Putting Tarps between Costco Barns

[brianaker]

Hi!

I am starting to rethink how we are doing our social space for this year. The plan has been to put a 30' tarp between two costco barns. We have been considering using the same "backbone" we use for our monkey hut, but I am wondering if there isn't a better idea.

The tarp will be secured to the barns, which will be anchored down (yes, we have done this before). I mainly want to make sure that they tarp is not flapping in the wind enough to smack people in the head/give us some head room while we are walking under it.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!
-Brian

[ygmir]

well....that's a lot of sail........
I'd hope for lots of attachment points, and, perhaps a rope or two over the top?........and, lots of anchors.......
is it flat, or, on an angle? walls, other than the sheds?
How big are the sheds?
Just thinking of wind deflection and the associated extra lift.......

sounds nice, though.....

[AntiM]

We anchor an EZ-up frame between the two carports and secure doubled-up camo netting over it. The frame keeps the netting up, doubling it provides adequate shade, netting so the wind passes through. A solid piece is too low and catches too much wind.

[golgotha-a-go-go]

Hey Brian,

Been doing this a long time on the Playa with two aluminum carports. You say "barns", is it carports you mean? The peak-roof kind, 10 x 20 usually?

Here's what I do. May or may not work for you.

Any tarps covering objects like this I secured to the ground using rebar and bungees or ropes. If you just attach the tarps to the structures you have major sail action that could make the entire set-up airborne in a good wind, even if you secure the structures to the ground. I place my structures together in a T formation, or adjacent and drape the structures with a large enough heavy-duty silver/black tarp that shields out lots of sun. It's a good idea to have tarps be larger than the structures so they overhang at low angles and block out the sun as it shifts across the horizon. I then stretch the tarps over the structures and secure the tarps either to rebar stakes or I build a rope ring supported by rebar that surrounds the entire structure. I secure the tarps with bungee cords to the rope, which is about 3 feet off the ground and is secured taught all around by the re-bar. I allow for wind to pass underneath and above the tarps, never having a vertical surface exposed to the wind, else, well, you'll find out. The flatter the profile of your construction the better. Bungees make the tarps a flexible membrane that will not catch wind and ease the stress on the gromits, else they fail if rigid rope is used. Does this make sense? I can give more details if you need them. It's little bit of work but fun collaboration with campmates and then you get great shade, cool breezees and hopefully a durable (relative term on the Playa) structure. I can show you my sketches on Google Sketch if you wish.

daniel

[brianaker]

Hi Daniel!

If you have some sketch-ups of what you are talking about, I would love to see them.

Thanks!

[golgotha-a-go-go]

That's "taut" not "taught." And I even used to "teach" for a living. How'd that get by me? Probably cause I'm still paying off Grad School Loans...