Winter scaffolding tarping for GTA home builders
Winter scaffolding tarping wraps the scaffold around a new home in reinforced poly or insulated tarps so masons and envelope trades can keep working when it's cold, windy or snowing. We tarp custom and production homes for builders, masons and GCs across the GTA. Send your site address and storeys, or call 905-251-0101.
When the forecast drops below 5 °C, brick and block can't go up without protection and heat. That's the Ontario Building Code, not preference. A properly built scaffold enclosure keeps the wall, the mortar and the crew out of the weather so the schedule keeps moving through January and February.
What's included (measure, install, re-secure, strip)
Every winter tarping job follows the same four steps:
Measure. We walk the site or work from your drawings to confirm linear feet of scaffold, storeys, elevations and access points.
Install. Tarps are fastened to the scaffold frame, overlapped, and closed at corners and the base so heat stays in and wind stays out. Openings are left where masons need material access.
Re-secure. Wind and snow load work tarps loose over a winter. We come back to re-secure and repair panels during the contract period (terms are set out in your quote).
Strip. When the masonry is done, or at the end of the season, we take the tarps down and leave the scaffold clear for the next trade.
What's not included: scaffold erection and engineering, heaters and fuel (unless listed in your quote), snow clearing and masonry work. We coordinate with whoever supplies each of these.
Who it's for
Production builders running winter masonry across a phase, who need enclosures to move from house to house on schedule.
Custom home builders with one large or complex façade that has to stay protected for a long winter build.
Masonry contractors who need a heat-ready enclosure in place before their crew arrives.
General contractors coordinating several trades on the same elevation.
How we build the enclosure
Tarps are run from the base of the scaffold to above the working platform, lapped at seams so wind can't open them, and closed around corners and returns. At grade, the base is sealed so heat doesn't escape under the scaffold. Where masons need to bring brick, block and mortar onto the platform, we leave access points that can be opened and re-closed without cutting the tarp. Windows and openings in the wall behind are left clear for the masons to work around.
Materials: reinforced poly vs insulated tarps
Reinforced poly tarps are lighter, quicker to install and a good fit where you mainly need to block wind, snow and rain and the enclosure will be heated.
Insulated tarps hold heat better, which matters on long cold spells and when masons need to hold temperature overnight for curing.
We recommend a material for each elevation in the quote, based on exposure, duration and how much heat the enclosure needs to hold. For a wider comparison with shrink wrap, see our guide Shrink wrap vs insulated tarps.
Heat-ready enclosures and Ontario rules
O. Reg. 213/91 s. 49
We work under Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act and O. Reg. 213/91 (Construction Projects). Section 49 sets rules for heaters used in enclosures and under tarpaulins. We leave space and clearance for heaters, keep tarps clear of heat sources and build the enclosure so it can be ventilated.
Who supplies heat
Heat is usually supplied by the masonry contractor or the builder. We confirm in the quote who supplies and runs heaters, and we build the enclosure around the heater type and placement you plan to use.
Keeping masonry at 5 °C for 48 hours (OBC 9.20.14.1)
Ontario Building Code 9.20.14.1 requires mortar and masonry to be kept at 5 °C or warmer while they're laid and for at least 48 hours afterwards, and frozen material must not be used. That's the reason builders tarp and heat masonry in winter. A sealed, heat-ready enclosure is what lets your masons meet that requirement instead of waiting for a warm week. The City of Markham also publishes a builder tip on masonry construction in cold weather, which is worth sharing with your site supers.
For the full picture, read Cold-weather masonry in Ontario: the 5 °C rule.
Scheduling around freeze-up
Freeze-up in the GTA usually starts in November, and demand for tarping rises with it. The builders who stay on schedule book early:
Send us addresses, storeys and target start dates as soon as your fall and winter masonry schedule is set.
We measure early so tarps can go up the week masons arrive, not after the first frost.
On multi-lot phases we plan the order of houses with your site super so one crew moves through the phase.
Planning a whole season? Our winter construction checklist covers enclosures, masonry, envelope exposure and frost protection.
Wind events and re-securing
Open-field subdivisions and tall elevations catch wind. We fasten panels to the scaffold frame, overlap seams and close the base, but strong winds and heavy snow can still work tarps loose. After a wind event, call 905-251-0101 and we'll schedule re-securing and repairs. Keep scaffold ties and bracing checked by the scaffold supplier as well; tarps add wind load to the scaffold.
What drives the price
Winter tarping is quoted per job. The main price drivers are:
linear feet of scaffold and number of storeys
number of elevations covered
material (reinforced poly or insulated)
duration on site and the number of re-secure visits
access, travel and multi-lot efficiency
See What winter tarping costs in the GTA for a closer look at each driver.
Winter tarping projects
Ask us for photos and references from winter tarping jobs similar to your build when you request a quote.
We tarp scaffolds across the GTA, including winter tarping in Newmarket, winter tarping in Vaughan, winter tarping in Markham and winter tarping in Brampton.
Related services: masons are already on site, so builders often pair tarping with brick tie installation and the Tyvek and Blueskin building envelope.
Winter tarping FAQ
How far ahead should I book winter tarping?
As soon as your masonry schedule for the cold months is known. Booking before freeze-up (usually November in the GTA) gives time to measure and install before masons arrive.
Who supplies the heat?
Usually the masonry contractor or the builder. We confirm it in the quote and build the enclosure around the heaters you plan to use, in line with O. Reg. 213/91 s. 49.
What happens if tarps come loose in a wind storm?
Call us. Re-securing and repairs during the contract period are part of the job; the terms are set out in your quote.
How long do tarps stay up?
As long as the masonry or envelope work needs protection. Some jobs are a few weeks; others run most of the winter. Duration is one of the main price drivers.
Do you take the tarps down?
Yes. Stripping is part of the job. We remove the tarps and leave the scaffold clear.
What do you need for a quote?
The site address, start date, number of homes, storeys, approximate linear feet of scaffold and the elevations to cover.
Book a site measure
Need tarps on your scaffold this winter? Send the address, start date and storeys, or call 905-251-0101. Get a quote · Call 905-251-0101