What's the best way to "customize" a tarp?

[newbury]

I'm a firm believer in keeping things covered. So I use a lot of tarps.

What's the best way to redo the cut edge w/ new grommets and get a strong double thickness edge?

Do other people worry about it? Do people glue the edge? I'm NOT going to sew it (no sewing machine).

 

[DFB]

Your tarp actually outlasted the grommets?

 

[newbury]

Your tarp actually outlasted the grommets?

No I want to take like a 19 X 29 tarp and trim it down to 15 x 22. I've a number of tarps that need to be trimmed due to wear where the wind hit them as I towed at 70 mph.

 

[S Loftis]

I'm a firm believer in keeping things covered. So I use a lot of tarps.

What's the best way to redo the cut edge w/ new grommets and get a strong double thickness edge?

Go to a sign shop, most have double sided tape, that you can use to double the edge with. Then just install new grommets and your back in business.

 

[MossRoad]

I'd just trim it 4" longer than I need, fold it over 2" twice and put grommets in the corners, middle, and then evenly spaced along the new edge.

 

[Gunny]

Go to a sign shop, most have double sided tape, that you can use to double the edge with. Then just install new grommets and your back in business.

This works.

I also place heavy fishing twine inside the fold before taping it, then put the new grommets in so that the twine is between them and the edge of the tarp.

 

[Capricious]

I'm a firm believer in keeping things covered. So I use a lot of tarps.

What's the best way to redo the cut edge w/ new grommets and get a strong double thickness edge?

Do other people worry about it? Do people glue the edge? I'm NOT going to sew it (no sewing machine).

Why not get a sewing machine? Get an older metal machine at a flea market or thrift store, and have at it.

I built a sailboat once, and needed to sew-up a cheap sail. People today are making their cheap sails out of good-quality polytarp, and that's what I made mine out of.

I bought a "Deluxe Dressmaker" at a flea market for $50.00 (paid more than I wanted, but it had an owner's manual with it), learned how to thread the darn thing, and sewed up
my sail. I had a spool with 1300 feet of sail thread and used every foot of it. In some places I was sewing through (4) layers of the polytarp. I had a spray can of silicone lubricant that I would shoot at the needle every so often to help it along. The machine would need some help pulling that much polytarp through it, so the stitches were sometimes not real even, but it worked. Some suggest using self-adhesive automotive wheel weights on the machine's flywheel to help it along.


You can buy a cheap grommet installing kit, but there are better ways to install grommets if you want something that will last a long time.

 

[EarPlug]

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[techman]

Scissors

 

[newbury]

<snip>
You can buy a cheap grommet installing kit, but there are better ways to install grommets if you want something that will last a long time.

Most of my tarps exposed to the Mississippi sun only have a several year life span.

3M Double Sided Banner Tape Amazon.com : 3m Heavy Duty Double Sided Banner Hem Tape 1"x 165' 55 Yards Brand Clear Bonding Scrapbook : Office Products

Thanks, sounds like what I'm looking for.