How To Tarp A Roof

This guide details how to tarp a roof in a simple affordable way.

How to tarp a roof.

Tarping a roof basically what you want to do is cover the damage with a woven plastic tarp that is held in place with 2 x 4 wood strips. Never lay the tarp out during a storm. The size you ll need mostly depends on where the peak of the roof is in relation to the leaking area on the roof. Tarping a roof will temporarily stop leaks and protect your home from the elements.

Danny lipford demonstrating how to secure a tarp to a storm damaged roof. Lay more 2 by 4s on either side of the tarp and attach those as well for a tight well secured water barrier. This will keep you dry until you can fix the issue or have a professional team make repairs. Now attach 2 x 4s along the sides of the tarp that run perpendicular to the eave just as you did on the other side of the roof ridge.

Lay the tarp out flat over the roof. The 2 by 4 should be about 2 feet longer than the tarp width. In the aftermath of a hurricane tornado severe storm falling tree limbs or other cause of roof damage. Once installed correctly you can expect a tarp to last a two full years taking into consideration the roof s slope.

When ones roof is damaged it is only natural to want to stop any water from getting inside which also happens to be one of your insurance company s primary concerns. Partially unroll or unfold enough of the tarp to cover the leaking section of the roof from eaves to peak with an additional 4 feet on each end. Lay the tarp across the roof so that at least 4 feet 1 2 m lies on the sloped part of your roof on each side known as the peak. Installing a blue waterproof tarp will buy you time until you can get a badly leaking roof re shingled.

Where the tarp ends or hangs over the eave roll the excess tarp around a 2 x 4 like before and screw it into the house under the eave or attach it similarly to the roof. It s important to report the damage to your insurance company as soon as possible and take plenty of pictures. How to tarp a roof 3 lesson three. Screw the 2 by 4 directly into the roof to secure it.

While it may take weeks or even months to get a roofer out to repair the damage a tarp can be put in place pretty quickly.