Probably the most expensive investment you have in your warehouse is found in your tent department. With tent prices ranging from $500 for a 10×10 to several hundred thousand dollars for larger structure tents, it is imperative that they are cared for properly during installation and storage. The major protective measures that all rental store owners must make with their tenting is proper storage covers, proper ground cover and proper maintenance.
The vinyl component of tenting is the most susceptible to damage and therefore the most attention should be given to its’ care. The fact is, that once a tent is in the air it is doing what it was designed to do and therefore the chances for damage under normal conditions are minimal which is not the case in the storage and transportation. When I first started my company over 15-years ago I often subrented larger tents from a local tent company. This tent company did not store their tents in protective bags and simply rolled them and stored them. As they were unloading the tents from their box truck I witnessed them rolling them out the back of the door onto the ground. On three occasions the tent struck a sharp object on the truck or lift gate and put a six-inch tear in the vinyl. Unfortunately, this is all to common and quickly results from a A-Quality tent to a B or even C-Quality tent. This example is only one way in which expensive tent vinyl can be damaged other than damage in shipping by equipment loaded with it on trucks or trailers and stains from rusty stakes or oil on the ground. Often pallet racking has rust on it and this rust is easily transferred to the vinyl in the form of a stain that cannot be removed. The good news is that the price of quality tent bags is only a fraction of the vinyl that it is protecting. Our tent bags range from an economical cotton material that will last several years to our heavy duty canvas dyed bags which not only make tent identification easier but will give you years to even decades of protection for your vinyl tenting.
When installing a tent it should be mandatory that regardless of the surface it is being installed on that ground cover should be used. Cement or asphalt surfaces will not only result in pin holes from tiny rocks between the vinyl and the surface but will scratch the surface of the vinyl. Grass and other organic surfaces will not only make the vinyl dirty on installation but small rocks, sticks, berries, nuts will damage the vinyl. Even when installing structure tents the vinyl can be damaged by the surface. We supply ground cover from economic PVC (blue tarp) to thicker canvas tarps that not only will last decades but are much more protective and do much better in windy conditions.
Of course regular maintenance is something that every tent company must perform. From regularly washing tents to periodically repairing pin holes and small tears and rips in the vinyl this will lengthen the life of your expensive investment. I have gone to many a warehouse where I witnessed the washing and repair of tents without the use of ground covers. That smooth warehouse concrete often contains screws, nails, wire, forklift rubber, grease, etc. that will damage you expensive vinyl. A clean area with some sort of protective ground cover is a must for a comprehensive tent maintenance program.
Tents are likely your most expensive investment. Ensuring that your crews and warehouse staff have the proper protective equipment for storage, transport and installation is as important as the tent itself. A small investment in this equipment will ensure that your tents give you year’s of use and provide your customers the best rental experience. Order your bags and ground cover on our website or phone for same day shipment!