How to Make Your Own Canopy Party Tent With a Tarp

Ideal for summer parties and camping trips, canopies provide shade from the sun as well as a communal shelter under which partygoers can gather. Easy to construct and relatively inexpensive, a quick canopy can be made from little more than a large tarp and a few tent poles. Attractive and practical, these canopies are a fraction of the cost of fancy, professional party tents and may be erected in a matter of minutes.

Things You'll Need

  • 1 large tarp with grommets, 10 feet by 10 feet
  • 4 tent poles, 6 ½ to 7 feet in height
  • 1 tent pole, 7 ½ to 8 feet in height
  • 4 lengths of nylon rope, 10 feet in length
  • 4 tent stakes
  • Hammer
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Instructions

    • 1

      Unfold the tarp and lay it out flat. Ensure that the area in which you are erecting the canopy is big enough to accommodate the tarp.

    • 2

      Tie the four lengths of nylon rope to the grommets at the corners of the tarp, one rope to each corner.

    • 3

      Extend the 6 ½ to 7 foot tent poles to the desired height and place one at each corner of the tarp. Many companies make telescoping tent poles that extend to different heights and are equipped with spikes on one end to accommodate grommets, as well as a rubber foot on the opposite end to help plant the pole in the ground.

    • 4

      Hook the tarp’s grommets over the tops of the tent poles. Have someone assist you in standing up two diagonal corners of the canopy by standing up the tent poles. Do not pull the corners taut, as this will make it difficult to erect the larger pole in the middle of the canopy.

    • 5

      Pull the ropes at the corners of the tarp so they are taut. Use the hammer to secure the ropes to the ground with the tent stakes.

    • 6

      Stand up the two remaining poles. Pull the ropes at the remaining corners taut and use the hammer to secure the ropes with tent stakes.

    • 7

      Extend the 8-foot tent pole. Move to the middle of the canopy and push the pole into place. You may want to invert the pole so the spike goes into the ground and the rubber foot pushes into the tarp so as not to damage the tarp. This will serve to angle the sides of the canopy, allowing rain, leaves, and other debris to slide away from the canopy.