So, you know you need a tarp but you want to make sure youget the right size. No problem you think. …I just need to measure the length and width of what I need to cover,right? Well of course that’s fine if all you’re wanting to do is cover aparticular area of wall or floor. However if you’re trying to cover a 3dimensional object there’s a tiny bit more to it than that. What you need to do when estimating for a 3 dimensionalobject, is start how we mentioned above - measure out the length by width ofthe area of the top of the object to be covered. Of course if it’s not a flat-toppedobject you may have to estimate this a bit to allow for anything pointingupwards. It’s best to overestimate at this point rather than underestimate asyou don’t want to end up with a tarp that doesn’t cover as much, or as far downthe object as you require.
Now you need to consider how far down the sides of theobject you want the tarp to drape over and cover. Sometimes you only want tocover the top of the object, as in the trailer-top example above. Other timesyou’ll need to cover all the way down to the ground. The trick here is tomeasure from the top of the object down as far as you want the tarp to drape,double this number and then add that number to the length and width. So if youwant the tarp to drape down 2 metres on all 4 sides you need to add 4 metres tothe length and width measurements. It’s that simple.
Cut Size
One final thing to consider is ‘Cut Size.’ Cut Size is astandard industry term that refers to the size of a tarp before it’s seamed,hemmed and eyeleted. This means that the actual final size of a tarp can beanything up to 30 centimetres (1 foot) shorter than the size stated. Factorthis extra 30cm in when choosing what size to order. Again of course it’s bestto err on the size of overestimating rather than underestimating on this point.The last thing you want is a tarp that’s too short for your needs.
Follow these simple tips and you’ll be sure to know you’veordered the best size for your needs.
