Shrink-wrap on a roof always makes me think of someone trying to gift-wrap their house for the holidays. But yeah, I’ve seen it actually hold up pretty well during our wild Texas storms—way better than the blue tarps that end up looking like sad flags after a week. Has anyone tried any of those “eco” tarp options, though? I keep hearing about recycled plastic covers, but I’m not sure if they’re just marketing or actually tougher. Kinda wish there was a green fix that didn’t look like you’re prepping your roof for leftovers...
Shrink-wrap definitely looks odd, but I’ll admit it seems to last longer than the blue tarps on my neighbor’s house. I tried one of those “eco” tarps made from recycled plastic last winter—honestly, it didn’t hold up any better. Maybe I just got a cheap one, but the wind shredded it in a week. Still looking for something that works and doesn’t scream “emergency patch job” from the street...
“the wind shredded it in a week. Still looking for something that works and doesn’t scream ‘emergency patch job’ from the street...”
I hear you on the “emergency patch job” look—my house had that blue tarp flapping for months after a hailstorm, and it was not subtle. I tried a heavy-duty silver tarp once, thinking it’d blend in better and last longer. It did look less like a disaster zone, but honestly, the wind still got under it and tore it up after a couple storms. I’ve found that unless you can really secure the edges tight (like with furring strips screwed down), tarps just don’t last long in bad weather. At this point, I’m convinced they’re only good for a few weeks, tops, before you need a real fix.
I’ve had the same problem with tarps—no matter how tight I thought I got them, the wind always found a way in. One thing that helped a bit was using those wood battens screwed right into the roof deck, but even then, it’s just a stopgap. Honestly, after two rounds of patching, I just bit the bullet and called a roofer. Tarps are fine for a couple weeks, but if you’re dealing with more than light rain or wind, they’re not much more than a band-aid.
Tarps are fine for a couple weeks, but if you’re dealing with more than light rain or wind, they’re not much more than a band-aid.
Yeah, I’ve noticed the same thing. Even with battens, the wind just finds a way under. Did you try using any adhesive or just screws? I’m curious if anyone’s had luck with those heavy-duty “roofing tarps” they sell at hardware stores, or is it all just marketing?