How to Make a Shelter with a Tarpaulin

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Tarpaulins (tarpaulin or tarp) can often be lighter, cheaper and more flexible than conventional camping tents, making them an ideal option for many hikers and backpackers. Once you have learned the basics, you can build different types of shelters adapting them and making them perfect for any situation. There will be nothing more satisfying than lying down and relaxing in a comfortable and safe shelter just built after a long day of walking!

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Building the Shelter

Step 1. Choose a suitable place for camping

The ideal is a flat, grassy area large enough for the shelter and all the people who need to use it. You should find a couple of trees at a suitable distance from each other, depending on the length available on your string.

• When camping, always consider possible weather conditions and the resulting safety precautions before making your choice of place to sleep. If there is a risk of rain, you should avoid places where water tends to collect as much as possible. If very strong winds are expected, look for a place that is somehow sheltered from the direction of the winds. Never camp near dead and unstable trunks or branches, on a flat land prone to flooding, or under a large isolated tree where lightning could easily fall.

  

• If you are in an area where suitable trees are scarce, you can make the shelter by using stakes to form the support line.

  

Step 2. Create the support line for the shelter

• First, pull one end of the rope around a mast using a bowline knot. It should be about shoulder height or just above.

  

• Pull the other end of the rope around the other tree to the same height using a weaver's knot to make the rope as taut as possible. The more you stretch the support line, the stronger and stronger your shelter will be.

  

Step 3. Mount the tarp on the rope

Most tarpaulins have loops or loops that you can use to tie it to the ground. Small sections of parachute rope, varying in length from 50-120 cm will be ideal.

• Place the sheet in the center of the support rope.

  

• Use a bowline knot to tie one end of the parachute rope to the slot or loop on the edge of the tarp above the line.

  

• Use the other end of the string to attach the tarpaulin to the support line with a draft knot. This will allow you to move the tarp to any height of the line and will be very practical for placing more than one shelter on the same rope.

  

• Tightly tie both sides of the tarp to the support string and make sure it is secure.

  

Step 4. Make loops at the corners and edges of the tarp to secure it to the ground

As before, tie one end of a piece of string to each point on the tarp you want to stake, on each corner and in three places on the outer edges.

• Again use a draft knot to tie the other end of the piece of string to itself, making a noose. You will then be able to slide the knot back and forth on the rope to widen or tighten the loop.

  

Step 5. Secure the tarp to the ground by inserting a stake for each loop into the ground, making sure to pull all the ropes well

• The corner pegs should be at an angle of approximately 45 ° to the fabric.

  

• Try to make sure that the sheet is smooth, without creases or wrinkles.

  

• It may be useful to fix the corners a little, and then tighten them one at a time so that the sheet remains centered on the support line.

  

• You can also tighten or loosen the ropes to the pegs by sliding the draft knot up or down to fit the loop on the rope. It works very well for small changes.

  

• If you don't have pegs, you can attach the noose to a stone, fallen branch, or tie the rope to trees, rocks, or other surrounding objects (not necessarily to the ground).

  

Step 6. Spread another waterproof sheet on the ground and you are ready

Part 2 of 2: Adapting the Shelter

Step 1. Adapt the shelter to the weather conditions

One of the best things about a shelter made with a waxed sheet is the possibility of adapting it to any type of surrounding environment and climatic condition.

• When it is hot:

  place the support rope higher and secure the pegs farthest from the tarp so that the whole shelter is more off the ground. This way much more air will flow into the shelter, which will be much more comfortable in muggy conditions. If you have a square sheet, you can place it diagonally on the support line; if instead the tarp is rectangular, you can put the longer part on the rope to make it more open.

  

• In strong wind conditions:

  orient the shelter so that one side faces the direction of the wind, preventing the latter from blowing too much inside. Set the support line slightly lower and secure the windward side of the tarp very close to the ground to protect the shelter as much as possible. In any case, it will not hurt to double the precautions indicated and prepare for the worst conditions.

  

• In case of rain:

  use a low support rope and secure all sides of the tarp as close to the ground as possible.

  

Step 2. Try placing the tarp off-center on the support line

This action alone will create a different type of shelter which, for example, will provide much more shade in case of high temperatures.

Step 3. Use the environment and objects in your camping site to create a more creative, fun - and often more effective shelter

Step 4. Use two sticks to build the shelter without the support line

When there are no suitable trees around, put sticks on both sides intended for the support rope and be sure to secure everything very well to the ground.

Step 5. Finished

Advice

• If your tarp does not have an eyelet to tie the string to, or if the eyelet breaks, do not pierce the tarp as you risk seriously damaging it. Instead, look for a small stone and wrap a part of the cloth around it so that there is a small bump to which you can attach the rope to be fixed to the ground; then tie it around the central part of the bulge.
• Wind, rain, and other atmospheric agents can loosen the ropes or weaken the tarp shelter, so be prepared to tidy up whenever needed.