Hi community!
I am thinking about changing the way the tarp is fixed on my carport, as it has started to tear apart due to strong winds.
For context, my carport has a garage roller door at the front, wooden walls & fence on either side, and a temporary tarp fixture at the back. Here's a diagram:
The main goal is to protect the carport from rain and weather. The current tarp has been fixed to the top of the carport frame and side of the house with wood screws. The top holds up fine, but the side has torn away. Here's a picture:
Eventually, I removed the nails on the walls and secured the side onto the metal pipe with large cable ties. This gives the tarp space to move in the wind but results in a lot of ruffle noise and unfortunately, my bedroom window is right next to it. I created extra eyelets in the tarp but they have also snapped in the wind. Also, the bottom is not fixed, so it keeps blowing and eroding away the grass in our backyard.
My question is - is there a way to fasten a tarp vertically taut onto 4 ends? These are the 4 surfaces to attach to:
Top: carport frame, wood
Left: side of house, wood
Right: carport pole, wood
Bottom: ground, soil and concrete
I’ve been looking at eyelet rings that can be fixed to the pole, as well as guy rope with trace springs to fix on the ground. I’m also thinking about replacing the tarp with a new one, what materials should I pick?
However, I’m just not sure what combination works best, as this solution uses the tarp vertically, which isn’t the intended solution.
Ideally, the solution needs to allow access to a carport from the back garden, as one of my family’s requirements. Originally I suggested a more long-term solution like “why don’t we just seal it off completely and board it up with a wood or metal panel?” And this idea got rejected. It doesn’t have to be wide access space, as long as the attachments can be loosened up or unhooked, then we can still access the carport.
I’m open to suggestions on an alternative idea other than using a tarp, I’ve even thought about getting another garage door on the other side, as it still allows access from the backyard, but it’s quite expensive.
Not sure if relevant but there’s actually a shade cloth on the right, attached with nail strips along the fence & carport frame. This is because there’s a small garden bed along the fence extending to the backyard, so the right side can’t be 100% sealed.
