Learned a trick for mixing mortar on a wet tarp

Was working a patio job in Atlanta last spring and kept getting way too much water in my mix because the tarp had puddles. Old timer told me to punch a few small holes in the tarp corners so the water drains off. Has anyone else tried that or got a better solution for rainy days?

4 comments

4 Comments

michael8031d agoTop Commenter

Used to think tarps needed to be waterproof, but those drain holes actually make a lot of sense.

brian_hart1d ago

Well now, that's a good point michael803, and it got me thinking about something else. You ever notice how those drain holes also let air flow through when the tarp is folded up tight? I learned that the hard way after leaving a tarp on some firewood for a winter - the trapped moisture underneath rotted the whole bottom row. With those holes, even if water gets in from the edges, it has a way to escape instead of just pooling and causing mold. Makes me wonder why they don't put them on every tarp from the start.

garcia.wren1d ago

Oh man, that firewood story hits close to home! I had the exact same thing happen with a pile of lumber I was trying to keep dry for a shed project. Thought I was being smart by wrapping it all up tight, but come spring that tarp was basically a sauna underneath. What got me is I actually tried cutting my own drain holes after that disaster, and let me tell you, it's harder than it looks to get them spaced right without ruining the whole tarp. Sometimes I wonder if the manufacturers just assume people will figure out the hole thing on their own, but honestly most folks probably don't think about it until something rots. It's one of those lessons you only learn the hard way unfortunately!

oliver_baker491d ago

Nah, I'm gonna push back on that. Those drain holes let in just as much moisture as they let out, especially if you get a sideways rain or snow melt that seeps in through them. I'd rather seal the whole thing tight and deal with condensation separately than have guaranteed openings for water to get in. If you're wrapping something that's already dry and you keep the tarp angled right, standing water shouldn't be an issue in the first place.