This depends a lot on the quality you buy. Well-designed tarps will last you many years, and some may even last a lifetime of backpacking and camping if maintained. Sun exposure is dangerous for all fabrics. UV light damages synthetic fibers, and eventually, they will fade, wash out, become brittle, and tear. Don't leave your tarp set up in direct sunlight any longer than necessary. Leaving a tarp outdoors, exposed, in the middle of a yard for a summer will ruin it. They're just not designed for that. When you pack your tarp, use the stuffing method. Don't fold and roll it because this can cause weak points or delamination of waterproofing along repeated fold lines. Stuffing ensures a sporadic and non-repetitive use pattern that won't wear out any one area faster than others.