What's the difference in a lumber tarp and steel tarp?

Size and lumber tarps have flaps for the ends a lot of the time

 

Lumber tarps are very heavy, steel tarps are heavy

lumber are 24' wide known as 8' drops
steel are 16" wide known as 4' drops
both can have flaps

 

We carried just one set of tarps for everything. Lumber was rarely tarped with one exception. At the Hagerstown Railroad yard where we collected Lowes lumber, we tarped just the expensive asian wood only.

 

Lumber tarps and steel tarps are exactly the same except the size.

Lumber tarps are typically 24x26 so you can tarp things 8 ft tall. Steel tarps are typically 16x26 so you can tarp things 4 ft high.

I carry a set of 8 ft and 4 ft drop tarps but I only use 8 ft drop tarps maybe 4-5 times a year. I use my 4 ft drops all the time. I’m tempted to remove my 8ft tarps off the truck.

 

Most folks call 8 ft tarps lumber tarps. But its really about what they are designed to cover which dictates what they are made out of.

 

About 300 pounds is the difference. I carry both

 

Unless you like wrapping Christmas gifts, you won't want to use lumber tarps on steel, unless it's tube more than 3-4 off the deck.