Tarpaulin. Need to know

Although Tarpaulin originated from canvas sheets being dipped in tar, the process of coating the canvas in tar was called palling hence tarpaulin. Today’s Tarpaulin is usually made from one of the following. Either laminated woven polyethylene (polythene), consisting of woven strands of polyethylene that are then laminated either one or both sides to give the sheeting its waterproof capability or PVC coated polyester which most of us recognise as the material used on the side of curtain sided articulated trucks and inflatable boats.

Each material type has its own unique set of properties that make it suitable for different applications and environments.

Tarpaulin, or tarps, are versatile, waterproof fabrics that can be used in a variety of applications. One popular type is woven polyethylene tarpaulin which has many advantages and some drawbacks.

Pro’s and Con’s.

Firstly, the woven polyethylene product.

Woven polyethylene products are lightweight and usually start at about 60gsm (grams per square metre). This makes them easy to transport and handle while still offering reasonable strength and durability. The material is also UV resistant, but it will still degrade over a short number of years when exposed to sunlight. Another advantage is that it is relatively inexpensive compared to other types of tarpaulin materials. Cheap, as you would expect something this light and thin usually mass produced in the far east has little value.

On the downside however, woven polyethylene isn’t as tough or puncture resistant as some other varieties of tarps. So, this can chafe quite easily and create areas that no longer hold back standing water. Also, the heaviest woven laminated polyethylene tarpaulin you can find is about 250gsm (grams per square metre), whilst the weft and weave are generally much tighter and the product would be laminated on both sides, it will still break down in the sun quicker than PVC materials and the lamination when chafed will still let water through.

PVC Coated Polyester.

PVC coated polyester starts at about 400gsm although the Allplas standard range and made to measure range of Tarpaulins are produced from 610gsm material.

The polyester fabric that is embedded in the pvc is itself incredibly strong and will last for many years, this is then passed through a machine which dips the fabric into the pvc, not only coating both sides but flowing into the polyester weave. Fitted correctly we have certain knowledge of this material being perfectly serviceable beyond ten years of life and even customers who use sheets from us day in and day out do not come back for replacements until at least 4 years have passed. Allplas.co.uk have supplied this material for pond liners, roofs and of course Bouncy Castles so rest assured this is the good stuff.

Allplas Tarpaulins are also available in 900gsm which as you can imagine are incredibly strong, however not usually an advantage over the allplas 610gsm tarpaulin and of course much heavier.

All Allplas Tarpaulins are made in the UK and fitted with solid brass eyelets at intervals never exceeding 500mm and we also offer alternatives to eyelets such as polehems in our 610gsm range. Polehems are a hem formed by creating a loop that a pole can be pushed though, cut outs can be made at suitable locations to allow ropes or ratchet straps around the pole, thus creating a method of applying more tension overall to the sheet and taking away the stresses at points only where the eyelets are.

PVC coated polyester tarpaulins from Allplas are also available in a multitude of colours and can be supplied in as flame retardant.

So be careful when choosing what sellers describe as heavy duty as the heaviest they may sell could be as light as 220gsm whereas the Allplas Heavy Duty Tarpaulin is 610gsm.

Check out our allplas.co.uk website today to view our range and if you have any questions about the Allplas Tarpaulins please feel free to send us an email or call sales@allplas.co.uk 01462682663

https://www.allplas.co.uk/acatalog/Tarpaulins.html

Suggestions for fixing your Tarpaulin

1. EYELETS.    Most common of course is to use the eyelets that are supplied already in the hem of the Tarp. The downside of this is that the area of sheet is so large compared with the small area holding it that these then pull out of the sheet. This is more common in the cheaper lighter materials but can also happen in large more expensive sheets. At allplas, when we make a tarp we put twice as many eyelets in ours than any other supplier. We space ours at a maximum of 1/2 metre and use solid brass so they don’t rust or corrode.     PVC is also available in Flame Retardant grades.                                         
   

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2. BATTENING.    Better than eyelets, especially when using your tarp to waterproof a roof, Battening around all the edges will give you a much better result. The reason this works so well is that you effectively stop any air getting under the sheet, this in turn stops the flapping that rips around the eyelets. Battening acts by clamping the sheet down the entire length of the batten not just where the nail or screw is positioned.
   

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   POLEHEM.

3. A very popular alternative method allplas also offer is a polehem, We turn the sheet over at the edge effectively leaving a sleeve for a pole to be inserted. Before you insert the tube, select where you want to attach your anchor (Rope,Bungee,Ratchet Strap etc.) and simply cut a “U” shape out of the hem to allow that fixing to pass round the inserted pole. This is then capable of huge loads and tension as the effect from the anchor is applied along the entire length of the pole.
   

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Flame Retardant Tarpaulins.

Allplas now offer an extensive range of Flame Retardant Tarpaulins, again made from our exceptional 610gsm polyester coated pvc.

Durable long life material that even if you cut a slit in it, further tearing is almost impossible.

Extensive range of sizes and colours and of course we offer made to measure as well. Our service is exceptional as we usually deliver next day. (even on a special)

Take a look at our range………….

 

 

Flame Retardant Polyester Reinforced PVC Tarpaulin.

Allplas now offer a good range of colours from stock, in Flame Retardent PVC. 610 gsm.

Red, Green, Black, Blue and Grey and Clear Reinforced.

Any size can be made for you right up to 30 mtrs x 40 mtrs.

Weed Control Fabric

allpas.co.uk are very well known for their excellent quality products. Their Weed Control Fabric is no exception. We have sold the same product since 2007 and have had reports of it being in great condition after periods of over 6 years.

Still at the same price as 11 years ago, this represents the best value for money of any product out there. 100 grams per square metre represents a heavy duty product that can be used even under the construction or driveways where traffic can be extreme.

Delivery on this product is next working day for most of the UK and £62.40 will buy you a 50mtr x 2mtr roll or a 100mtr x 1mtr roll. Inclusive of VAT and Delivery.

Lots of other sizes avalable up to 5mtrs wide. See website here or call 01462 682663

Sliding Track for Warehouse Curtains

allplas.co.uk have now introduced galvanised steel track and fittings, this is as a result of the many requests we have had for a sensible system to hang curtains from.

The day the system was delivered, a customer was told what we could supply and added track and fittings to his order. The result is excellent, the track is galvanised and can eithe be fixed by screwing straight through the pre drilled track into the ceiling above, or with the wall brackets available on the site. The sliders are all twin wheeled with ball bearings for smooth effortless movement and the result is really good.

Fast turn around

So this morning we received a call from a potential customer stating that he had a major roof prom after the onslaught of Storm Freya.

He asked if we could produce a sheet in 610 gsm polyester reinforced PVC 16 mtrs x 11 mtrs.

When for I asked, Today if possible he said.

That call was received at 10:30am and the customer picked the sheet up at 13:20.

But hey, that’s the type of firm we are. See our reviews at allplas.co.uk

Polyester Reinforced Clear PVC Sheeting

Return to allplas main site

 

Following a quite serious fire at Chester Zoo, a client contacted us at allplas.co.uk as they had a large exposed area where the roof was missing and the Crocodile enclosure was exposed to very low temperatures and the rain. The client fitted cables across to walls and we supplied 2 large clear reinforced PVC sheets and several rolls of large bubble greenhouse insulation. The first sheet went over the cables, then the bubble was rolled out over that with the second sheet creating a sandwich to keep the bubble in place. The temperature went from 2 degrees to 27.5 degrees withing a few hours. The great news was that the ideal temperature for the Crocs is 28 degrees.

 

A happy Croc at Chester Zoo.

 

Different Types of Tarpaulins and their Uses

Do You Want a Better Landscape For your Garden? Try Using a Weed Control Fabric

The growing concern over the haphazard and inconsiderate use of herbicides has caused professionals and domestic gardeners to find alternative ways for weed control. One such way is the use of a weed control fabric. Being of a woven finish, these fabrics allow water and gas exchange, while at the same time significantly reducing light penetration. This effectively reduces weed seed germination.

In choosing a fabric for weed control, you should go for the widest fabric available in the shop. The wider the fabric, the less overlaps there will be. In addition, if you want your sheet to last for years, get the one that is UV stabilised. That way, the fabric’s longevity is increased because it is protected from direct sunlight.

Installation Guidelines

Before installing the weed control fabric, shear off the grass in the area and then use a rake to flatten the bumps and dips on the ground. Aside from flattening the ground, also remove any sharp and pointed objects to avoid puncturing and damaging the fabric.

A weed control, fixing peg (also known as ground staple), is also needed for the installation to serve as an anchor for the fabric. For very soft to medium grounds a plastic peg should be used, while the metal pegs are used for hard or stony surfaces.

The ground staples available at allplas.co.uk are made of galvanised steel to ensure the stability of the item.

How to Plant Trees and other Ornaments

Once the weed control fabric has been laid and anchored in position, simply cut a small ‘x’ on the fabric at a the point where you want to plant the trees. Start by cutting small portions to prevent the fabric from damage. However, you can still cut it according to the size of the tree or plant that you wish to place in the garden. After cutting the fabric, peel back the fabric, plant the seedling, push the fabric back and its done.

The Final Touch

Once you are done with planting, you may cover the weed control sheet with mulch or stones. In the instance that you are using a non-woven fabric, stones, bark and mulch are necessary to provide added protection from the sunlight. However, if you are using a woven, heavy-duty fabric there is no need to take these measures unless you prefer to do so for creative purposes. The heavy-duty, weed control fabric is also available in different sizes from allplas.co.uk

 

For further advice on weed control fabrics, please speak to an allplas.co.uk representative by calling +44 1462682663. Alternatively, you may leave a message by completing the Contact Form. allplas.co.uk is also a manufacturer of top quality PVC tarpaulins, netting products and a lot more.