To tarp or not to tarp?

[DeBreez]

I've been parking our Casita on the side of the house on the grass. I may put a concrete pad in eventually, but for now I took some of the asphalt shingles left over from a post-hurricane roof job some years ago and spread them under the trailer. I do have concrete 12x12s under the tires and a concrete block for the tongue.

I thought the shingles would work well because they're heavy enough to not blow away, and there's plenty of places for water to pass through them so there's no standing water.

Oh yeah, I put a liberal sprinkling of ant crystals under the shingles. Lots of ants and other critters down here. They're welcome to the rest of the yard but stay outta my trailer!

[Mike Magee]

Wish we all could get some of that Tarp fund money....

[Tugger]

Using a tarp as a cover works fine. Never had any issues with mold or mildew. Wouldnt put one underneath though

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[Lady Darilyn]

This year made the decision to cover my 13 foot scamp with a tarp over the winter to protect from snow and breakdown of seals, etc. due to moisture…. I know to be concerned about scratches so the tarp is placed over the regular cloth cover I use year-round. Does the FG community think this was a good idea or not? It was truly a labor of love by my father and I most of the day yesterday…


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[Mike_L]

Snow and moisture aren't the problem, assuming you don't already have leaks. It's the UV light from the sun that is the issue. That's why a canopy works well. Cheers!

[Glenn Baglo]

Put a cheese sandwich in a plastic bag and leave it in the fridge for three months.

[Lady Darilyn]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Put a cheese sandwich in a plastic bag and leave it in the fridge for three months.

I'm guessing that was supposed to be a joke???


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[Lady Darilyn]

I don't have any cheese in my camper...



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[Glenn Baglo]

It's not a joke, it's an analogy. You will have mold if you cut off ventilation.

[Darral T.]

NO TARP!!

[BarbinBC]

I was considering doing the same thing over the full fabric cover, but just a partial covering with the heavy-duty tarp - half way down the sides, front & back - held down with the milk jugs, but tented out away from the trailer. I use water in my jugs - no sand around here.

Also leave my vent open, but cannot leave the windows open due to having the slider style rather than the great louvers.

I keep an oil filled heater operating inside around 60 degrees as well as those moisture absorbing crystals.

Also don't have the space for a carport - I wish.

Anyone think this might be a safe, non-damaging way to protect my FG trailer? I have one leaky window that will be R & R in the spring.

[Shirley LaMoine]

How to Cover Your Boat - boats.com

Having owned a high dollar barefoot competition ski boat in a previous lifetime, I subscribe to the idea of a custom canvas cover to protect fiberglass. The article I've linked to explores differing options and opinions.

Happy Trails,
Shirley

[Tugger]

If i had a spot in my yard to put my trailer under a carport or inside a garage i would but i don't. So i use a tarp. This will be the 6th winter since we've owned our trailer and that I've done this. I live in Vancouver Canada. We have mild winters here but a lot of rain. October was 28 days of rain this year for a record rainfall. I also practically live in a forest with cedar trees shedding, pine needles, leaves etc constantly falling in my yard. I think a tarp is better than nothing. This year i put 3 blue recycling bins on the peak of my trailer to keep some air flow in between the tarp and trailer. Never had any issues with mold or mildew inside the trailer or outside. I use a Caframo Stor-Dry inside the trailer. I also have wheel covers. I wrap the trailer like a Christmas present with the tarp with bungee cords.

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[chrischampion]

If you were planning on putting pavers on it at some point in the future, you can actually save yourself the hassle of removing all the grass by going to the home store, and buying some concrete backer board made for the wall behind tile in showers. Get it large enough to cover the spot that your camper is parked in.

[sharpstick]

Originally Posted by Darral T.

I would NEVER EVER use a tarp OVER my Scamp. Why? They dont "breathe" and you can do more damage with a tarp than without.
. . . .

I would consider something to keep the sun and weather off it. A pole barn is optimal, but maybe some spacers on the roof and hanging down over the sides with tarp tied down over it. Foam pipe insulating tubes(look like gray pool noodles) should work.

[sharpstick]

I know this thread started with ground tarps, but has expanded to tarp coverage.
I live in Florida, hot and humid. Years ago, I had a truck/camper. It sat out in the yard and got pretty musty from the humidity. A bit of mold too, if I recall.
I am shopping for a new FG camper and plan to put it in some kind of shade cover(pole barn/carport structure, or at least a tarp overhead to keep the sun off.
More importantly, I plan to dehumidify it somehow. Some people like Damp-Rid, but I don't think it is effective enough. I will have a small AC mounted on it if it doesn't already have one. I think putting it on a timer for maybe twenty minutes a day should do it. There are also electric dehumidifiers but they generate a bit of heat. (They are basically the same hardware as a small AC but with no separation between the hot and cold air.)

[DavidG]

Originally Posted by sharpstick

I would consider something to keep the sun and weather off it. A pole barn is optimal, but maybe some spacers on the roof and hanging down over the sides with tarp tied down over it. Foam pipe insulating tubes(look like gray pool noodles) should work.

__________________________________________________ ____________

Original Quote from Darral T : " I would NEVER EVER put a tarp over my Scamp " !
__________________________________________________ __________

Mr Sharpstick, Please forgive Darral for shouting (capital letters) . We all love our Scamps, or other brands, but Darral LOVES his Scamp ! We can all learn from Darral !
BTW, I use a lightweight cover on my Scamp 13', with cardboard boxes , tuperware or pool noodles on the roof to make ridges and slopes for drainage. When I sometimes put on my full fitted cover , I often put a tarp over it because I don't want the cover to get dirty, especially pitch or droppings from trees!
BTW Mr Sharpstick, are you the guy our mothers warned us about, the part about " You'll put your eye out ! " ? DavidG in Fresno and Sonora

[CynSum]

I have a 1973 10ft. trailer that I'm still making friends with after purchasing in 2015. I tarped it this winter and just spent the last two days cleaning out the deep coat of mold that got every where. I have no insulation at all between me and the shell, so condensation is an ongoing issue. I'd love suggestions on how to remedy this for overwintering next year and reducing the moisture build up we get when camping in colder temps. Think I may explore the rat fur option. Thoughts?

[Glenn Baglo]

The best coat for your trailer is a coat of wax. It sheds rain and snow and doesn't trap moisture, like a tarp.

[sharpstick]

Originally Posted by CynSum

I have a 1973 10ft. trailer that I'm still making friends with after purchasing in 2015. I tarped it this winter and just spent the last two days cleaning out the deep coat of mold that got every where. I have no insulation at all between me and the shell, so condensation is an ongoing issue. I'd love suggestions on how to remedy this for overwintering next year and reducing the moisture build up we get when camping in colder temps. Think I may explore the rat fur option.

I use a small dehumidifier. The peltier ones are lightweight and very quiet. I have to drain the little tank every few days, but it could be modified to drain itself fairly easily.