Drop Cloths & Plastic Sheeting

Drop sheets, drop cloths and plastic sheeting (sometimes called painter’s plastic) are all must-haves when repainting rooms, providing protection against drips and splatters, and useful for protecting floors and furniture.

How thick are plastic drop cloths?

Whether they are lightweight or heavy-duty, plastic drop sheets and plastic drop cloths tend to be quite thin, usually less than 1 mm. Since they're made of plastic, they won't allow paint or other liquids to pass or bleed through, but they can be torn if used on the floor.

Is a drop cloth the same as a tarp?
Drop cloths are not the same as tarps, since tarps generally include grommets for hanging and securing them, which drop cloths lack. A heavy-duty canvas drop cloth is as waterproof as a tarp, but still lacks grommets.

Can you wash and dry canvas drop cloth?

You can wash and dry fabric drop cloths so they can be reused multiple times for different painting projects.

What kind of fabric is drop cloth?

Drop cloths are generally made from cotton or canvas. Canvas drop cloths can be laminated with plastic to make them fully waterproof, while cotton drop cloths are usually thick and heavy so that thick paint can't pass through.