“you gotta weigh the edges with something heavy or it’ll flap around like crazy”
Yeah, that’s been my experience too. I tried the plastic sheeting last fall when a branch punched through some old shingles. Worked in a pinch, but even with bricks on the corners, it still made a racket in the wind. Tarps seem sturdier for me, but they’re a pain solo—always end up wrestling with them on the roof. Neither is perfect, but both have saved me from soaked ceilings more than once.
“even with bricks on the corners, it still made a racket in the wind.”
Yeah, I had the same problem—bricks, cinder blocks, you name it. If the wind wants to move that plastic, it’s gonna. What worked better for me was tucking the edges under a few shingles and nailing some furring strips over the tarp edges. Not pretty, but it kept things quieter and stayed put until I could patch the roof. Tarps are a pain solo, though...I’ve nearly gone sliding off more than once.
Yeah, tarps are a real hassle—especially if you’re trying to do it on your own. I tried the bricks and blocks too, and it just sounded like the whole roof was gonna take off in a storm. Ended up using some old 1x2s and screws to pin the tarp down along the edge, kinda like you did with the furring strips. Not perfect, but quieter for sure. Honestly, half the battle is just keeping things from blowing away until you can get someone out to fix it proper...
- Totally get what you mean about the noise—bricks on a tarp in wind are just asking for a midnight freakout.
- Used furring strips myself once, but didn’t screw them down tight enough... ended up chasing a tarp into my neighbor’s yard.
- Agree, the main thing is just keeping water out until help shows up. Not sure there’s ever a “perfect” quick fix, especially if you’re solo.
- Curious if anyone’s tried those adhesive roof patches? I keep seeing them at the hardware store, but not sure if they’d hold in heavy rain.
Curious if anyone’s tried those adhesive roof patches? I keep seeing them at the hardware store, but not sure if they’d hold in heavy rain.
Tried those patches last fall when a branch punched through my old asphalt shingles. Honestly, they stuck okay at first, but after a couple days of steady rain, water started seeping in around the edges. Maybe I didn’t prep the surface enough, but I wouldn’t trust them as more than a stopgap. For me, a heavy-duty tarp with sandbags (not bricks—learned that lesson the hard way) has been more reliable, even if it’s not pretty or quiet.
