Buying Vinyl Tarps Online: FAQs

What sizes do you have?

Please check out our full inventory under the Products tab. We have sizes available from approximately 10x10 ft. to 200x200 ft. The most common billboard tarp sizes we have are 12x24, 10x36, 14x48, and 20x60 ft. Our inventory is always changing, and we update the website frequently. Sizes over 1,500 sq. ft. are made to order. These large sizes must be shipped on a pallet through an LTL freight carrier. They are too heavy to ship via FedEx.

Can I get a custom size?

Yes, we do customs for tarps over 1,500 sq. ft. up to huge 200x200 ft. sizes. Please visit our Custom page for a price estimate or contact us at info@billboardtarps.com.

What applications are your tarps used for?

Our material is used for a very wide range of applications from the standard to the unique. Some examples include: pond liners, construction tarps, hay covers, agriculture, floor covers, roof covers, lumber, hurricane, shop curtains, dividers, windscreens, vapor barriers, boat/auto covers, concrete curing, tents/yurts, slip-n-slides, drop cloths, truck tarps, handbags, and much more!

How do you ship the tarps?

Tarps that weigh under 150 lbs. are shipped via FedEx Ground. Tarps heavier than 150 lbs. must be shipped on a pallet through an LTL freight carrier. Shipping price is determined by weight, so the heavier the tarp/order, the more it will cost. We combine multiple tarps together the best that we can to save on shipping, but some sizes are too heavy/large to combine together. If your shipping total is over approximately $150 with FedEx Ground, it may be cheaper to ship them together through LTL freight. Please email us at info@billboardtarps.com for information on using LTL freight shipping.

How long will it take to receive my order?

We ship out almost all non-custom orders on the same or next business day. Orders ship from Minneapolis via FedEx with an estimated 1-3 business days in transit to the central US, 3-4 business days to southern states, and 3-5 business days to the coasts. Custom sizes are made to order and typically leave our warehouse within 2-7 business days depending on the size and amount of orders we have in at the time. Delivery is typically within 1 to 2 ½ weeks depending on your location. Please email us for more information.

Do you offer 1-day or 2-day express shipping?

Sorry, but we do not offer express shipping. The costs are exceedingly high due to the large weight of our items.

Where do you ship to?

We ship to U.S. and Canada only. Sorry, we cannot ship to PO boxes or APO/FPO addresses. This is due to carriers such as FedEx and UPS not allowing delivery to those addresses. We need a street address with your order.

Do you offer bulk/container/truckload pricing?

Yes, we can discuss bulk pricing for order over approximately 100 units. We can fit about 44,000 lbs. of material on a container/truck. This equates to about 500 units of 14x48 ft. tarps. Please visit our Bulk/Container page for more details, email us at info@billboardtarps.com, or call 1-877-771-8277.

How many tarps can you fit on a pallet?

It depends on the size, but we can fit around 30 14x48 ft. tarps on one pallet.

What is the vinyl material made of?

It is a 3-ply material with vinyl (PVC) on the outside layers and a denier polyester scrim (mesh) inside. This mesh gives it some stretch under high wind conditions and helps prevent fraying or tearing. It is also anti-mildew and UV protected.

How long will it last?

A general rule of thumb for our vinyl material is 3-4 years for the 9 oz. weight and 5-6 years for the 13-16 oz. weight. Due to a wide variety of environmental and application issues, it is impossible to give an exact lifespan. The average time spent as advertising on a billboard sign is 6 months. We have had customers use these vinyl tarps for 10+ years. Vinyl is stronger than poly material and will typically last longer.

Is the material waterproof?

Yes, our vinyl material is waterproof. We sell it for applications such as pond lining very frequently. The center poly mesh layer helps prevent punctures. All our material is very durable, but heavier and thicker ones are the best at preventing punctures and small holes.

Can you explain the UV protection?

All of our material is coated with a UV protective layer. It is worked into the material itself, so both sides of the tarp are UV protected. Harmful UV rays are often the largest cause for tarp deterioration in outdoor use, and this protection helps extend material life.

How do I fasten the tarp down or hang it?

The majority of our billboard tarps come with a 3-inch wide pipe sleeve/channel heat welded or sewn around all four sides. Whether the tarp has these pipe sleeves or not will be listed under the product size/description. These pipe sleeves allow a pipe, cable, rebar, or rope to be run through them. The sleeves on former billboard signs will have cuts or notches in them every few feet as well. You can cut your own slits in the material without tearing as well.

Our tarps do not come with grommets installed. However, the material works great for holding them, and they can be easily added with a grommet kit purchased elsewhere online or from a local hardware store. Grip clips or other industrial clips are also popular to use with our tarps.

What colors are there? Is there an advertisement on one side?

The blank sides of our tarps are either all black or all white. Black is more common among the billboard signs, but we do get white in as well. The repurposed billboard signs all have an advertisement on one side. We also sell material that is new and unprinted, blank on both sides. Please read the description under each particular size.

Can I select what advertisement I will receive?

Sorry, but we cannot specify what advertisement or advertisement color/style you will receive. We receive a random selection of all of the typical billboard ads you see along highways and roads. Customers are required to keep the advertisement faced down so only the blank side is showing in order to respect the original advertiser.

Are the tarps clean?

Yes, we sort through each and every former billboard sign we receive in order to select the best ones for sale on our website. Occasionally there may be some minor dirt from outdoor use or dust from storage, but the material can be cleaned with soap and water.

Are there any holes? What is the condition?

All of our tarps are inspected to make sure they are in good condition with no holes. There are always slits or notches cut in the pipe sleeves around the very edges from sign removal, but the rest of tarp material is free of holes.

Can the tarps be patched or glued together?

Yes! We recommend using HH-66 vinyl cement as an adhesive. It works great with our material and will make a watertight chemical weld. You can Google it to find several dealers online or perhaps find it locally. It is also used in the upholstery industry.

Can the tarp material be cut or trimmed?

Yes, our vinyl material is easy to cut or trim with very little fraying. A utility knife, box cutter or even sharp scissors work well. The poly mesh layer in the center helps prevent additional fraying or tearing.

Does the material hold up in severely hot or cold conditions?

Yes, our vinyl material is constructed to withstand temperatures from -40 to 200 degrees. It is designed to be used outdoors in all conditions.

Are your tarps listed as actual sizes or a smaller finished size?

The tarp that you will receive is at least as large as the size we list on our site. We list actual sizes and not a smaller finished size. We try to be as accurate as possible, but it may be a couple inches larger than listed.

Is the material safe for fish?

Yes, our material has been tested, and it is fish safe. We have sold it for years for use in pond lining and works great for this application.

Is the material flexible?

Yes, our vinyl material is known in the industry as flex vinyl. It is easy to bend, fold, and flex.

Will the material allow light through?

White material will allow some light through. Black material blocks all light.

What is the meaning of mil thickness?

Mils are a measurement of thickness for materials. One mil equals .001 inches (.0254 mm). For reference, most standard blue poly tarps are 5 to 6 mils thick.

Will the advertisement bleed or rub off?

No, the printing is done in a way that the advertisement will only start to fade over time. It will not rub off on anything.

Do you allow will call pickup?

Yes, we do allow pickup from our Minneapolis warehouse. Hours are 8:30-3:45 M-F. Please contact us ahead of time so that we can arrange a pickup time and get your order prepared. You can call at 1-877-771-8277 or email us at info@billboardtarps.com. Typically, a couple hours notification is enough for our standard sizes, but sometimes we will need a day or more to prepare your order.

Do you accept purchase orders?

Yes, we will accept purchase orders from schools, universities, government agencies, and large corporations, as long as you contact us first.

Do you charge sales tax?

We only charge sales tax for orders shipping to Minnesota.

Is there a warranty on your products?

No, there is no extended warranty on our products due to the wide variety of factors and applications involved in their use. We inspect all of our products and promise that you will receive the items in good condition and free of damage. Please contact us if there are any quality issues.

How can I cancel or change an order?

Please contact us at info@billboardtarps.com or call 1-877-771-8277 as soon as possible if you would like to cancel or change your order. If it has not shipped yet, we can cancel it without any additional charges. If the order has already shipped, we can try to reroute it or help you with a return. There is a $12 charge for rerouting a package. We can accept a return for a refund of the purchase price, but shipping is not refundable, and the buyer is responsible for return shipping. We cannot cancel or change a custom order once manufacturing has begun.

How do I make an address correction?

Please contact us an info@billboardtarps.com or call 1-877-771-8277. If your order has not shipped, we can edit the address and charge the difference for any changes in shipping costs. Once the item has shipped, there is a $12 charge for address corrections in addition to any additional shipping cost differences.

Can I return an item with no damage or defects?

Yes, as long as it is unused, within 30 days of the purchase, and packaged for shipping. Shipping is non-refundable, and the return charges must be paid for by the customer. You must contact us before a return so that we know it is coming, and we will refund the purchase price (minus shipping) upon receiving and reviewing the return.

What happens if an item is lost or damaged in transit?

Please contact us immediately at info@billboardtarps.com or 1-877-771-8277, and we will file a lost package or damage claim with the carrier. You must keep the item in its original packaging for possible return or inspection. We will move quickly to replace or refund your item.

What should I do if my order arrives with damage or defects?

Please contact us at info@billboardtarps.com or 1-877-771-8277. We inspect all our materials, but acknowledge that there can be sorting mistakes or minor defects that go unforeseen on occasion. As long as you contact us within 30 days of the purchase, we will do our best to make it right and provide replacements or refunds when necessary. You may be asked to provide pictures or help prepare the item for a return. We can provide labels or call tags for returns with FedEx.