For the basic canopy for a portable garage, the basic material is heavy duty polyethylene. What constitutes a heavy duty poly tarp? A heavy duty poly tarp, as it will be used outdoors for a long period of time, should weigh six ounces per square yard and have a 12 mil. thickness, 14×14 mesh count, as 1200 denier. When used with a powder coated or galvanized steel frame, the tarp needs to have grommets, spaced every twelve inches, which can be attached to the frame with bungee cords.

Aside from the physical composition, a canopy needs to have additional properties to keep it in shape when outdoors for long periods of time. These are weather resistant properties that result from treating a tarp on one or both sides with chemicals or other protective substances. A label for a heavy duty tarp, for outdoor use, should be 100-percent UV resistant on one or both sides, tear resistant, waterproof, rot resistant, and mildew proof. In some cases, as when a tarp or canopy structure is protecting a boat or RV for at least six months, the waterproof, rot resistance, and mildew resistance are particularly important for protecting the vehicle to ensure its continued use. Other weather resistant properties a tarp should have include arctic flexibility for cold temperatures and fire resistance. For the latter, a canopy tarp should be NFPA 701, CPAI 84-7, and California Title 19 certified.

Not all tarps are heavy duty polyethylene, however, and in some cases, such as for a shade or garden canopy or a roof patch, a temporary tarp can be used, such as a blue tarp for a hurricane. A medium duty tarp, such as a blue tarp, is one example of a temporary tarp which, although treated to have the same weather resistance, the composition of the tarp is 4.5 ounces per square yard and has a 6 mil. thickness, 10×10 mesh count, and 900 denier. Another option for outdoor structures also includes mesh tarps which, although with the same properties, are made of polypropylene and allow light into the canopy shelter in a 73 shade/27 light ratio.

A portable garage can be expanded by the use of portable garage kits, which are sold by almost every portable garage, carport, and canopy manufacturer. Various portable garage kits are sold to add additions to a portable garage such as additional flaps or screens. A combination of kits, as well as additional poles for the roof, may be needed to expand your current portable garage and accommodate your storage needs.

An angular, or box-shaped, portable garage is easier to expand than a rounded portable garage, as the width, length, or both can be expanded. As the side poles can essentially remain the same, only spaced differently, the poles composing the roof of the portable garage may need to be replaced, as the spaces between the sides will be larger. As a result, the polyethylene canopy for the roof may need to be replaced, as well, to accommodate the larger, newer roof.

Side panels or flaps help with protecting vehicles or other investments stored by a portable garage, and many side flaps or panels can include a zipper door. Separate portable garage kits can be ordered for these additional aspects, such as if your new expanded portable garage will need larger side flaps or a larger door.

To expand a portable garage with a rounded roof, one option is to simply make a longer garage. Some additional portable garage kits allow you to add extra legs to the portable garage and expand its length. In addition to additional poles to add more legs to the portable garage, a canopy and additional side flaps are included to expand your enclosure.

Poly Tarps are often referred to as P.E. Tarps and are sold in either pre-cut sizes or by the roll. Poly Tarps are available in a variety sizes, colors and thicknesses. It is important to note that the actual size of the Poly Tarp will be 4 to 6 inches smaller in each direction than the size listed on the package. This is referred to as the cut and finish size. The difference in the size is the result of the grommet application process. Grommets are the brass, aluminum or metal rings lining the poly tarps and are used to aid in the attaching of the poly tarp to the canopy frame. The spacing of the grommets will vary from one manufacturer to another. Generally, spacing of the grommets will be between 18 to 36 inches. Shorter spacing of the grommets gives strength to the tarp and helps aid in the prevention of extreme movement that is associated with tearing.

In addition to grommets, Poly Tarps have several features that help reinforce the overall strength of the fabric. On each corner of a poly tarp a triangular plastic covering is installed to prevent the grommets from pulling through the fabric. The corners of the poly tarp are subject to the most tension under harsh conditions. Furthermore, during the grommet process a perimeter rope is added before the tarp fabric is folded back on itself and then laminated to create the hem. The combination of the perimeter rope and hem add great strength to the edges of the fabric.

A heavy duty tarp, more than a canvas or medium-duty tarp, is designed for protection. Whether an RV, bales of hay, a boat, or equipment needs protection in the winter or summer from the elements, a heavy-duty tarp offers all necessary protection.

A heavy-duty tarp, which is made from polyethylene and usually called a poly tarp, is a high density fabric, with a density of 14 by 14 dernier, which makes the material tear resistant. The polyethylene, which is actually polyester or nylon mesh coated with polyethylene, doesn’t stand by itself, however. To protect a vehicle or equipment from sun exposure, the heavy-duty poly tarp is UV treated. Boats and RVs, in particular, benefit from a UV-treated tarp, as UV rays can make the outside material and coating crack and fade.

Other benefits of using a heavy-duty poly tarp to protect your vehicle or materials include being water proof. But, unlike shrink-wrapping a boat, a heavy duty tarp is a breathable material that allows for air circulation while keeping out water. As the result of being both breathable and water-resistant, moisture will not stay under the tarp and create mildew on the vehicle or materials while in storage and will prevent dry rot.

While all tarps protect, a heavy duty tarp is useful for prolonged protection from the elements. With seasonal vehicles like boats and RVs, farming equipment, and a seasonal crop like hay all needing protection, a heavy-duty poly tarp is the most economical and effective solution in the long run. Hay, for example, actually experiences less rot when a season’s crop of bales are stored with and protected by a tarp than kept inside a barn for the entire winter. In fact, hay that was only protected by a barn during colder months experienced more rot than that covered by a heavy-duty poly tarp.