6 Best Tarpaulins For Covering Equipment In Winter That Old-Timers Trust
Old-timers trust materials like vinyl and canvas to protect gear in winter. We review 6 durable, weatherproof tarps that won’t crack or fail in the cold.
The first hard freeze is just a week away, and that old rototiller is still sitting by the garden shed. An uncovered engine block can crack, and a season of snow and ice will rust a perfectly good machine into a pile of junk. Choosing the right tarp isn’t just about covering something up; it’s about protecting your investment from the harshest season of the year.
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Choosing a Winter Tarp: An Old-Timer’s Guide
Don’t even think about grabbing one of those cheap, blue poly tarps. They’re fine for a weekend camping trip, but they’ll be shredded into blue confetti by the first serious winter windstorm. A proper winter tarp is a tool, and like any tool, you need the right one for the job.
The three main things to look at are material, thickness, and construction. Your choices are generally polyethylene (poly), canvas, or vinyl. Thickness is measured in mils (thousandths of an inch) or fabric weight in ounces per square yard—the higher the number, the tougher the tarp. Finally, look at the grommets; they should be brass or aluminum and reinforced with extra material, because that’s where the tarp will fail first.
The biggest decision is balancing waterproofing against breathability. A completely waterproof vinyl tarp will keep every drop of rain and snow out, but it will also trap any moisture underneath, potentially causing rust or mildew. A treated canvas tarp, on the other hand, breathes, allowing moisture to escape, but it’s only water-resistant, not fully waterproof.
Kotap Ultra Heavy-Duty Tarp: The Workhorse
When you need a reliable, no-fuss cover for firewood, a utility trailer, or a pile of lumber, this is your go-to. The Kotap heavy-duty poly tarps are a huge step up from the flimsy blue ones. They are thick, usually 10 mils or more, and built to withstand a few seasons of abuse.
These tarps are typically silver on one side and brown or black on the other. This isn’t just for looks. The silver side reflects sunlight and heat, keeping things cooler in the summer and reducing UV degradation. The dark side absorbs heat, which can help melt snow and ice in the winter. The key is its balance of cost and durability. It’s an affordable way to get serious protection.
Just remember, it’s still a poly tarp. In the absolute coldest temperatures, it can become stiff and more prone to cracking if you’re moving it around. And because it doesn’t breathe, make sure whatever you’re covering is bone dry first. Trapping dampness against metal for four months is a recipe for rust.
Tarpco Treated Canvas: Breathable and Tough
There’s a reason canvas has been used for centuries. It’s incredibly tough and, most importantly, it breathes. This is the tarp you want for anything with an engine or sensitive components that could be damaged by condensation, like an old tractor or a log splitter.
The breathability of canvas allows moisture vapor to escape from underneath the cover. This prevents a "sweating" effect that can happen with poly or vinyl tarps, which is a killer for metal parts and electronics. While it’s treated to be water-resistant, it’s not 100% waterproof in a downpour. It will shed snow and light rain perfectly, but a prolonged soaking can eventually saturate it.
Canvas tarps are heavy, especially when wet, and they’re more expensive than poly. They also require some upkeep; you might need to re-treat them with a waterproofing spray every few years to maintain their resistance. But for protecting valuable machinery from rust, the extra cost and effort are well worth it.
Tarps Now 18oz Vinyl: Ultimate Waterproofing
If you have something that absolutely, positively cannot get wet, you need an 18oz vinyl tarp. This is the same industrial-grade material used on commercial flatbed trucks, and it’s as close to bombproof as a fabric can get. It’s completely waterproof, tear-proof, and will last for many, many years.
This is the tarp for covering a leaky shed roof for the winter, protecting a brand-new piece of equipment, or keeping your outdoor project materials perfectly dry. The fabric is a heavy polyester scrim coated in thick vinyl, making it resistant to abrasion, UV rays, and mildew. It laughs at wind, sheds snow with ease, and won’t break down in the cold.
The tradeoffs are weight and cost. These tarps are heavy and can be difficult to handle by yourself, especially in larger sizes. They are also the most expensive option by a significant margin. And remember, their perfect waterproofing means zero breathability, so they will trap any existing moisture.
Dry Top Heavy Duty Poly Tarp: A Modern Classic
This is the reliable workhorse you can find at almost any farm supply or hardware store. It’s a significant upgrade from the basic blue tarp without the cost of a vinyl or canvas one. For general-purpose use, like covering a boat, a hay wagon, or a pile of compost, it’s often the most practical choice.
These tarps typically boast a thickness of 8 to 12 mils and feature reinforced corners and rope-lined hems, which add significant strength where it’s needed most. They offer excellent water resistance and decent durability for a few seasons of hard use. Think of it as the best bang for your buck in the poly tarp world.
Their main limitation is longevity. While much stronger than cheap tarps, the sun will eventually break down the poly material after a few years of constant exposure. The grommets are also a common failure point under high wind stress. They’re a great solution, just don’t expect them to last a decade.
Farmtek Clear Vinyl Tarp: See-Through Protection
Sometimes you need to protect something from the elements but still need to see it or let light through. That’s where a clear vinyl tarp comes in. These are perfect for creating temporary greenhouse walls, covering a cold frame, or protecting a porch or patio from wind and snow while preserving the view.
Made from a tough, waterproof vinyl, these tarps offer the same protection as their opaque cousins but with the added benefit of transparency. This allows for passive solar heating, which can be a huge advantage for protecting sensitive plants or creating a warmer workspace. You can also monitor what’s under the tarp—like a stack of curing wood—without having to uncover it.
The primary downside is that constant, direct sun exposure can cause the clear material to yellow and become brittle faster than a UV-stabilized, colored tarp. They also tend to be a bit more expensive than standard vinyl tarps of the same thickness. It’s a specialty tool, but for the right job, it’s invaluable.
Inland Tarp Hay Tarp: Covering Your Biggest Assets
Covering a hundred bales of hay is a different problem than covering a lawnmower. For large-scale coverage, you need a tarp specifically designed for the job. Hay tarps are massive, incredibly strong, and engineered to manage the unique challenges of protecting something that needs to breathe while staying dry.
These tarps are made from a heavy, UV-treated poly fabric and feature reinforced webbing and heavy-duty D-rings instead of simple grommets. This allows you to cinch them down tight over a large, uneven surface without tearing the material. They are designed to shed massive amounts of water and snow while resisting the powerful lift generated by wind blowing across a large surface.
While the name says "hay tarp," their utility goes far beyond that. They are the best option for covering anything big—a large boat, an RV, a pile of topsoil, or a massive piece of farm machinery. They are an investment, but ruining a season’s worth of hay or a valuable piece of equipment costs a lot more.
Securing Your Tarp: Bungees, Ropes, and Weights
A high-quality tarp is worthless if the wind tears it off on the first blustery night. How you secure your tarp is just as important as the tarp itself. The goal is to eliminate any slack that allows the wind to get underneath and turn your tarp into a sail.
Different tools have different jobs.
- Bungee Cords: These are great for providing flexible tension that can absorb sudden gusts of wind. However, they degrade in sunlight and can snap dangerously if over-stretched.
- Rope: A good rope, tied with a trucker’s hitch, gives you immense holding power. The downside is that it has no give, so a powerful gust can rip a grommet clean out.
- Weights: Never underestimate the power of simple gravity. Old tires, cinder blocks, or sandbags placed along the edges are the best way to stop wind from getting under the tarp in the first place.
The best method is a combination of all three. Run a rope through the grommets along the bottom edge and place weights on it every few feet. Use bungees on the corners and mid-points to keep the main surface taut. A well-secured tarp should be tight and quiet, with no flapping.
In the end, the right tarp isn’t an expense; it’s insurance for your equipment and materials. Spending a little more on a tough, appropriate cover now will save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in rust, rot, and repairs down the road. Choose the right one, secure it well, and you can rest easy knowing your assets are protected until the spring thaw.
