Single vs. multiple tarps for Quonset / Monkey / Galaxy hut

[guerrillayogi]

Simple question, answers to which appear to be difficult to search for:

Will I lose structural integrity of my 20Lx14W hut if I drape it with two 10x14 tarps rather than a single 20x14 tarp?

Part of why I want to do this is to allow removal of some of the bungie fasteners between the tarps, and allow sideways air flow / create entrances in between.

thanks

[Elliot]

I can address only a portion of your question -- about the benefit of gaps (not about structural integrity).
My first shade was a 40 x 60 hay tarp. A fabulous tarp for surprisingly little money, but absolutely impossible to handle.
The second year, I cut it down to 40 x40, but it was still unmanageable. I kept cutting more and more holes in it every year, but the wind still tried to carry us all off to Winnemucca.

Finally, I replaced it with eight 20 x 10s. And... wow. All problems solved at once. I install them so there are slight gaps between them (they actually measure something like 19' 6" x 9' 6"), and that lets out wind and heat like magic.

This snapshot is rather lousy, but you can see the gaps. Each tarp is individually laced to its surrounding structural steel tubes. So each gap consists of a gap with lacing, a tube, and another laced gap. It takes a while to lace each tarp individually, but is sooo worth that effort.

The sunbeams that sneak in thru the gaps cause minimal if any discomfort (except, possibly, if you are taking photos).

[A voice shouts: "Hey, Elliot! Phone for you, up front!"]

[Token]

The tarp is a stress member and holds the thing together.

Will all depend on what you do with the spine in the middle. Will the tarps overlap/join at the middle spine? Will you double up the middle spine and have a gap?

[BBadger]

You don't need a center gap for air to flow out. The sides of the MH are entirely open. In fact, having a gap may allow even more dust and sunlight into your otherwise dark cave.