Did you know that a cloth tarp can be good for the environment? Many cloth tarps are made of environmentally friendly cotton. Canvas is one such tarp. When a canvas tarp wears out it breaks down easily in a landfill. Tarps made of other materials such as nylon do not break down nearly as fast.

There are many other uses for a cloth tarp such as shade covers, room dividers, lean-tos, tents and canopies. You can even use a cloth tarp to protect your firewood or your haystack. The possibilities are endless. Here a few ideas about how to use cloth tarps to get you started:

1. Find cloth tarp products for professional painters.

2. Protect your business equipment with the proper cloth tarp.

3. Use ground cloths for outdoor business events.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get cloth tarp drop cloths for professional painting

Painters find cloth tarp drop cloths are washable and reusable. Some people who paint their own houses use thin plastic tarps rather than a cloth tarp. The plastic can't be washed, and is usually discarded after only one use. This is not only expensive for a professional painter but it adds unnecessary trash to landfills--trash that may still be around decades from now.

I recommend: An excellent cloth tarp provider for professional painters is Fetter Manufacturing. Fetter's tarps feature double-stitched seams sewn with rot resistant thread. Another excellent cloth tarp provider is Cover Me Tarps & Canopies. It offers bulk discounts for purchases of five or more cloth tarps.

Get a cloth tarp for sun and rain protection for your business equipment

Keep your business equipment and vehicles protected. A treated cloth tarp is great for protection from damaging UV rays from the sun and from rain. An untreated cloth tarp is not waterproof. Make sure you get treated products for improved water resistance.

I recommend: You can find quality cloth tarps at GEMPLER'S. Its treated tarps provide greater waterproofing, and mildew and rot resistance. Rope reinforced double-stitched hems provide superior strength. You will find another excellent cloth tarp list at Eastern Marine.

Use a cloth tarp for an excellent ground cover

A cloth tarp is not the best product on the market for covering loads shipped in trucks. The cloth is likely to rip, especially when tied loosely. However, a cloth tarp does make a great ground cover for outdoor business events, especially if you are having an event in a tent. The ground cover helps protect the floor of the tent from damage caused by rocks and other sharp objects. It also keeps an icky gooey mush of grass from sticking to the bottom of tent floor. Clean and dry the cloth tarp before storing.

I recommend: Get cloth tarp information on ground covers at Creative Shelters. It sells wax-treated cloth tarpaulins ranging from 6 feet-by-10 feet to 20 feet-by-40 feet. You can get discounted prices on cloth tarp ground covers at Tarpaflex. It guarantees to beat all competitors’ prices on products of comparable quality by 2%.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you are using a cloth tarp ground cloth under a tent at a business event, make sure you fold all the corners up under the floor of the tent. This does two things. It helps prevent a tripping hazard, and it prevents rain from traveling up the ground cloth to collect underneath the tent.