How to repair a tent easily and quickly? Discover our advices
Even the strongest tent in the world can suffer from an occasional snag, tear or leak. Out of the question to throw it in the trash to buy one back. With a few simple repairs, it can still provide you with many more seasons of happiness. Plus, you don’t have to be a DIY king to make these repairs.
This article covers three common tent repairs:
- Repair small tears in the tent canvas
- Seal any leaks in the seams of the flysheet and the tent body.
- Repairing a broken or bent mast
Also note that basic tent maintenance is also essential to its longevity.
Repair tears in your tent canvas:
Sharp sticks, rocks and tree branches can sometimes cause tears in your tent fabric. If you take a repair kit with you when camping or hiking. You can repair a tear in the wall, net or flysheet of your tent while you are there. You can also wait to do it at home.
The materials needed to repair your tent:
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AIEVE Tent Repair Tape, 10Pcs Nylon Tent Repair Patches Waterproof Tape Tenacious Flex Patch Patches Sticker for Camping Tents, Backpacks, Awnings, Blue
- Waterproof Tent Repair Patches: Made of nylon with water resistance for bonding, repairing and strengthening. No problem when sticking to multiple surfaces
- Culprit Tent Repair Patches: With a size of 20 x 10cm / 7.87 x 3.94inch, it can be cut into any size for your tent repair
- Easy to use: sticks to almost all surfacemakes; Just peel and stick
- Ideal tent repair kit for keen campers: perfect for outdoor camping, hiking, trekking, etc. Impressive quick repair tears and punctures in all tarpaulins, tarpaulins, swags, tents or jackets
- If there is any problem or you are not satisfied with the AIEVE tent repair fixes, please feel free to contact us and we will provide you with a satisfactory solution.
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Tear-Aid Type A Tissue Repair Kit – Instant, Permanent and Near Invisible
- Flattened pack format: easy to cut to the desired size using scissors, the patches stretch and return to their original shape without loss of adhesion.
- No need to sew the fabric anymore, no need for messy glues, and prevents the enlargement of tears.
- Opaque and therefore almost invisible once placed (no need to choose a color that corresponds to the material to be repaired), it is UV resistant and its color does not change over time.
- Withstands temperatures between -30 to + 60˚C when applied, and will not become tacky at high temperatures.
- The kit includes: 1 Type A 75 mm x 300 mm patch to cut to the desired size using scissors 1 Type A patch 35 mm x 35 mm 1 Type A patch 22 mm x 22 mm 1 nylon filament of 300 mm minimum to reinforce the repairs of tears on the edges 2 cleaning wipes 1 illustrated user manual in French 1 list of repairable materials.
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LANUCN Waterproof Invisible Tent Repair Tape 5m Strong Transparent Adhesive Tape for PVC Coated Tent / Awning / Gazebo / Cover Fabric (8cm x 5m)
- No.1: Professional Tent Repair Tape: It is specially designed for PVC coated tents and similar fabrics. PET tape, US gule, -60-300 ℃ Durable, flexible, waterproof, transparent, long lasting, high performance finish.
- No.2: Strong sticky: US glue, very strong, very durable, waterproof, rot-proof.
- No.3: Flexible, High abrasion resistance: Made of PET with exceptional viscosity and elasticity, High tensile strength, Airtight and waterproof, Long lasting waterproof repairs.
- No.4: Easy to use: Self-adhesive, just peel and stick.
- No.5: Instructions: Clean and dry the surface you want to repair. Overlay tear / damage at least 25mm (1 inch) in all directions. Smooth from the center outwards using a smooth, hard tool, making sure any air bubbles are expelled. Cure for 24 hours. will be more advantageous.
- Rubbing alcohol
- A cloth
- Scissors
- Scotch tape
- A mesh repair kit (if you are repairing a mesh door or window)
How to repair a torn tent canvas:
- On the outside of the tent, first clean the area around the tear with rubbing alcohol and a rag.
- Cut out a piece of repair tape to cover the hole and at least two square inches of fabric around it. If you round the corners of the tape, the part will last longer.
- Lay the tent fabric on a sturdy surface and peel off the backing of the piece of duct tape. Press down on the part to snap it into place.
- If the tear is in an area of high tension, for example near a mast. It is advisable to also put a patch inside the tent.
- Let the patch dry for a day before putting the tent away.
Tearing in a mesh door or window, here’s what to do:
- Lay the torn part on a flat surface.
- Place the thread piece from the repair kit over the hole.
- Remove the backing from the ring of repair tape that came with the kit.
- Line up the tape with the patch and press it into place.
- Let the patch dry for a day before putting the tent away.
Professional repairs:
If you have a long tear or a puncture along a seam. Your best bet is to send the tent to a professional for repair.
How to repair a tent that has leaks?
Most tents are sold with seams sealed with duct tape. But it is easier to repair with liquid seam sealant. The seams are vulnerable areas. That’s why, between trips, you should regularly inspect the seams of your tent for damage or signs of water infiltration.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- A cloth
- Rubbing alcohol
- A seam sealant. Be sure to choose the right type of product for your tent. Silicone treated fabrics require a different sealant than polyurethane coated fabrics. You can try this product.
Here’s how to seal the seams:
- Set up your tent in a dry, sunny place or in a well-lit room so that you can easily examine all the seams. The seams must be sealed on the underside of the flysheet and on the inside of the tent body. It is useful to put the flysheet upside down for easier access to the seams.
- If you find stitching tape coming loose on the underside of the flysheet. Carefully remove the loose sections, but leave the intact sections in place.
- Prepare the seams by cleaning them gently with a rag and rubbing alcohol.
- Apply new sealant to the seams.
- If one of the seams starts to break down, the others may not be far behind, so it is best to apply sealant to all seams.
- Let the plaster dry completely.
Repairing a tent canvas with a broken pole
Whether your tent pole is trampled or damaged by a strong gust of wind or the like. A bent, split or broken mast requires immediate attention in the field. You may consider replacing it or permanently repairing it once you get home.
use a sleeve to repair a tent pole
Using a mast repair sleeve is the easiest and fastest way to repair it. Also called a splint, this small tube is often included with your tent. If not, buy one and take it with you. The diameter of a good repair sleeve is slightly larger than that of your mast. So that he does not move too much.
Using a repair sleeve to repair a broken tent pole is simple:
- Line up the sections of the broken mast.
- If the mast is bent but not completely broken, gently straighten the bend.
- Slide the sleeve over the end of the mast until it is centered over the break or elbow. You may need to use pliers to crimp or a stone to bend the flare pieces so that the sleeve can slide over them.
- Wrap each end of the sleeve / post several times with duct tape or any strong tape you have on hand.
- If your stake breaks where one end of the stake goes into the next. You will need to assemble the sections with duct tape. Keep in mind that this will prevent the stakes from folding up properly when you take the tent apart.
using a tent stake to repair a broken tent pole
using a tent stake as a splint, can be a help if you have lost or forgotten your repair sleeve. You can use a tent stake to make a coarse splint:
- Line up the sections of the broken hoop.
- If the mast is bent but not completely broken, straighten the bend.
- Line up the stake so that it is centered next to the break.
- Wrap each end of the stake / post several times with duct tape or any strong tape you have on hand.
Learn more about repairing tent poles, including replacing the shock cord. Read our article titled How to repair a tent pole?
Professional tent pole repairs:
If you are in doubt about your ability to repair a tent pole. Go to an outdoor store, they can do basic repairs.
