Tarping

Ok so iv joined the flatbedding family. My question is this (I'm always a thinker and trying to solve problems). So are there any vets and pros out there. Who may have invented a tool to unroll a tarp? Or have any taping secrets and tips?. Thanks

Probably the most helpful thing I can tell you, is if you are loading anything high off the trailer deck, like lumber, osb, drywall, styrofoam especially, If the person loading doesn't offer to, ask them to put your tarps on top of the load for you. One tarp at the front, and one at the back. This will save your butt from having to try to figure out how to get them up there. The rest of it comes with experience and practice. Your trainer I'm sure will be showing you the rest. It's also a timesaver to connect your bungees to the D-Rings on your tarps and bend the hooks so they don't come off. That way the bungees you need nearly everytime are already there, hanging down waiting for you to secure them.

I could fill a couple pages about tarping probably.

Michael have you found Pat M or his Flatbed Variety post? Search for it in the upper right hand corner.

Aside from some pretty cool pictures it has a wealth of flatbedding tips and tricks and if you still have some specific questions after combing that it would also probably be the best place to ask.

I'll also add... I'm not a flatbed guy but I've thought about it.

One of the cool things I've got a chance to see was how Maverick drivers were taught to fold tarps with bungees right off the rub rails I've heard people say they like it and others say they don't but to me it looked like a way to make things a little easier but that is purely speculation...

The whole trick to unrolling a tarp is found in the way you roll the tarp up from the last time you used it. You say you've joined the flat bedding family. Did you go with a trainer for a while? Have they not showed you how to properly put your tarps away so that they roll out easily?

Here's a look at one way to roll out your tarps...

Can you see those tarps up there suspended above my loaded trailer? As soon as I got my truck in position the machine lowers them down on top of my load. This is a tarping machine at the SAPA plant in Cressona, PA. Some of the locations that you will pick up freight at will have a tarping machine. There are several different versions of them, but they all assist you with the laying out of the tarps on your load. Most of the time you will be doing it the good old fashioned way though, by the sweat of your brow! I have a way that I prefer to fold up my tarps that makes it easy to unroll, but I'm not sure I could explain it without diagrams or a video.

Spoiled... just spoiled... I think I like Pat's way of tarpping the best... don't haul anything that requires tarps.

Ok so iv joined the flatbedding family. My question is this (I'm always a thinker and trying to solve problems). So are there any vets and pros out there. Who may have invented a tool to unroll a tarp? Or have any taping secrets and tips?. Thanks

If I remember correctly, you were planning to go to a company where you'll have a mentor show you some of these things. Hopefully that's the case.

As Old School said, the key to rolling out your tarp is the way you roll it up. If you want to get an idea of how most folks do it, you can check out this video from Central Oregon Trucking. Of course, everyone does it a little different, but this will give you an idea of how it works. (Central Oregon has a whole series on how to tarp that's pretty good.)

The main trick I've learned is to get the tarp as tight as possible horizontally on the sides. That helps to keep it from ballooning out while you're cruising down the road.

Yes we use our rub rails to fold up our steel (4ft) tarps. I usually get funny looks from other drivers until it's rolled up in 2 min lol. As was mentioned before, when taping something tall or even using your heavier tarps, ask a forklift guy to put me up for you. Ask before they disappear for lunch or you'll be on your own. Another tip is to anchor the ends on the d rings in case a gust of wind blows it off the trailer. There's much more to tarping and it all boils down to practice.