Tarps or tarpaulins are large sheets that consist of strong, water resistant, waterproof, and flexible material. This material is usually material such as cloth and/or canvas that is coated with latex and plastic. In places like Australia and the military, tarps are also known as hootchies.
Tarps, for the most part, have reinforced grommets in their corners (holes) and along their sides, where you can attach a rope to it that will allow it to be tied down or suspended while still providing cover. There are a lot of inexpensive tarps these days that are constructed from loosely woven polyethylene material. This type of tarp has now become known simply as a polytarp.
Polytarps are not of your traditional fabric, but instead are a laminate of woven and sheet material. The center of these tarps is loosely woven from strips of polyethylene plastic, which also have sheets made of the same material attached to the surface. This creates a fabric-like material that will totally prevent it stretching in all directions, and it is 100% waterproof. When treated against harsh sunlight, these tarps can last many years of being exposed to the elements, but ones that are not made...