Net wrap sheds weather off the round of the bale, but it doesn't cover the flat ends or the top of a stack — and for premium hay, or in a wet climate, a lot of producers add a tarp over the pile. The trouble is that a tarp is only as good as how it's sized and how it's tied down. A cheap one that flogs loose in the first windstorm costs you more than the hay it was supposed to protect. Here's how hay producers choose a bale tarp and keep it on.
Quick answer: Match the tarp to how long you need it. For a season or two of covering a 3-2-1 pyramid pile, cheap silver poly tarps work if you secure them well; for multi-year reuse, heavier purpose-built hay tarps (brands like Protexia and Inland) cost more but stand up to wind, ice, and UV. Size the tarp to drape down over the top rows of the pyramid, secure it with spikes and large washers driven into the bales (or weighted lines so tension stays even as hay settles), space stacks 10–15 feet apart, and build on a drained base so the bottom doesn't rot under cover.
When a tarp is worth it
Not every bale needs a tarp. If you're feeding net-wrapped hay within a few months and storing on a drained pad, the wrap alone often does the job. Tarps earn their keep on premium hay, on the top of a tall stack where the upper bales catch the most weather, and in climates with heavy snow load or long wet spells. The producer who kicked off one good tarp discussion was sitting on a big native-hay crop and wanted a couple of seasons out of his investment:
"Looking to put 50 to 60 bales in a three/two/one pyramid pile. What size of tarp and any good brands to recommend? Would like to get a couple years out of a tarp but have tempered expectations if the wrong wind comes up."
— S Frisch, Fairbury, NE · AgTalk thread 1212658
That last line is the honest truth of tarping: the wind is the enemy, and any tarp can lose to the wrong gust. Sizing and tie-down are what tilt the odds.
Cheap single-use vs. reusable: pick your horizon
There are two real strategies, and the right one depends on how many years you want out of the tarp.
Cheap silver poly tarps are the low-cost route. Producers buy oversized silver tarps, get a season or two and a few piles out of each, and treat them as semi-disposable — the math works out to a couple of dollars per bale per use. The catch is they tear and chafe faster, so the tie-down has to be gentle and tight.
Purpose-built reusable hay tarps cost more up front but pay back over years. The producer who'd switched to them was blunt about the trade-off:
"We use tarps from Protexia. They are very durable and reusable. Not cheap, but stand up to wind, ice, and uv."
— Haygrower, SW Wisconsin · AgTalk thread 1212658
Inland Tarp & Liner is the other name that comes up repeatedly for the same reasons — heavy material built to survive multiple seasons of wind and sun. If you're tarping the same hay yard year after year, the reusable route usually wins on cost-per-year even though the sticker is higher.
Some regions also have tarp services that will sell you the cover outright or lease it with full service — coming out to roll it back each week as you feed. Worth a phone call to your local hay suppliers if you'd rather not own and store the tarps.
Size it to the pyramid
The classic round-bale stack is a 3-2-1 pyramid: three bales on the bottom, two in the middle, one on top, run out in a long row. Size the tarp so it drapes over the top bale and down the sloped sides, reaching down over the upper row — not so short it leaves the second tier exposed, and not so long it puddles and flogs on the ground. A common rule of thumb from producers tarping 4x5 bales is roughly a 28–29-foot-wide tarp for a 50–60-bale pyramid run, but measure your own stack height and length before buying.
And leave room between piles. Stacks set too close trap moisture and make tarping awkward:
"Bottom bales will have some moisture damage, but not bad. If going to have a permanent area for stacking bales, make a breaker run pad for drainage. With the tarps you get spikes with large washers that you pound through the tarp and into the bales to hold tarp in place. Bales are 4x5, 3-2-1 design. We make stacks with 10-15 feet between them."
— beefgrower, SW Wisconsin · AgTalk thread 1212658
That one post packs in three of the most important decisions: a drained pad under the stack, spikes-and-washers tie-down, and 10–15 feet between stacks for airflow and access.
Securing the tarp so it survives the wind
A tarp that isn't tied down tight is a sail. Two methods dominate:
- Spikes with large washers, driven through the tarp and into the top bales, pin the cover directly to the stack so it can't lift and flog. This is the method beefgrower described above, and it's the most common for permanent stacks.
- Weighted tie-lines — lines run over the tarp with weights (jugs filled with sand, water, or slag) hanging off the edges. The trick is to keep the weights hanging in mid-air so that as the hay settles and the stack shrinks, the tension stays constant and even instead of going slack.
Whichever you use, the principle is the same: even, constant tension with no loose flapping edges. A flapping corner is where wind gets under the tarp and tears it off.
Tarp selection at a glance
| Factor | Cheap silver poly | Reusable hay tarp |
|---|---|---|
| Up-front cost | Low | Higher |
| Lifespan | A season or two; a few piles | Multiple years |
| Wind / ice / UV resistance | Modest | High (built for it) |
| Best for | Short-term or one-off stacks | Permanent hay yards |
| Examples named by producers | Generic silver poly | Protexia, Inland |
| Tie-down | Gentle but tight; chafes easily | Spikes + washers, weighted lines |
Where XES fits
A tarp is the second layer of defense — the first is the wrap on the bale itself. Tightly net-wrapped bales hold their shape under a tarp and shed water off their rounded sides, so the tarp only has to handle the top and ends of the stack. Our net wrap is DLG-tested (Report #7439) with a 12-month UV rating (tested to ISO 4892-2), so even the bales that peek out from under a tarp edge keep shedding weather. Bale with the right wrap width, stack on a drained base, and tarp the top — that's the full system. Compare widths on the net wrap product page.
The bottom line
Choose your tarp by how long you need it: cheap silver poly for a season or two if you'll secure it carefully, or a heavier reusable tarp (Protexia, Inland) for a permanent hay yard where multi-year durability wins on cost. Size it to drape over the top rows of your 3-2-1 pyramid, tie it down tight with spikes and washers or weighted lines that keep even tension as the stack settles, leave 10–15 feet between stacks, and always build on a drained base so you're not sealing moisture into the bottom. Net wrap covers the round; the tarp covers the rest.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to tarp net-wrapped round bales?
Often not, if you're feeding within a few months and storing on a drained pad — net wrap sheds weather off the round of the bale on its own. Tarps earn their keep on premium hay, on the exposed top of a tall stack, and in heavy-snow or long-wet climates where you want extra protection over the upper bales and flat ends.
What size tarp do I need for a round bale stack?
Size it to drape over the top bale of your pyramid and down over the upper row without leaving the second tier exposed or puddling on the ground. For a 50–60 bale 3-2-1 pyramid of 4x5 bales, producers commonly use a tarp around 28–29 feet wide, but measure your own stack height and length first.
Are expensive reusable hay tarps worth it over cheap poly tarps?
It depends on your horizon. Cheap silver poly tarps cost little and give a season or two — fine for one-off stacks. Heavier purpose-built tarps like Protexia or Inland cost more but stand up to wind, ice, and UV for multiple years, so they usually win on cost-per-year for a permanent hay yard.
How do I keep a hay tarp from blowing off?
Tie it down with even, constant tension and no loose flapping edges. Two common methods: spikes with large washers driven through the tarp into the top bales, or weighted tie-lines with the weights left hanging in mid-air so tension stays even as the hay settles and the stack shrinks. A flapping corner is where wind gets under and tears it loose.
How far apart should I space tarped bale stacks?
Producers commonly leave 10–15 feet between stacks. That spacing gives airflow to keep moisture down, room to work around each pile when tarping and feeding, and keeps one stack's runoff from draining into the next.
This guide is maintained by the XES Netting team — a bale net-wrap manufacturer. Every farmer quote in this post is verbatim with a thread link, so you can go read the originals. Tarp performance depends on your climate, tarp quality, and tie-down — these are producer-reported practices, not guarantees.
Featured photo: Hay bales on ranch meadow by Hazeltine BM, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
