QUICK FIX FOR ROOF LEAKS: DOES A TARP REALLY HOLD UP?

- Tarping’s a classic stopgap - definitely buys you time, but it’s not a long-term fix.
- I’ve seen tarps hold up for a week or two, but wind loves to find any loose edge. Bricks can shift, especially if it rains hard.
- Best luck I’ve had is screwing the 2x4s down into the roof deck (if you’re comfortable with that). Just laying them on top isn’t super reliable.
- If you’re expecting more storms, check the tarp every day or two. Water can still sneak in if it pools or if the tarp shifts even a little.
- Honestly, it’ll keep most of the water out for now, but don’t trust it for too long - especially if you’ve got valuables underneath.

Yeah, tarps are basically a band-aid. I’ve used them a few times after hail storms - never felt great about it, but sometimes you don’t have a choice. Screwing down 2x4s definitely helps, but you’re still risking more holes in the deck. I’d just add: if you’re going to tarp, try to use something reusable or recyclable. Some of those cheap blue tarps just end up as landfill after a week. Not perfect, but at least it’s something to think about.

Yeah, I hear you on the blue tarp graveyard - seen way too many of those after bad storms. I’ve tarped a few roofs myself (asphalt shingles, Midwest hail season), and it always feels like a temporary patch job. One thing I’ve started doing is using those heavy-duty woven tarps made from recycled plastic. They last longer, and I can usually reuse them for yard work or covering wood piles later. Still, nothing beats getting a proper repair done, but sometimes you’re just buying time until the insurance adjuster shows up.

That’s a good point about the heavy-duty tarps - mine’s just the basic blue one, and I can already see a couple spots where it’s starting to fray at the edges. I’m in the southeast, so we get those sudden downpours and gusty winds, which makes me nervous. Honestly, I’m just hoping it holds until I can get someone out here. The insurance wait is no joke. At least it’s keeping most of the water out for now, but I’m checking it every morning just in case.

I hear you on the blue tarp situation - mine looked like it’d hold, then a squirrel decided to test its limits. Next thing I know, I’m chasing it across my yard in the rain. Honestly, I’m starting to think those “heavy-duty” ones are worth the extra bucks, especially with these southern storms. But hey, at least your tarp’s keeping most of the water out for now... mine just gave up after week two.

Had a similar run-in last spring - thought my tarp job was solid, but a raccoon had other plans. Woke up to the sound of water dripping in the hallway and found the little guy had clawed right through it. I’ve tried both the cheap blue tarps and the pricier “contractor grade” ones, and honestly, the heavy-duty ones do hold up better, especially if you’re dealing with more than just rain (critters, wind, flying branches... you name it).

One thing I learned: it’s all about how tight you get it and what you anchor it to. If there’s any slack, water pools and eventually finds a way in. I’ve seen folks use old boards or even bricks to weigh down the edges, but if you can screw in some furring strips, that seems to last longer. Still, even the best tarp is just a band-aid - nothing beats getting those shingles or tiles fixed for real. But yeah, for a quick fix? Go heavy-duty if you can swing it.

Had to laugh at the raccoon story - those guys are relentless. I went with a blue tarp last fall when a few shingles blew off, and yeah, it kept most of the rain out, but the wind nearly took it down twice. I didn’t bother with furring strips, just some bricks and a ladder for weight (probably not the safest). Heavy-duty definitely sounds smarter, though. Honestly, the tarp felt like a game of “how long till something goes wrong.” Getting the roof fixed for real was a relief.

Man, I totally get the “how long till something goes wrong” feeling with tarps. Last winter, I tried to cover a leak with one of those cheap blue tarps and some cinder blocks - looked like a sad art project up there. Wind got under it and half the tarp ended up flapping around at 2am. Ever try re-securing a tarp in the dark? Not fun. Did you notice if your bricks left any marks or dents on the shingles? I’m still not sure if mine did more harm than good...

- Used bricks a couple times - noticed they can scuff up shingles, especially if the wind moves them around.
- Sometimes the corners of the tarp rub and wear down the granules too.
- I’ve had better luck with wood strips screwed down at the eaves, but that’s not always doable in a rush.
- Did you try using any kind of padding under the bricks? Wondering if that helps or just traps more moisture...
- Curious if anyone’s tried those weighted sandbags instead - seems like they’d be gentler on the roof?

Weighted sandbags actually work pretty well, at least in my experience. They’re less likely to slide around and don’t seem to chew up the shingles like bricks do. Only thing is, if you get a ton of rain, sometimes the bags themselves can get heavy and start pressing into the roof a bit - haven’t seen any real damage from that, though. I’ve tried using old towels under bricks before, but yeah, moisture just got trapped and made things worse. Wood strips are solid if you’ve got time, but not always practical when you’re scrambling during a storm.

Only thing is, if you get a ton of rain, sometimes the bags themselves can get heavy and start pressing into the roof a bit - haven’t seen any real damage from that, though.

I’ve had almost the exact same thing happen. Last hurricane season, I slapped a tarp on my garage roof and used those big tube-shaped sandbags to hold it down. It worked fine for the first couple days, but after three days of nonstop rain, those bags were like dragging around sacks of concrete. I started worrying about them sinking into the old shingles, but when I finally got up there to pull everything off, it was just some faint marks - nothing major.

I tried bricks before too, but they left these weird little gouges in the shingles. Not sure if it was because I used old bricks or just didn’t lay them right. Either way, I won’t do that again unless I’m desperate.

Tarp itself did okay, honestly. It kept most of the water out, but you really have to make sure every edge is tucked tight and overlapped right at the ridge. If wind gets under even a corner, you’re basically back at square one. Learned that the hard way one night when half the tarp flapped loose and dumped water right into my attic insulation. Spent hours with a shop vac after that mess.

Never tried wood strips - don’t usually have spare lumber lying around in a pinch, and by the time I think of it, the rain’s already started. For me it’s always been a mad dash with whatever’s on hand.

If you’re in a place where storms sneak up on you fast (I’m in coastal NC), sometimes it’s just about getting something up there quick and hoping for the best until you can patch it properly. Tarping isn’t pretty but it’s saved my butt more than once.

I hear you on the sandbags turning into dead weight. I used to think I was being clever using bags of gravel from the garden section - cheaper than sandbags, right? Well, after a couple days of rain, those things basically fused to the tarp and I nearly pulled my back trying to drag them off. My shingles are old too, so I was half-expecting to find a crater up there, but it was mostly just some scuff marks.

Bricks were a disaster for me. I had a stack of leftover pavers from a patio project and figured, why not? Turns out, sharp corners and asphalt shingles are not friends. Ended up with a few torn spots that leaked worse than before. Lesson learned.

I’ve never had much luck getting tarps to stay put in wind, either. Even with the edges tucked, one good gust and it’s like watching a magic trick - poof, tarp’s gone. At this point, I keep a couple cheap tarps in the shed just for emergencies, but I don’t expect miracles. It’s more about buying time until I can get someone up there to fix things for real.

I’ve seen more tarps take flight than I care to admit - sometimes it’s like watching a blue kite disappear over the neighbor’s fence. Tried using cinder blocks once, thinking they’d stay put, but they just chewed up the shingles and left me with a bigger headache. Honestly, tarps are a temporary band-aid at best. If you can get them tight and weighted without damaging the roof, you might buy yourself a few days, but wind and water always seem to find a way in eventually.

Honestly, tarps are a temporary band-aid at best. If you can get them tight and weighted without damaging the roof, you might buy yourself a few days, but wind and water always seem to find a way in eventually.

I hear you on the “blue kite” effect... Last fall, I tried using a tarp after a branch punched through my old asphalt shingles. I used those wood strips to anchor it instead of cinder blocks, but even then, the wind just about peeled it off. It did slow the leak for maybe two days, but I still ended up with water in the attic. Maybe there’s a trick to getting them tight enough? Or is it just wishful thinking unless you get a pro out there?

It did slow the leak for maybe two days, but I still ended up with water in the attic.

That lines up with what happened at my place. I tried doubling up tarps and using furring strips across the rafters after a hailstorm punched holes in the shingles. It held for about 48 hours, then the wind shifted and water started seeping in again. I don’t think there’s a foolproof DIY way to get them tight enough - maybe if you’ve got a low slope roof and zero wind, but that’s rare where I live. At this point, I just budget for a pro patch as soon as possible. Tarps are a last resort for me now.

I hear you on the wind issue - tarps just don’t stand a chance once the gusts pick up. I’ve tried the “triple tarp and 2x4 sandwich” method after a nasty spring storm, and it bought me maybe a day before water found its way in. My roof’s got a pretty steep pitch, so getting anything to stay put is a challenge. I’ve seen folks use those blue tarps with sandbags, but honestly, unless you’re dealing with a flat roof or dead calm weather, it’s more of a temporary band-aid than a fix.

One thing that helped a bit was running the tarp over the ridge and anchoring it on both sides, but even then, the wind eventually worked it loose. I guess if you’re in a pinch, it’s better than nothing, but I wouldn’t trust it for more than a couple days. At this point, I just keep a roll of plastic sheeting and a bucket handy for the attic - less hassle than wrestling with tarps on a ladder in the rain.

I get the frustration, but I’ve actually had a bit more luck with tarps than most folks seem to. My place has a lower pitch (asphalt shingles), and after a hailstorm last year, I managed to keep things dry for almost two weeks with a heavy-duty tarp and some furring strips screwed down along the edges. Was it perfect? Not even close - there was still some seepage around the nail holes, but it definitely bought me time until the roofer could show up.

I do think a lot depends on what kind of tarp you use. Those cheap blue ones are basically disposable in my experience. The thicker, silver-backed ones from the farm supply store seem to hold up better, especially if you double them up. Still, wind is always going to be an issue. I wouldn’t trust any tarp setup long-term, but for short stretches - especially if you can get creative with how you anchor it - it’s not totally hopeless.

Plastic sheeting inside is handy for sure, but I’d rather keep the water out in the first place if I can help it... even if it means another sketchy trip up the ladder.

- Tarps are a mixed bag for me - yeah, they’ll get you through a bad week, but I’ve seen more than a few turn into kites if the wind picks up.
- Agree on those blue tarps... they’re basically tissue paper if you get any real weather.
- I’m always nervous about screwing or nailing anything down though - seems like you’re just making new holes to leak later. Had to patch those after the fact myself.
- If it’s just a couple days till the roofer comes, fine. Any longer and I start eyeing my neighbor’s metal roof with envy...

I get the hesitation about putting more holes in the roof - feels like you’re just trading one problem for another. I’ve used tarps a couple times after storms, and honestly, if you’re dealing with more than a few days of rain or wind, those blue ones are pretty much toast. I did have better luck doubling up with a heavy-duty tarp and using sandbags instead of nails, but it’s still a gamble. Short-term, sure, but I wouldn’t trust it for long. Metal roofs do look better every year, don’t they...