What do you do to Protect your tarps from rips

What do you folks use for protecting your tarps from rips? I don’t tarp a lot and do general freight so I need to be able to tarp a variety of things.

I purchased that felt from tri city canvas and really like it. However it’s huge. The 12x15’ piece rolls up to something like 2.5ft squared. I have 3 of these rolls. Now ideally I would like to keep the 12x15’ size so I can cover a machine or be able to cover large sharp areas. The problem comes when trying to store and carry this stuff. It’s too large to fit anywhere.

I’m thinking if I cut it into smaller squares I can store some in a side box, some in a step box, etc. What’s the best size to cut them into?

 

Buy yourself some carpet samples or some furniture moving blankets

 

Keep old straps you don't mind cutting up to fit where you need. And carpet chunks

 

An old trick for crates is to tap the corners in with a hammer, I ask first. Then put a strap over the tarp by the edges if possible.

Machinery is machinery. Your on the right track with the felt.

 

I started with around 14 moving blankets and within a few months they are all junk. The tape I use to hold them in place literally ripped them in half when I went to take the tape off.

I bought a thin outdoor carpet and cut it in 1x1 squares and use a hammer style staple gun. It works ok but it still tears up.

I guess I was looking for the optimum size to cut the felt.

 

I’m thinking about cutting them 6x5ft. Can get 6 of them this size from the 12x15 felt pad.

 

Old rubber mudflaps can be cut into strips or any shape for that matter.Also good under straps on steel.Soft rubber ones are the best.

 

Check with your local fire department and see if they have any old 4" fire hose. A lot of times they'll have hose they'll give you for free just to get rid of it.
Cut it into whatever lengths you need, slit it up one side, and you have a great tarp protector. The rubber inside is a good cushion and it stays on the load well. The canvas-like outside won't hurt your tarps.
It's also good as a strap protector when you're not tarping but need something to keep from marking a load. In one foot lengths you can store more than you'll ever need in a small jockey box.

 

Times 2..... I have a few of those. Use them for softners on certain loads. No tarp loads for me.

 

We still tarp lumber but other than that we don't do it anymore.
We do haul quite a bit of new logging and farm machinery Some of the dealers scream bloody murder if you scuff the paint on a Cat or a grader so along with our rattle-cans of touch up paint we carry a box of the fire hose pads.