Tarpaulin

An improvised tent using polytarp as a fly
Abandoned homeless shelter using plastic tarp

A tarpaulin (/tɑːrˈpɔːlɪn/ tar-PAW-lin,[1] also US: /ˈtɑːrpəlɪn/[2]) or tarp is a large sheet of strong, flexible, water-resistant or waterproof material, often cloth such as canvas or polyester coated with polyurethane, or made of plastics such as polyethylene. Tarpaulins often have reinforced grommets at the corners and along the sides to form attachment points for rope, allowing them to be tied down or suspended.

Inexpensive modern tarpaulins are made from woven polyethylene; This material has become so commonly used for tarpaulins that people in some places refer to it colloquially as "poly tarp" or "polytarp".

  1. ^ "tarpaulin - Definition of tarpaulin in English by Oxford Dictionaries". Oxford Dictionaries - English. Archived from the original on December 14, 2017.
  2. ^ "tarpaulin". Dictionary.com Unabridged (Online). n.d.