Tarps at Occupy Wall Street: Using Poly Tarps as Tents

Occupy Wall Street protests are popping up in parks all over the country – and even internationally. But, while we noted a unique use of tarps at Occupy Denver a few weeks ago, tarps have become pervasive in many locations as tents. For those not leaving the protest, tarps are both practical and economical for shelter purposes.

As we have mentioned several times before on this blog, tarps can be made into tents with the right materials. Rather than purchase a tent that may be only water-resistant, opt for a tarp that is waterproof. No matter if the tarp is medium- or heavy-duty, it keeps out UV rays and is resistant to rot and mildew.

In camping or backpacking, tarps are useful in keeping a campsite and gear dry. However, rather than bringing a pre-made structure, the tarp itself can serve as a tent. Last year, we offered brief directions for setting up a tarp tent. Just to reiterate them, a tarp, to become a tent, needs at least a rope and stakes or rocks to hold the ends down. While rope can be strung between two trees in the woods, a city park may not have such features – or at least trees in such proximity – and two larger stakes may need to be brought. No matter if you drive two large stakes into the ground or attach the rope to two trees, the rope serves at the center point on the material, and the tarp needs to be draped over it. Stakes or rocks should then hold the ends in place. Because the ground may be wet, a second tarp should be placed underneath to keep you and your gear dry.

Realize, though, that not all parks and cities have the same rules, and if you do go to protest, you may need to remove your tarps at some point.

Preparing to Store your Boat or RV for Winter

Boats and RVs are great for various summer outdoor activities, but in the winter, these vehicles need protection. If you don’t own a garage, putting your boat or RV under a carport or portable garage protects it from water buildup and UV exposure. If you are going to store your boat or RV in one of these shelters, what should you keep in mind?

First, make sure the shelter itself meets your – and your vehicle’s – needs. Consider the weather of your location. Do you experience large amounts of snow or rain in winter? Make sure, then, that the structure is strong enough to hold up to it. At the same time, the portable garage or carport should provide all-around protection against water, moisture, and UV rays, and an enclosed shelter is often ideal in this respect. However, if you presently use a valance carport or portable garage for shelter, modify it with appropriate side walls and front and rear panels.

If, on the other hand, you haven’t even purchased a carport or portable garage, find one that not only meets your physical needs but is also large enough for the vehicle and meets local ordinances. Before even looking at carports and portable garages, measure your vehicle – its width, length, and height. Add any appendages, such as a vent on an RV, into the dimensions as well.

At the same time, many areas have ordinances for portable structures, and they may restrict where you can add your carport or portable garage and how large it can be. Research these before looking at carports and portable garages, as they may end up posing limitations on the type of shelter you can buy. Otherwise, a carport or portable garage that violates these ordinances or building codes may need to be taken down or modified, and your boat or RV won’t be adequately protected as a result.

Poly and Canvas Tarps Used for Makeshift Kitchen at Occupy Denver

Occupy Wall Street protests are springing up all over the country and don’t appear to be ending any time soon. Denver is one of those locations, and in addressing needs of the 24-7 protestors, a makeshift kitchen established itself at the site. What’s particularly unique about the kitchen, called Thunderdome after the Mad Max sequel, is that tarps are used in its construction. Described by the Denver Westword, the Occupy Denver site has a “Hooverville-style collection of tents and tarps,” and Thunderdome is no different.

Taking into account the same principles that make a tarp tent useful on a camping trip, Thunderdome consists of blue and brown polyethylene and canvas tarps. Not the sole part of the kitchen, the tarps are attached together with a plywood frame. In concept, the tarps keep out the water and any other elements and keep volunteers and their equipment dry during operation and overnight. Just as with any tarps on a campsite, whether for shelter or protection, those for Thunderdome are tied in place.

Depending upon how long the protest lasts, the tarps may need to be replaced in the future. As you’re aware, medium-tarps, such as the ones pictured, can be used for about 90 days.

Run by two unemployed chefs, Thunderdome is operated by various volunteers supporting the Occupy Wall Street cause. While the volunteer staff cooks a healthful menu each day, the kitchen is supplemented by prepared meals from supporters and donations from local restaurants. Supplying free meals, snacks, and drinks to protestors and the homeless, Thunderdome serves roughly 200 to 400 individuals per day.

Aside from the economical design and support for protestors, Thunderdome creates minimal waste. Onsite are recycling and compost bins, all trash is disposed, and volunteers take dishes home to wash daily.

GE and Inovateus Collaborating on Solar Carports

The knowledge and use of solar carports has proliferated across the world during the past two years. As a result, solar carports are increasing in popularity in the U.S., especially for commercial and business locations and for people who own electric vehicles (EVs). EVs, however, do not necessarily need solar power to operate; rather, they just need a charge. Too many vehicles using the electric grid to charge has become a concern, however, as the drawing of power could disable or overload it. As an alternative, General Electric and Inovateus are collaborating on solar carports for charging EVs.

Their resulting product, a combination of GE’s EV chargers and combiner boxes for solar power systems and Inovateurs’ solar-powered carports, would allow commercial locations, businesses, and homeowners to charge EVs in their parking lots without drawing significant amounts of power from the electric grid.

Once the system is in place, the car and building or home work reciprocally on solar power, and the system would give back to the grid, rather than take from it. GE and Inovateus are developing both residential and commercial applications for their system.

GE announced its partnership with Inovateus last week, but this isn’t their first instance in developing EV technology. Rather, they started a partnership with Nissan a year ago and increased it recently to develop technology that links together an electric car, home, and residential renewable power sources with a smarter electric grid. Called the Smart Home concept, GE and Nissan’s technology would enable an electric vehicle and a home to power each other. As a two-year project, Smart Home would eventually prevent EVs from disabling the electric grid, reduce demands on the grid, and allow an EV to become part of a home’s or building’s energy equipment.

If you own, or plan to own, an EV, would you consider a system like GE and Inovateus’ for your home?

Be Careful When Using Tarps as Halloween Decorations

As you well know, tarps are not biodegradable and cannot be recycled. Rather than letting the polyethylene, canvas, or vinyl material sit in a landfill, re-use it as a Halloween decoration. Torn tarps are particularly useful in creating a spider web-like display, but the material can be used in a number of ways around a structure.

Black tarps, in particular, are ideal as backdrops. To create a surface other than grass on your lawn, consider securing a brown or silver tarp. At the same time, if you have tarps around your home that are not usable, don’t just simply throw them away. Rather, tear and alter the tarp until it appears ragged, and for a spider web effect, place the ripped material anywhere indoors or outside.

A recent fire at Tulane University in Louisiana shows that where and how you place your tarps is important. If a fire starts, tarps, used as backdrops or to block a door, can pose obstructions. A fire started in the kitchen of a Tulane fraternity house and spread throughout the building. The fire department came, and while controlling the flames took 90 minutes, a fire captain injured his shoulder in the process as the result of tarps and debris used as decorations. In regards to using tarps as Halloween decorations, Capt. Edwin Holmes, Jr. stated to the press:

“Tarps and debris used for decorations inhibited suppression efforts by making it difficult for fire personnel to find walls and doorways hidden behind the black tarp.”

As you create and use tarps for the upcoming holiday, think about their placement and any possible fire hazards around your home. If, for instance, a fire began in a room, would the tarps pose an obstruction? Would the material make finding walls or doorways difficult? Furthermore, could the tarp itself turn into a fire hazard?

Kansas City, Kan. Enforcing Carport Ordinance

Carports have been an issue in Kansas City, Kan., for the past three years. Announced recently, the city is enforcing its carport ordinances again, requiring residents to take down or modify their carports that are not up to code. The crackdown began on October 3.

Residents, on the other hand, are fighting the ordinance and are holding a hearing on October 6 to address changes for non-compliant carports. Although more than 100 residents have complaints, Leon Dean appears to be the leader after dealing with the city’s requests for the past three years. An owner of attached and detached carports who modified one of his shelters over this time, Dean said:

“I’ve spent around $650 to get to this point for them to deny me. They say it doesn’t meet the zoning codes. Why have me spend the money when you’re going to tell me to tear it down anyway? It was a Catch-22.”

We’ll have to wait and see what happens. Nevertheless, this issue is fairly common for carport owners and can be nipped in the bud from the early stages of purchasing a shelter. Although some towns or cities may change ordinances, which happened last year in Austin, Texas, most have consistent codes for portable shelters. While a carport – enclosed or valance, is a significant benefit for sheltering a vehicle, the structure needs to be compliant. Otherwise, as you can see from this case in Kansas City, Kan., modifications may need to be made.

First, before you even purchase a carport, check with your town or city about ordinances for portable shelters. Inquire about size and location restrictions (these are common) and about permits. Frequently enough, a permit is not needed for installing a carport, but your area may be an exception. Once you’re aware of the codes for your area, you can use them as parameters for seeking out the ideal carport.

Don’t Forget About Permits for Carports

Many opt for building portable garages over brick-and-mortar storage structures simply for the fact that building permits are not usually needed. But, while most areas do not require permits for constructing a carport, yours may be an exception. Before you even look at portable shelters, check with your town about permits, zoning, and ordinances, as they may pose restrictions or have specific guidelines.

A recent incident in Rocky Mount, Va. shows the necessity for inquiring about permits beforehand. Reported by the Franklin News-Post, the town requires residents to acquire permits before building carports; all residents planning to erect such portable shelters need to apply for building and zoning permits and have their applications approved.

A resident in Rocky Mount, however, was not aware a permit needed to be obtained before construction. Although he asked his neighbors about the carport, he went ahead and constructed the structure. When the town found out about the carport, the man was required to file an application, which was denied because the structure did not comply with zoning ordinances. After applying for an exception, the man was denied again on the grounds that the carport was considered an “intrusion” and not aesthetically pleasing in the neighborhood. Residents whose shelters do not comply with zoning ordinances need to modify their carports or remove them.

In addition to not looking aesthetically pleasing, a carport may be required to be in a certain location – behind a house and not in front or on the side, for example – or be a specific side. Some areas, as we have seen on here, won’t even allow residents to set up carports. Although carports and portable garages generally don’t require permits, don’t assume your area does, as well. Before going on a site to look at shelters, find out if your area requires permits and if ordinances pose any restrictions on portable shelters.

Portable Garage Depot Displaying its Shelters at Big E

Do you live in the Northeast? Have you been considering purchasing a portable garage or carport for your home but aren’t entirely sold? Over the next three weeks, plan to go to the Big E to see Portable Garage Depot display and demonstrate its portable shelters. Online pictures don’t do these sturdy portable garages and carports justice.

The largest fair in the Northeast, the Big E is an annual event held from September 16 to October 2 in West Springfield, Mass. The fair starts at 10 a.m. and closes at 10 p.m. each day and includes a variety of agricultural attractions, vendors, activities, entertainment, and foods from around the world.

As you’ve read on this blog, Portable Garage Depot is one of the top retailers of carports and other portable shelters. The company carries both powder-coated and galvanized steel shelters, most of which have heavy-duty polyethylene covers. No matter if the shelter is enclosed or has a valance style, the polyethylene keeps out water and UV rays and makes sure any vehicle underneath is protected from the elements. Depending upon construction, a shelter may be designed for temporary or long-term outdoor use.

Although portable garages and carports are typically geared toward sheltering cars, plenty of other items can be placed under. Enclosed portable garages, for instance, can keep a boat or RV dry and sheltered from UV rays in the winter.

More relevant to the activities and shows at the Big E, portable shelters are useful for storing animals and equipment on a farm. Shelters large enough for tractors and other equipment keep out the rain, UV rays, mildew, mold, and dry rot to prevent rust. For temporary shelter, a portable garage is also great as a run-in shed for horses. With two sides open, animals can run in and out during the day. To keep them inside the run-in shed, the portable shelter simply needs to be modified with gates on both ends.

The Aftermath of Hurricane Irene: Need for Tarps or a Rip-Off?

The affects resulting from Hurricane Irene are mixed. While some areas are experiencing flooding or power loss, others saw minimal damage. As a result, some see the storm as a load of hype that caused them to go out and purchase supplies, while others are needing to fix their damaged homes.

In Florida, Red Cross volunteers are assisting areas in New York, Connecticut, and Vermont with food, tarps, and cleanup supplies. On the other hand, many in the same areas found they purchased supplies they ended up not needing, such as batteries, flashlights, tarps, and canned goods.

As a result of these supposedly unnecessary supplies, residents in the Northeast are looking to return them. Many stores, on the other hand, are not accepting returns. According to a spokeswoman for State Farm Insurance, residents should hold onto such supplies for the future, as another hurricane could hit and snow will be arriving in less than six months: “At the next storm, rather than trying to beat the crush of people running out to get those things, you can sit back and be safe and comfortable with your family, knowing you already have those things on hand.”

Tarps are a key supply for storm preparation, especially hurricanes and tornadoes. Such storms can damage a roof, or even rip it off, and rain will enter the home and cause water damage. The tarp attached to a roof prevents further water damage and to reduce the chances of mildew or mold buildup, tarps are applied to all damaged areas.

Ideally, such tarps, usually medium-duty blue polyethylene, should be kept no longer than 90 days. During this time, the owner of the damaged property needs to seek out a contractor to assess the damage and to get all areas repaired.

Tarp Unrolled at Kansas City Royals Game

Have you ever seen a tarp unrolled during a sports game as soon as rain hits? If you haven’t, watch the following video of the grounds crew for the Kansas City Royals unrolling a tarp onto a baseball field:

What do you think about the job they did?

When it comes to tarping a sports field, for baseball or another sport, one of two approaches is essentially used: Go with a baseball diamond-shaped tarp or use large standard tarps to cover the area. But, as you likely know from reading this blog, a tarp does not protect an area on its own. Rather, it needs to be held down. In some cases, baseball diamond-shaped tarps are weighted at the edges; this way, the tarp stays down once applied, the grounds crew doesn’t need to spend additional time weighing down the edges, and the entire job takes just a few minutes. Does it look like the grounds crew for the Royals had a weighted tarp? If you can’t tell, notice the edges of the material flying up just a few seconds after the tarp is properly rolled out.

Why go through this whole ordeal of tarping the field? Won’t the ground just dry? Yes, it will eventually, but that could take a few days, during which the team could be practicing or playing a game. In fact, if the field becomes mud after a rainstorm, the team may even need to cancel home games. This, however, doesn’t just apply to professional teams; high school teams, too, need to change scheduling or practice areas if their field becomes muddy.

No matter the type used, a baseball tarp is made out of heavy-duty polyethylene and treated to be UV resistant and waterproof. Once the tarp is put in place and secured on a sports field, the material prevents the rain from getting to the ground.