A tarpaulin is a large sheet of waterproof material available in various sizes, usually made from plastic like HDPE, LDPE or PVC. In the olden days, they were used to cover objects on ships from where it gets its name – tar + palling meaning a “tarred canvas”. There are various types of tarpaulins available in different materials and thicknesses for various types of applications, e.g., canvas, urethane-coated polyester, polyethylene, etc. Modern day tarpaulins are made from woven polyethylene, thereby making them cost-effective.

These large sheets have eyelets(grommets) or reinforced holes at the corners and along the edges at regular intervals which are used to pass nylon ropes through them so that they can be tied to an anchor. The main use of tarpaulins is to provide shelter from rains and in some cases, even from sun and winds.