How to Tarp a Roof After a Storm — Safely

A storm tears off shingles, the rain keeps coming, and you need to buy time before a roofer can get there. A tarp is that time. Here is how to do it without making things worse, and the hard line on when you should not be up there at all. From Paragon Roofing BC, family owned since 2010.

HS
Harman Singh — Senior Roofing Specialist
2026-06-21 | Updated 2026
Quick answer
Tarp a roof safely by running the tarp up and over the ridge so water sheds onto it, not under it, anchoring the ends around furring strips screwed down, and pulling it drum tight well past the damage. Only do this on a dry, low, single storey roof once the wind has settled. If it is wet, steep, or high, contain the leak from inside and call a roofer instead.
Buy time
A tarp is a bandage, not a cure
Safety first
No wet roof, no high roof, no exceptions
Anchor uphill
Run the tarp over the ridge

The wind comes through overnight, and by morning there is a bare patch on the roof and a tarp is the only thing standing between your attic and another forecast full of rain. Tarping is genuine emergency first aid. Done right, it holds the line until a crew arrives. Done wrong, it lifts in the next gust or channels water straight under your shingles. The technique matters, and so does knowing when the smart move is to stay on the ground and just make the call.

Read this before you touch a ladder

Most roof injuries are not exotic. They are a wet boot, a gust, a ladder on soft ground. So be honest about conditions. If the roof is wet, if it is steep, if it is a second or third storey, or if the wind has not actually died down, you do not belong up there. Full stop. A bare patch is a problem you can pay to fix. A fall is not. When in doubt, throw a tarp weighted at the eave or tuck buckets in the attic to catch the worst, and wait for someone with fall protection and the right footing.

What you need

Item Why Note
Heavy duty poly tarp Light tarps shred in wind Size it bigger than the damage
Wood furring strips or 2x4s To anchor the edges Roll the tarp ends around them
Screws or ring shank nails Hold the strips down Fewer holes than fastening the tarp itself
Sturdy ladder Safe access On firm, level ground, tied off if possible
A spotter A second set of hands and eyes Never tarp alone

The technique, in plain steps

1. Run it over the ridge
Carry the top edge of the tarp up and over the peak. Water then sheds onto tarp, not under it. A tarp that stops below the ridge funnels rain straight beneath your shingles.
2. Anchor with wrapped strips
Roll each end of the tarp around a furring strip and screw the strip down through the tarp. The wrap spreads the load so wind cannot rip it loose.
3. Cover well past the damage
Extend at least a metre beyond the bare area on every side. Storms drive rain sideways; a tight tarp leaks at its edges.
4. Pull it drum tight
A loose tarp flaps, collects pooled water, and tears itself apart by morning. Tension is what makes it hold.

After the tarp is on

A tarp is borrowed time, not a repair. UV and wind chew through poly faster than people expect, and a tarp that looked solid in November is brittle by January. Get the actual damage assessed and fixed properly before the tarp fails and you are back where you started, only wetter. We respond to storm damage across Metro Vancouver, especially through atmospheric river season when the calls come in waves. See our wind and hail damage and atmospheric river damage pages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I tarp my roof myself or call someone?

If the roof is dry, low, single storey, and the wind has settled, a careful homeowner with a spotter can tarp safely. If it is wet, steep, high, or still gusting, do not go up. Catch what you can from inside the attic with buckets, weight a tarp at the eave if you can reach safely, and call a roofer. A bare patch is fixable; a fall is not worth it.

How do I keep the tarp from blowing off?

Two things. Run the top edge up and over the ridge so wind and water work with the tarp rather than under it, and anchor the ends by rolling them around furring strips and screwing the strips down rather than fastening the tarp directly. Then pull it drum tight. A loose tarp flaps itself to pieces; a tensioned, ridge anchored tarp holds through a real blow.

How far should the tarp extend past the damage?

At least a metre beyond the bare area on every side, and over the ridge at the top. Storms here drive rain sideways, so a tarp sized tight to the hole leaks around its edges. Bigger is better. Cover generously and anchor the perimeter so wind cannot get a lip under it.

How long will a tarp last?

Less than you would hope. Sun and wind degrade poly tarps quickly, and one that looks fine in the first storm can be brittle and torn within a couple of months. Treat the tarp as a short term bandage and get the real repair done before it fails. It is buying you days and weeks, not a season.

It is the middle of a storm. Can you come now?

We respond to storm damage across Metro Vancouver, and through atmospheric river season those calls arrive in clusters. The honest priority is your safety first. If you are not certain you can tarp without risk, do not. Contain what you can from inside, and reach us so we can get to you with the right gear and footing.

Will tarping damage my roof more?

Done correctly, no. The technique is designed to protect, not puncture, which is why you anchor wrapped strips rather than nailing through the open field of the tarp, and why you run it over the ridge. Done carelessly, a tarp can trap water or add holes. If you are unsure, a contained interior catch and a phone call beat an improvised job on a slick roof.

Storm Damage? We Respond Across Metro Vancouver.

From emergency tarping to full repair, we move fast after a storm and fix the damage properly so the tarp is not your roof all winter. 20 year workmanship warranty on repairs.

Book Free Estimate Storm Damage Repair Call us any time: 604‑358‑3436
HS
Harman Singh
Senior Roofing Specialist & Project Manager — Paragon Roofing BC
CertainTeed Master Roofer IKO Master Roofer BC Licensed Contractor

15+ years of Lower Mainland roofing experience. Harman leads project teams across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley with a focus on institutional quality work for residential, strata, and commercial properties. Direct line: 604‑358‑3436.

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