Canvas Tent Repair. Advice wanted

[demented dale]

Hello all. I am going to be carrying out some repairs on my 10 man arctic bell tent. It is canvas and needs repairs. I have some patches of the same material but what are the best adhesives / sealants to use?
As ever thank you in advance because you lot will definitely have some answers. Cheers. DD xxxx

 

[Toddy]

Best advice is to firstly make sure that the pieces are as 'shrunken' as the main tent.....if they're new, and haven't been weathered, etc., they might shrink further. Hot wash usually does the trick.

Then, I would suggest sewing the patches to the main canvas. You might glue as well, but the glue won't hold as well as the stitching will; it's just a better job. It can all be proofed and seam sealed afterwards.

Look at the seams on the tent, notice how they are aligned....the idea is to shed water off the seam not to create and edge that will catch water. Think about how you patch.

 

[Seagull]

Morning D.D. That's very good advice from Toddy and I would add that it helps to align the weave of the patch with the weave of the cloth being repaired.

It's odds-on that the damage will be in a really hard-to-get-to place and this means you'll more'n likely have to work from just one side. The Sailmakers method, in case you don't know, involves firstly, sewing on the external patch and then the turning in and under of the damaged edges and sewing them to the patch.

If you have to use a Herringbone stitch on small slits, then look up "Locking herringbone" on Square riggers site...it is much better at holding tension that the commonly used version.

I hope you've got or have made a sewing Palm.

Regards All
Ceeg

 

[demented dale]

Thank for both those replies.I never thought to sew it. and it is easlly done. The places where it has worn thin are easy to get to xxx

 

[Nice65]

Now you'll be needing one of the S-shaped triangular needles.