How to Tarp a Roof for a Temporary Fix

With an assistant holding it steady, climb your ladder to view the damage on your roof. Stepping directly onto your roof can be dangerous and may cause additional damage, so assess from the safety of your ladder. Look closely for broken shingles and use a camera, smartphone, or drone to take photos for your roof damage insurance claim.

Your DIY efforts may need to end here if you don’t have the proper safety training and harness equipment. If you’re unable to take photos of the full extent of the damage, have your roofers take additional photos when they arrive to lay a tarp. Otherwise, proceed to step two.

Carefully step onto your roof and use a broom to slowly clear away branches, leaves, rubble, loose shingles, nails, and other debris from the roof. Work in sections and be mindful not to push any debris into your gutters.

Use your plywood sheets to cover any large holes, securing them by drilling screws through the board and into your shingles. This will create a flat surface for the tarp to sit on so water does not pool in the hole.

To ensure you buy the right tarp or tarps for the job, use a tape measure to carefully calculate the approximate length and width of the damaged areas.

The tarp you choose should be able to cover the entire damaged area with three feet of excess on all sides, plus enough length to hang over the peak of your roof by four feet. This will prevent water from getting underneath the lip of the tarp.

If the damage on your roof is near features such as chimneys or plumbing vents, account for these when measuring and cut a hole for them to stick up through your tarp. Blocking vents or chimneys can create a safety hazard.

With the help of your assistants, unfurl the tarp and position it over the damaged area. One end should hang four feet over the peak, while the other end can hang safely over the roof’s edge.

To anchor the tarp and prevent it from flapping or ripping, you’ll secure it horizontally to the side hanging over the roof peak.

Leaving one foot of lumber sticking out on either end of the tarp’s width, roll a batten under the tarp using an overhand motion. Make at least two rotations for a tight, clean fit. This creates a surface for water and debris to roll off of rather than pooling. Nail through the board into the roof decking with nails every two feet.

Space your batten boards six feet apart horizontally across the rest of the tarp, with a batten on either perimeter edge. The battens should run vertically down the roof’s slope so rainwater can run along them. Nail them down as you did the anchor board. Don’t nail any battens into valleys.

Alternatively, you can use adhesive if you’re concerned about nails or screws possibly damaging your roof. Some roof tarps have built-in adhesive for this purpose.

If you had vents or other features that required you to cut holes in the tarp, use high-quality butyl tape to create a watertight seal around these areas.