How do you fold a big tarp by yourself?
Two people fold a tarp in about forty seconds. One person fights a parachute.
Applies to
- Process
- Site pack-up and storage
- Materials
- Poly and canvas tarps, drop sheets, ground sheets
- Setup
- The tarp and a bit of flat ground
- Conditions
- Any wind at all makes this considerably harder
Why it matters
A tarp folded into a loose bundle unfolds itself in storage and comes out as a heap next time. Rolling a strip locks the folds in.
Doing it on the ground means gravity holds the part you're not working on. That's the only reason this works solo.
What good looks like
- Edges roughly aligned at each fold — good enough, not perfect
- A narrow even strip before you start rolling
- A tight roll that stays rolled without being held
How to apply it
- Spread it flat and fold it in half, then in half again, until it's a long narrow strip.
- Walk the folds out so the strip is even along its length.
- Roll it tight from one end.
- Tie or band the roll, or stuff it in a bag.
Exceptions & tradeoffs
Fold a wet tarp and store it and you get mildew. Dry it first, or at minimum store it somewhere it can breathe.
In wind, weight the far end down first. Otherwise you're not folding a tarp, you're catching one.
Common mistakes
- Trying to fold it in the airOn the ground. Let gravity hold the rest of it
- Rolling loose so it packs "quicker"A loose roll unrolls in the ute and you're back to a heap
Folding a large tarp into a strip and rolling it tight for solo pack-up — Fold a Tarp Easily?! Nooo Waaay! ↗ at 0:23–0:52.
Summarized and independently edited by Start Here from the source clip. The clip is mostly talking-head, so the exact move is our reading of the frames — treat this one as directional until you've watched it yourself. Cautions and test steps are our editorial notes, not a quotation from the creator.