How to repair TARP?

After you clean the tarp and cut a piece of vinyl, you need to put rubber cement on both the tarp and patch. Allow to dry where it is tacky and then attach the patch to your tarp. It helps to rub it with a round roller, but most don't have a roller. So, just press on the patch and make sure it has stuck. I use rubbing alcohol to clean the tarp surface prior to making any repairs. If the tear is too large, you may need to sew a patch rather than to just use rubber cement. You should cut the patch 1-2" larger than the tear you are repairing.

 

Used mend curtainsiders with another piece of tarp, put it on the ground, place the piece over the hole (from the back if you dont want to see the patch )and heat with a hot air gun and roll it with a hand roller pressing hard on it, works perfectly! Here's a video on it , you don't need a specialized one like the video I've done them with house hold versions and they held up perfectly even considering curtainsider trailer tarps would be tensioned! http://youtu.be/jYJ8VT-ExZk

No need to buy repair kits or glue just a piece of tarp!

 

duct tape or a new tarp. How many times do have to use them for them to be considered paid for?

 

if the weather is cooler, use a heat gun on the gorilla tape. Quickest and easiest way to repair a tarp.

 

Best moment of my life as far as laughter. Printing press. RGN, Brand new tarps. 4" of ink on it. This won't turn out well. Dispatch said do it. You sure? Yes. Ok. Got 37 tickets for littering in 8 miles. Do not want to know what the car washes cost, but the trooper was not happy. Thank God my log book was to date. You had to be there.

 

The part I highlighted is what I was looking for someone to mention.

If you use the scrap tarp or tarp kit repair, DO NOT put the patch on the outside. It will be gone in short order.

I haven't tried the Gorilla Tape yet, but I will next time.

As far as the one post that mentioned how many times you need to use a tarp until its considered paid for...I want to get at least two years out of mine, and I tarp about 30% of my loads. Some loads are rougher on tarps than others, and invariably I wind up patching tarps about once a year or so.

 

I clean the area to be patched with brake parts cleaner, put some glue on the patch and tarp, and roll it with one of those little wheels for tire patches, works good. I always put my patches on the outside of the tarp, have yet to have one fall off. This winter I had a tarp get a tear in it that was all of two feet long, I cut a patch 6" wide by 30" long and glued it down, its still on there, and I use this tarp almost every day.

 

I use lacquer thinner to clean them first.

 

I forgot to mention that if you heat weld it be careful not to use too much heat or you'll get a wrinkled appearance on the outside, that said it is the easiest way, no preparation , cleaning or glues, lay it flat so the cut is closed , heat it a bit, lay the patch on it, heat some more and roll it, literally 2 minutes work!u

 

when you heat weld a tarp, what do you use for a heat source? Just read the post ( hot air gun)