How to Tarp a Roof? Tarping a roof stops leaks temporarily and protects your home from the elements. When installed correctly, roof tarps can shield your home from bad weather for up to 90 days.
This guide details how to tarp a roof in a simple, affordable way—and keep you dry until you can fix the issue or have a professional team make repairs.
1️⃣ Assess the Damage

Begin with a full examination of the damage, then clear the area of debris. These helpful tips are also important to keep in mind:
- Avoid tarping a roof during a storm while it’s windy or raining.
- Wear appropriate safety equipment. This includes gloves, goggles, protective clothing and sturdy boots.
- Use a ladder to reach the roof. Closely examine the area for broken shingles and other areas of damage.
- Homeowners with a steep or slippery roof should assess the damage from the safety of their ladder. Do not step directly onto the roof.
- Carefully clean the debris from your roof using your broom. Remove branches, leaves and other rubble to give yourself a better view.
- For safety and support, ask a friend to help you examine, clean and tarp your roof.
2️⃣ Measure the Area

Correctly measure the damaged area to buy the correct size tarp.
- Use a measuring tool to calculate the surface area of the damage.
- Make note of your measurements and choose a heavy-duty tarp in the appropriate size.
- When unrolled, the tarp must cover the damaged area plus four feet of overhang from the roof’s peak.
- Any extra tarp can hang safely off the edge of the roof.
3️⃣ Prepare and Position the Tarp

This step ensures that your tarp is properly positioned on your roof. Your tarp must be secured and weighed down so that it won’t come loose in windy or stormy conditions. There are several ways to secure and weigh down the tarp.
- The easiest way to secure a tarp is to use sandbags to weigh it down and keep it from blowing away. This is best used as a temporary measure.
- For a more secure and longer-lasting fix, create an anchor board by rolling a 2 x 4-inch board into the tarp’s peak end. Nail the tarp to the board. The board must be 2 feet longer than the tarp’s width and sit against the roof to avoid collecting rainwater, snow, or debris. Screw the board to the roof as a temporary anchor using nails long enough to screw through the tarp, board, shingles, and decking.
- Sandwich the tarp by nailing a second 2 x 4-inch board over the first. This step ensures that the tarp stays taut and fully protective.
- Repeat the first two steps three times for the tarp’s remaining peak ends.
- Do not position, prepare or secure the tarp without help. This is a two-person job. Additionally, complete this project only when the weather is mild. Never stand or step on your tarp as it may be slippery.
4️⃣ Secure the Tarp

Secure the roof tarp to prevent flapping, water seepage, and debris from entering the damaged area.
- To secure the tarp, use your screw gun to screw through the four tarp-rolled boards. Use screws long enough to screw through the tarp, board, shingles, and into the roof decking. This fastens the tarp securely to the roof. It also damages the shingles so you will need to replace them when you remove the tarp. However, replacing shingles is less expensive than the extensive water damage that can occur if your roof leaks.
- Secure the tarp’s remaining sides with additional 2 x 4-inch boards using a screw gun and screws. These boards do not need to be rolled in the tarp
Wrapping Up
Always be prepared and keep the basic materials handy to remediate water damage quickly. Roof tarping is a temporary solution to protect the home from damage. It is always advisable to get the roof inspected and repaired by a professional to avoid further damage inside your home.

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FAQ:
Yes, our poly tarps have UV treatment built into the poly tarp fabrics for better poly tarp performance.
Blue tarps may last a year or two before they start to break down. The silver-colored ones can last several years before they degrade. Plastic is broken down by UV light from the sun.
500 GSM, 500 GSM tarpaulin is very strong & durable to protect your material from heavy rain & wind.
Truck Tarpaulin, Canvas Tarpaulin, HDPE Tarpaulin, Cotton Tarpaulin, Poly Tarpaulin, Custom Made Car Covers & Bike Covers
Wrap the end of the tarp near the eaves on one of the boards, then nail or staple the tarp on the board to secure them.
We always offer reasonable prices & we have special discounts each season for long-term customers.
Tarps are blue as a means of identification based upon an informal color-coding system. The blue color typically indicates a tarp made of coated polyethylene that is typically waterproof, stretch resistant, UV resistant, and tear-resistant.
If you have related needs for tarpaulin, For any queries or feedback you can contact us on 06381013451 or mail us sales@nellaitarpaulin.com, We will be the fastest time to provide you with the best products, welcome to visit our company!
Tarpaulin Related Searches:
- Application of Blue Poly Tarpaulin Sheet
- Roof Tarpaulin | Roof Sheet Cover or Roof Covering Tarp
- Poly Tarps vs Canvas Tarps, Which is Better?
- What is Poly Tarpaulin? – Polyethylene Tarpaulin
- How to Tarp a Roof?
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