Why does not the fabric weight of the tarpaulin matter?

Grammage is the weight of the material per square meter, expressed in g/m². However, this figure alone does not tell the whole story about how the tarpaulin will perform in actual use. Manufacturers of technical tarpaulin fabrics typically specify, in addition to grammage, tensile strength, tear strength, interlayer adhesion, surface treatment, temperature resistance, UV stability, light transmittance, and fire reaction classification. The technical data sheet itself thus shows that weight per square meter is just one of several parameters—not the sole decisive factor.

The following succinctly describes the most important points: Most of the mechanical properties of tarpaulin fabric—such as tensile strength and tear strength—are primarily provided by the base PES fabric made of high-strength polyester fibers. The PVC coating itself then provides the tarpaulin with additional properties, such as waterproofing, flexibility, final weight, light transmission, flame resistance, mold protection, and UV resistance. In other words: a higher weight per square meter does not, by itself, indicate the quality of the base fabric or how well the material will perform on a specific hall structure.

This is also clearly demonstrated by the technical data sheets for various materials. For example, a lighter tarpaulin that is also robust, with high tensile strength and a top-quality coating, can be far superior in every respect to a heavier tarpaulin. For materials with a higher weight per square meter, other parameters are also taken into account, such as the pore size of the PVC coating, the adhesion of the PVC coating, or the type of topcoat. In practice, therefore, two tarps with similar or even different grammages may have different mechanical properties and service lives depending on their base fabric, coating, and final finish.

When selecting a tarp for a hall, we look at more than just the number in the “weight” column. In fact, with our tarp halls, we state this clearly: the type of tarp is determined by the manufacturer and depends on the hall’s span and the type of structure.

For tent-style halls with modular aluminum/steel frames where the fabric is strung across individual modules, we use fabric weights of 650–780 g/m², but with a more durable inner texture and a high-quality PVC coating on the surface that better resists dust and sunlight. This reduces stress on the structure and allows the fabric to be tensioned more effectively. Warranties range from 5 to 7 years, with a service life of 10 to 25 years.

For prefabricated halls with steel frames, where the tarpaulin is stretched over these frames in a single large piece, we use tarpaulins with a weight of 900–1,000 g/m². The use of a higher weight is necessary here because the single-piece fabric (the entire roof, including the side walls) is stretched over the structure and its edges. It is essential to ensure that this fabric can withstand the tension applied across the edges of the structure. We offer 5–7-year warranties and a service life of 10–25 years.

We therefore determine the weight of the tarpaulin fabric primarily based on its intended use, and the rule that “the higher the weight, the longer the service life” definitely does not apply here.
The service life of the tarpaulin depends not only on its quality of manufacture but also on how properly it is processed and installed, as well as the environment in which it is located after installation.
In environments with dust, dirt, and harsh outdoor conditions, the service life can be drastically reduced!

We therefore do not view the tarp as a one-size-fits-all item determined by a single number. We select it based on what the hall is actually intended to do. Different priorities make sense for lightweight roofing, for a warehouse, for winter operations, and for situations involving condensation, light transmission, or higher operational loads. In addition, for our tarpaulin buildings, we offer a full range of accessories, and for insulated buildings, we use an inner tarpaulin lining that creates an air gap and helps with thermal comfort and condensation control. At this point, it is clear that the hall’s final performance is determined not just by the weight per square meter of a single layer, but by the entire cladding solution.

If you want to evaluate a sail correctly, we recommend not just asking about the weight per square meter, but focusing primarily on the following:

- the manufacturer of the tarpaulin fabric
—is the manufacturer based in the EU, and does it have the appropriate certifications
?—does the tarpaulin fabric meet the required regulatory standards
?—what is the primary intended use of the tarpaulin fabric?
—what are its tensile and tear strengths?
—what is the base PES fabric like?
- What type of coating and finish does the material have
? - What is its UV and temperature resistance
? - What is its reaction to fire?
- How does it behave under condensation
? - What is the warranty, and what is the realistic service life for the intended application?

This is precisely why, for our warehouses, we always select the tarpaulin based on the specific project, rather than relying on a generic catalog number.

The weight per square meter of a tarp is a useful piece of information, but it does not, by itself, determine its quality. How the tarp will perform in a hall depends primarily on who manufactured the base tarp fabric, the quality of the PES backing fabric, its strength parameters, the type of PVC coating, as well as surface treatments, UV resistance, flame retardancy, temperature resistance, and the specific intended use. That’s why, when designing a tarp, we don’t just focus on “how many grams the tarp weighs,” but rather on what we actually need from it. And that’s precisely why it pays to evaluate a tarp from a comprehensive technical perspective, rather than based on a single number.

1) Does a higher grammage always mean a higher-quality tarp?

Answer: No. Grammage is simply the weight of the material per square meter. The quality of a tarp is also determined by its tensile and tear strength, base fabric, coating, surface treatment, UV resistance, temperature resistance, and specific application.

2) So why do customers care so much about weight per square meter?

Answer: Because it’s an easy-to-understand number. However, technical tarpaulin fabrics aren’t evaluated based on a single value, but rather on a whole set of parameters. This is also evident in the manufacturers’ technical data sheets.

3) What type of fabric do we use for fabric structures?

Answer: For tarpaulin hall accessories, we offer semi-finished tarpaulin fabrics from European manufacturers Sioen and Serge Ferrari. We then determine the exact type based on other parameters such as method of fabrication, tensile strength, UV resistance, double-sided coating, water resistance, light transmission, mold resistance, temperature range, flame resistance, etc.

4) What is more important than weight per square meter when choosing a tarpaulin for a hall?

Answer: Primarily strength parameters, the base PES fabric, the quality of the PVC coating, surface treatment, fire reaction, UV resistance, and the intended use of the specific tarp.

5) Is the weight of the tarp the only factor affecting comfort inside the hall?

Answer: No. For insulated halls, we also use an inner tarpaulin lining and an air gap, which helps with thermal insulation and prevents condensation. Therefore, the practical function of the hall is influenced by the entire cladding solution, not just the weight per square meter of a single layer.