You go into a hardware store or to an ecommerce website, looking for tarps.
It's not yet hurricane or tornado season, but, at the same time, you want to be prepared.
Browsing through the selection, you see several options: medium and heavy duty polyethylene, vinyl, and canvas for materials.
These also come in several colors ranging from black or silver to yellow or camouflage.
But, while you may only need the material to cover an object outdoors or to patch a leak, does the color of the material matter? While the color doesn't change the effectiveness of the material, sometimes a certain shade or pattern may suit your needs better.
The most common colors for tarps are silver, white, and blue.
The former two are regularly seen with heavy-duty polyethylene tarps used outdoors individually or as part of a canopy.
The color tends to deflect light, which keeps the inside of the shelter cooler.
This isn't always the case with darker colored materials, however.
Blue tarps, on the other hand, are designed to be visible, and the color keeps them that way.
No matter if you use them to cover a wood pile outdoors or to patch your roof, the material will be distinct from many angles.
On the other hand, certain darker-colored materials are better for blending in, particularly if you don't want the tarp to be conspicuous.
Many dealers carry green, brown, and camouflage tarps in polyethylene or canvas for outdoor uses.
These blend in with the foliage, no matter if the tarp is simply part of a canopy or used in hunting.
But, if you're intentionally looking to be extremely visible, as in the case of outdoor work, yellow, orange, and red polyethylene tarps are visible.
In fact, these brightly-colored materials may be used in instances in which workers need high-visibility gear outdoors.
Before purchasing any materials, decide for what you'll be using a tarp.
Will you need it to be visible or not as conspicuous? In either case, a dealer of tarps should direct you to multiple options to meet your needs.