How can I glue some tarps together?

[ZmOz]

Well, it's time to cover up the boat for the next 6 months. Being the cheap ******* that I am, I'm not going to buy a tarp big enough for the whole thing. I found 3 10'x12' tarps for 3 bucks...and that should be plenty to cover my boat. Only problem is I need to stick them together. Anybody have any suggestions on what to use to glue the seams together?

 

[ob]

Re: How can I glue some tarps together?

Don't know about glue but I would just stitch them together.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: How can I glue some tarps together?

If there are gromets you can tie them together with cord and if you are too cheap to buy cord you can get some from the home depot for free to tie things on to your cartop.Charlie

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: How can I glue some tarps together?

I am one cheap SOB too. However, I keep reminding myself that I have to stop risking a lot to save a little. <br /><br />I did what you are trying to do last seasson. I'm lucky I didn't destroy my boat. Somehow the water found a seam (it went through several tarps and a mooring cover) and filled my boat with water. The Cuddy had several inches of water on the floor that froze. Thank heavens the boat was bow down so it stayed out of the engine compartment.<br /><br />This year I bought a custom cover from iBoats made of shark skin and paid like $150 with the tie downs for a 28' boat. Not bad and I won't be worrying or finding surprises in the spring.<br /><br />Just food for thought.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: How can I glue some tarps together?

Yeah, I know I can tie them together but I'm trying to seal the seams. This boat's being sold in the spring, so I'm not going to worry about it too much. Also I'll be working on it probably every nice day I get, so the tarp will have to come off and I can check for water. Doesn't freeze much around here anyway...

 

[StillFishin']

Re: How can I glue some tarps together?

I presume the cheap tarps are the common blue type that is woven polyethene. Nothing really bonds to poly. But if it is woven you may want to try this: get some urathane adhesive/caulk/sealent from Home Depot and run a bead along one seam. Lap the seam from another tarp over it and roll the two togehter with a "j" roller. Becarefull as urathane is really messy and clean up is almost impossable.<br /><br />Becuase of the woven nature, some of the adhesive may get squeezed into the weaving and may hold.<br /><br />The cost of the urathane will set you back on the cheapness scale a few points and if it doesn't work even more.<br /><br />StillFishin'

 

[JasonJ]

Re: How can I glue some tarps together?

Just buy a tarp that is the right size. You'll spend less than $20. Your time has value also. You always get more money, but you never get your time back, and if you spend a whole day or more messing around just to save a couple of bucks, it does not seem worth it. Anything less than a single peice for the covering of the entire boat will give you headaches. All the time spent going out and fixing those pieced together tarps will make that $15 Wal-Mart tarp look really good....

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: How can I glue some tarps together?

Here is a way for a real do it yourselfer.I got a hole in my cover one winter and I could not get it to stay closed.I was about to try hot glue and i toughed the tarp with the glue gun and it melted immediately.I got an idea and pulled the ripped parts together and touched them with the hot glue gun.Presto,they were welded.I fixed a pretty big hole with this welding technique.It is worth a try. Charlie