Attaching tarp to garage roof

edinburgher

I'm getting ready to put a heavy duty tarp over our leaking garage roof (flat, cement tiles).

I bought a tarp with eyelets as I thought this would be easier than mucking around with bits of wood etc. The plan would be to screw directly into the soffit around the garage. I've found, however, that the eyelets are a bit bigger than expected (no doubt for people using them with ropes, bungees etc.)

Can anyone suggest an effective way to reduce the size of the eyelets from 1cm or so so that I can screw through them and they will sit tight against the soffits? I was imagining a washer of some sort, but all the ones I can find online are a lot larger and intended for plumbing. Maybe my terminology is wrong?

Would be ideal if it was an item available from one of the usual DIY places (Homebase/B&Q/Screwfix).

Any ideas?

Inner_Zone

No idea what a washer "intended for plumbing" is but penny washers should be idea and are sold at at least two of the three stores listed.

edinburgher

Ideal, thanks.

Re. plumbing - rubber washers (think they're used when fixing taps)

phil24_7

Repair washers for the size screw you will be using will do the job.

martinthebandit

Or just use small washers and screw straight through the tarpaulin, that way you get it fixed where it needs to be fixed instead of just where the eyelets are.

That's what I would do.

Actually I would probably wait for a dry day and strip the roof and replace with bitumen sheets.

Le_Kirk

You could use something called a bored washer (that's not one sitting around yawing) but a large diameter washer with a small hole. Try builders merchants.

edinburgher

Thanks for all the suggestions, went down the repair washers route as there were ample eyelets (one per metre) to hold things down nicely.

The soffits are in pretty poor shape, screws into them were pulling straight back out. Solved the problem by fastening the screws into the bottom of the soffits (as opposed to the face), that worked well. Should also help water to run off and avoid any pooling.

The cheapskates who put up the garage didn't even bother with a soffit to the rear of the building (neighbour's garden), so stuck some paracord through the eyelets and attached to the bolts securing the roof tiles.

Not the most high tech solution ever, but another successful job Very impressed with the tarp, was sweating like a pig trying to unfold it while standing on the roof!

maninthestreet

Upload a pic. if you want some constructive criticism of your work.