Outside The (Cardboard) Box - Building With Tarps

October 29, 2009

Building With Tarps

*Editors Note – The Tarps discussed in this post have absolutely nothing to do with the Federal “Troubled Asset Relief Program” (TARP) other than the portfolios underlying the Government Program were likely the root cause of you getting thrown out of your home in the first place.

Perhaps you were the one homeowner on your block whose Mortgage Lender could actually present the paper on your home during foreclosure. Regardless, you’ve been tossed out on your ear and now it’s time for you to get on with your life. Having considered your available options, you have decided to build rather than buy. As someone confronting the daunting task of erecting a new home, you are faced with a number of choices as to your new domicile: Location, Size, Design, etc. All are important decisions pertaining as to what & where you build and are influenced, if not dictated by any number of factors. Intrinsic to that process is the choice of building materials for your new abode. This post will familiarize you with the benefits & advantages of building with Tarps, as well as provide some examples of successful Tarp Projects.

Tarps come in all shapes, sizes and thicknesses. As a building material, Tarps offer water repellence often exceeding that of salvaged wood and typically equal that of sheet steel, all at a fraction of the weight! Tarps are incredibly user friendly. A novice builder, after only brief training, can successfully tackle a respectable range of Tarp projects. One DIY-er is so enamored of her Tarp Home she has specially made T-shirts broadcasting her joy!

Tarps ‘breathe’. Some construction methods result in ‘airtight’ homes. A home that does not ‘breathe’ increases the likelihood of respiratory illnesses. This is due to toxic out-gassing from some of the building materials used in those construction methods. And if your home is too ‘airtight’ you could eventually run out of oxygen and suffocate! Not a pleasant prospect. Medical Science is universally agreed that a home that does not ‘breathe’ is not a healthy home. Tarps allow a steady volume of fresh air to replenish the stale air in your home.

When it comes to designing your living space, you are only limited by your imagination when you build with Tarps. There follows several examples:

Contemporary Minimalist Tarp Home (“Wing House”) – The above design embraces the work of the great German-American Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. “Famous for his dictum ‘Less is More’, Mies attempted to create contemplative, neutral spaces through an architecture based on material honesty and structural integrity.” - http://www.greatbuildings.com/architects/Ludwig_Mies_van_der_Rohe.html

Modern Tarp/Tent Home (“WagonHouse”) – This example pays homage to famed American Architect Frank Lloyd Wright, reflecting both the ‘traditional’ elements to be found in his Prairie Style work (note the ironic Conestoga Covered Wagon-like foyer) as well as the ‘modern’ elements embodied in his Falling Water and Talesian Projects: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Lloyd_Wright

Pyramid Tarp Home – This homeowner’s coloful design harkens back to Ancient Egypt with a 1/10000th scale representation of the Pyramid of Khufu. While this dramatic homestead lacks the mortuary chamber included in the Egyptian original, the uncommonly frisky resident claims to be the recipient of mystical pyramid power resulting from the universally harmonious nature of the design.

Tarp Mobile Home – Yes, you can even get a Tarp Mobile Home. Ideal for hump-backed retirees, the Tarp Mobile Home requires virtually no maintenance and gets excellent mileage.

In conclusion, Tarps are a highly adaptable, user-friendly building material ideally suited to providing the Economically Depressed Homebuilder with a cost-effective, light weight & ventilated living space erectable on virtually any building site.

Coming soon: Visqueen - Poly Sheeting of the Future!