Protection Equipment for Materials and People: Tarps and Nets Tarps and nets are used for the protection of materials and people, especially in transportation and environmental contexts. Their purpose is to prevent falls, losses, and flying debris, as well as to shield against damage, theft, and weather conditions. What is the difference between a tarp and a net? When should you choose a tarp over a net? In which applications are different types of nets and tarps preferred, considering their materials and resistance characteristics? OTEXIO addresses your questions and assists you in selecting the appropriate tarp or net model based on its dimensions, price, and advantages.

Difference between a tarp and a net: their applications

Tarps and nets are used for the protection of people and materials on construction sites, as well as for waste transport, storage, and various other applications such as sports, waste treatment, covering basins, and environmental protection. The difference between a tarp and a net begins with their usage.

Using nets

Nets are non-waterproof protective covers made of knitted, woven, or PVC-coated micro-mesh or mesh. Their uses include:

• Protecting bins and trailers: securing the transport of goods, waste, and vegetation
• Waste treatment protection: privacy and anti-dust nets, bird-preventing nets, and anti-flyaway nets for lightweight waste
• Workshop pit protection: human and object anti-fall nets
• Sports protection: fall-preventing nets for adventure parks, snow retention nets, ball-containment nets, projection-preventing nets, goal nets, and gymnasium separation nets
• Basin protection: debris and impurity-retaining nets that allow rainwater to pass, preventing water pockets on waterproof protective tarps.

Using tarps 

Tarps are recommended when the goods or materials to be protected require waterproofing. They can be used for:

• Transport
• Insulation
• Covering retention or rainwater recovery basins
• Temporary waste coverage
• Waste storage protection
• Tarp-net hybrid, or coated micro-mesh net
  

The term "tarp-net" refers to a perforated, non-waterproof tarp with an extra-fine mesh pattern. This is a coated PVC micro-mesh netting. This type of net is preferred for protecting storage or transport bins when good ventilation needs to be maintained.

Difference between a tarp and a net: their compositions

Both tarps and nets are made from different materials and undergo treatments to offer properties such as UV resistance, waterproofing, fire resistance, insulation, etc. The choice between waterproofing and the weight of a tarp or net depends on its intended use. The difference between a tarp and a net is also determined by their composition. OTEXIO advisors are available to guide you in selecting from:

• Breathable textile tarps
• 265g/m² PU-coated polyester tarps, lightweight and manageable
• Custom-sized 500g/m² 100% polyester tarps
• Tear and abrasion-resistant 650g/m² and 900g/m² double-sided PVC-coated polyester tarps
• Woven polyethylene micro-mesh nets (for bins and trailers of all sizes)
• Knitted polyethylene micro-mesh nets (for bins and trailers of all sizes)
• Multi-filament polyester yarn polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-coated micro-mesh nets for moving container frames, bins, privacy screens, or shading
• Knitted 25mm and 50mm polyethylene mesh nets (for bin protection)
• Knotted 100mm polyethylene cable nets (for sports)
• Knitted 1 to 100mm nylon and polyamide mesh nets for fall protection

Difference between a tarp and a net: their characteristics

Special treatments of tarp and net materials confer useful properties depending on their intended use. Among the protections offered by OTEXIO, you'll find tarps and nets treated for:

• UV resistance
• Fire resistance, such as the M1 fire-resistant TARPLINE® 500M1 tarp
• Liquids and gas waterproofing, such as the TARPLINE® STOCK tarp suitable for industrial waste, sewage sludge, heavy metals, and polluted soils storage.

OTEXIO's experts are available to guide and advise you on the choice of high-quality winter covers, windbreak nets, or suitable transport tarps based on your usage conditions, trade, and current safety standards. Feel free to contact us for price inquiries or custom dimensions. Explore our range of custom tarps and our catalog of custom nets.