by 15ft ratchet straps through the d rings down through the rub rail back up through the next d ring and repeat. really helps when you have a section of tarp wanting to blow out.