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Pickup-bed debris control

Here is a way to save you some cleanup time when you make a construction-debris dump run. Instead of the old way, which had me cleaning out the back of my truck with a shovel and a broom after tossing most of the waste, I’ve turned to the tarp. I lay down a 5-1/2-ft. by 10-ft. heavy-duty poly tarp, taking care to get it into the corners while leaving enough to hang over the tailgate, where it prevents debris from falling between the tailgate and the bed of the truck.

At the dump, I lighten the load sufficiently so that it is possible to pull the sheet forward to gain easier access to the material at the front of the bed. With little left on the sheet, I pull it the rest of the way out, shake it off, and am ready to leave with a nearly spotless truck bed.

Robert Condie, Oakville, Ont., ca
From Fine Homebuilding 189, pp. 30 September 1, 2007

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