Roof Tarp Weights: How Water-Filled Tarp Weights Hold a Temporary Roof Tarp

A temporary roof tarp only protects a building if its edges stay put. Roof tarp weights hold those edges down by ballast instead of fasteners driven into the roof. TarpBags® are reusable, water-filled tarp weights built to work with furring strips, so the tarp can be held without nails or screws going into the roof surface.

What roof tarp weights do

Weights keep the perimeter of a tarp in contact with the roof so wind and rain have less chance to get underneath it. Common options include sandbags, nailed or screwed furring strips, rope tie downs, and water-filled bags. Each has tradeoffs in transport, setup, roof impact, and cleanup. Water-filled tarp weights are one way to add ballast without sourcing sand and without fastening into the roof.

How TarpBags work as roof tarp weights

The tarp edge is rolled around furring strips along the perimeter. Empty TarpBags are positioned along the rolled edge and screwed to the furring strips. The screws go into the wood strips only, never into the roof. Each bag is then filled with water from a standard garden hose on site.

Because the bags are attached to the furring strips, the weight of the water holds the strips and the rolled tarp edge against the roof. The full sequence, including the optional Quick Connect Kit for filling and draining, is shown on the How It Works page.

Why water instead of sand

• The bags travel and go up the ladder empty, so crews are not hauling filled bags onto the roof.
• Weight is added at the roof by filling with water, so there is no sand to buy, fill, or haul to the job.
• When the job is done, the bags are drained, stored, and used again.
• There is no sand left behind on the roof or in the gutters.

For a closer side by side look, see water bags vs sandbags for roof tarps.

Planning layout and ballast

There is no single spacing or bag count that fits every job. How many TarpBags you need and where they go depends on the roof (pitch, surface, and condition), the size and type of tarp, how exposed the site is, and the current TarpBags installation instructions. Plan the layout for the specific roof in front of you, follow the current instructions, and inspect the installation after weather moves through.

Water is needed at the site to fill the bags. Confirm there is a usable hose connection, or plan another water source, before the crew goes up.

Limitations and safety

TarpBags are ballast for temporary roof tarps. They are not a permanent roof repair, and they are never a personal fall protection anchor. Do not tie off to TarpBags, furring strips, or the tarp. Use fall protection that meets the requirements for the job, and follow your company safety procedures whenever you work on a roof.

TarpBags do not carry a wind or hurricane rating. A temporary tarp of any kind should be checked regularly and replaced with a permanent repair as soon as practical.