How to fix a rip in the seam of a tent next to netting
March 27, 2016 5:46 PM Subscribe
We have a 6 inch rip in the seam of the roof of our tent. It is nylon attached to netting. Is this a glue fix or a sewing fix?
Google is giving me mixed results.
Tenacious Tape is made specifically for gear repair and it's nearly bulletproof. Sorry no link, I'm on my phone.
posted by workerant at 6:07 PM on March 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by workerant at 6:07 PM on March 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
I would sew it if it were my tent; especially since it's a seam. Seams are going to be stressed a lot more than regular areas of fabric. After sewing it you'll need to waterproof the area; what you use depends on what kind of fabric your tent is made of.
If you search google for "myog backpacking" (myog=make your own gear) you'll find lots of people explaining how to sew tent material.
I wouldn't use duct tape, it will get sticky and gross quickly. Tenacious Tape is a solid product. Make sure the area is very clean & dry before using the tape.
If your tent is old, and has been used a lot, the seam probably ripped due to age, and you might start looking for a new tent.
posted by gregr at 6:32 PM on March 27, 2016 [3 favorites]
If you search google for "myog backpacking" (myog=make your own gear) you'll find lots of people explaining how to sew tent material.
I wouldn't use duct tape, it will get sticky and gross quickly. Tenacious Tape is a solid product. Make sure the area is very clean & dry before using the tape.
If your tent is old, and has been used a lot, the seam probably ripped due to age, and you might start looking for a new tent.
posted by gregr at 6:32 PM on March 27, 2016 [3 favorites]
As Gregr says, duct tape will get sticky and gross. Tape is a good quick fix, but sewing it is a far better idea for longevity.
If the seam has ripped, as opposed to the stitching just coming undone, you will actually need to patch it or it will just tear again. Get some ripstop nylon, fold the cut ends inside, and patch the tear. Sew the nylon to the mesh so the edges line up with where the mesh edge is supposed to be (which will give you the seam allowance back that ripped off), then sew that back to the main body of the tent. Careful, small stitches are your friend.
There's a lot of stress on seams, so you want to make sure you sew it down very securely in several passes. Put some waterproofing goop on it and you shoudl be good to go.
posted by ananci at 12:46 PM on March 28, 2016
If the seam has ripped, as opposed to the stitching just coming undone, you will actually need to patch it or it will just tear again. Get some ripstop nylon, fold the cut ends inside, and patch the tear. Sew the nylon to the mesh so the edges line up with where the mesh edge is supposed to be (which will give you the seam allowance back that ripped off), then sew that back to the main body of the tent. Careful, small stitches are your friend.
There's a lot of stress on seams, so you want to make sure you sew it down very securely in several passes. Put some waterproofing goop on it and you shoudl be good to go.
posted by ananci at 12:46 PM on March 28, 2016
Came here to say Tenacious Tape. I brought some with me to do field repairs on my tent when I was in Africa for three months, and it worked great. You put one layer on the outside and one layer on the inside, and job's a goodun. All the repairs I've made have lasted two years now with no problems. I even have a little dot of it on my down jacket from where it got hit with a spark that melted the nylon. The spot is right near the wrist, I've worn the heck out of that jacket for the last year and a half, and the repair is as good as the day I made it.
The only downside is that it's hellaciously expensive compared to, say, duct tape. However, duct tape is absolute garbage by comparison (and really overrated in general, imo) and if you use it sparingly a roll will last a good long time. Save it for when you really need it.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 2:28 PM on March 28, 2016
The only downside is that it's hellaciously expensive compared to, say, duct tape. However, duct tape is absolute garbage by comparison (and really overrated in general, imo) and if you use it sparingly a roll will last a good long time. Save it for when you really need it.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 2:28 PM on March 28, 2016
Oh, I somehow failed to notice that your rip is on a seam. I would sew that if I could. Netting is tricky to sew, but if you back it with ripstop nylon as ananci suggests, that should make the repair job easier and more durable. Tenacious tape, for what it's worth, is basically a siliconized ripstop nylon product with an ultra-sticky adhesive backing. You could totally tape the seam back together with it and then sew through it for reinforcement.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 2:32 PM on March 28, 2016
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 2:32 PM on March 28, 2016
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Warm it a little with a blow dryer and it will last for years.
posted by bricksNmortar at 5:58 PM on March 27, 2016 [1 favorite]