Flatbed tarping: which tarp, how to pull it safely, and how to get paid for it

Tarping is the part of flatbed trucking that drivers talk about most and get paid for least. A tarp keeps lumber dry, keeps road grime off finished steel and keeps a shipper happy, and it costs you an hour or more and a real chance of getting hurt. This guide covers the flatbed trucking tarps you will use, how to pull them safely, and how to make sure tarp pay covers the job.

Tarp types and when to use each

Weights are from seller listings for a lumber tarp and a steel tarp, checked October 2026. Your tarps may differ by material and maker.

Lumber tarps are the big ones. The 8 ft drop hangs down the sides of a tall stack. A full 48 or 53 ft load usually takes two, overlapped in the middle, plus a smoke tarp up front.

Steel tarps are smaller with shorter drops because steel loads are low and dense. For scrap metal hauling or winter work, a heavier, tougher steel tarp lasts longer against sharp edges and cold cracking; the extra weight is the trade-off.

Smoke tarps cover only the front of the load. Some shippers ask for one even when the rest of the load is open.

Material. Vinyl (PVC-coated) is heavy and tough. Lighter polyethylene and coated nylon tarps save weight but tear easier on steel. Keep at least one spare, because a torn tarp on arrival can mean a claim.

Measuring the drop

The drop has to reach from the top of the load to the deck or close to it. Measure the load height above the deck and pick the drop that covers it. A 6 ft high stack needs at least a 6 ft drop; on a step deck the lower deck lets you carry taller freight, so check the drop before you accept. Deck and freight heights are covered in our flatbed trailer dimensions guide.

Safe tarping steps

1. Secure the load first. Tarps go over a fully strapped or chained load. A tarp is never a tiedown, and the cargo itself still has to meet the securement rules (49 CFR 393.100).
2. Protect the edges. Put edge protectors on sharp corners so the tarp does not tear.
3. Check the wind. Strong wind turns a tarp into a sail. If you can, tarp in the lee of a building, or wait.
4. Lift the tarp with help. Use a forklift to set the rolled tarp on top of the load if the shipper offers one. Do not try to throw a 120 lb tarp up by hand.
5. Climb carefully. Use three points of contact, stay off wet or icy freight if you can, and never step backwards near the edge.
6. Unroll front to back, then out to the sides. Overlap the second tarp over the first from the front, so the wind does not peel it open at speed.
7. Bungee every D-ring. Tie down the drop tight to the rub rail. Loose tarps flap, tear and fail.
8. Check after the first few miles, then at every stop.

Untarping is the same in reverse. Fold and roll tarps tight so the next load goes faster.

Tarp pay

Tarp pay is a separate line on the rate confirmation, negotiated load by load. There is no official national tarp rate, so treat any single number you hear as one person's experience, not a standard. What moves it:

• Tarp type and drop. A pair of lumber tarps with 8 ft drops is more work than a smoke tarp.
• Load size. A full deck takes longer than a few bundles.
• Shipper need. Finished or high-value freight that must arrive dry is worth more to cover.
• Who supplies the tarps. If you are using your own, wear and tear is yours.

How to get it paid:

• Ask before you quote: "Is this tarped, which tarp, what drop?"
• Get the amount on the rate con, not in a phone promise.
• If the shipper adds tarping at pickup, call the broker and get the rate con amended before you load.
• Price your tarp time into your minimum. The flatbed rate calculator has tarp pay as its own input, so you can see what share of the load it is.

Flatbed tarping systems and the conestoga alternative

Rolling tarp systems take the climbing out of tarping. A conestoga is a flatbed or step deck with aluminum bows and a tarp that rolls along side tracks, like an accordion. Close it and the load is covered; roll it back and you load from the top or sides. Other side-kit and sliding systems exist too.

The trade-offs: a conestoga gives you about 8 ft of usable height and about 100 in of width inside the tracks on a flatbed (Inbound Logistics), adds weight and cost, and cannot take freight taller than its frame. In return, you stop pulling heavy tarps in the wind and can go after shippers who will not let drivers climb on loads. We cover that freight on our conestoga dispatch page.

Building your tarp kit

If you are starting out, a working flatbed tarp kit usually includes two lumber tarps, two steel tarps, a smoke tarp, plenty of bungees and edge protectors. Our how to start a flatbed business guide has the full gear checklist, and what flatbed trucking is covers the rest of the job. For the loads that need tarps, see flatbed loads.