Tent Hacking advice please!

[S.C.M.]

So I have this tent, it's an ugly plastic single lager A-frame, that's probably 180cm long, polypropylene groundsheet and polyester top. Well, I had that tent, but I didn't put it away properly and the sun here eats everything! So the groundsheet started to crack along on side of the bottom. I spread it out and got the scissors!

Now I have a polypropylene groundsheet that needs seams put in (I'm thinking gaffa tape) and a polyester tarp-ish thing. I'm planning to use one or both with my hammock (a cheapo from decathlon). I used the hammock most of the summer, with a blanket and/or quilt, because it was nice and cool outside and inside I was hot with just a sheet, but now it's cold and rainy, so I want a tarp!

The groundsheet is pretty crap, way too small to work as a tarp on it's own (180x150 at a stretch), but may possibly work as a bivvy bag, but it's probably not breathable... the top is also pretty crap (notice the theme?) is quite bright blue and is not waterproof so much as water-resistant-ish. It's probably quite breathable but would likely soak through if used as a bivvy bag! If I cut the end off the top, it will be regtangular-ish and one side will be about 180cm.
Is there any advantage to leaving the ends on? I don't think the tent-top is long enough to be a tarp for my hammock (about 3-4m when flat!) but maybe diagonally? Also, how should I change the colour of it? would spray-paint work? Dye?

 

[MaddogMatt]

Without photos it is very difficult to understand what you are trying to explain.

But with the groundsheet, you may want to use it as a ground sheet still, it should be tough enough. To seal the seams use silicone sealant thinned with white spirit. Work into the seams from both sides and it works brilliantly. Sealant is available specifically for tents, but is about £8 for a 50ml tube.

To improve the flysheet/tarp, Aldi currently have waterproofing aerosol £1.49 for a 300ml can, only got some yesterday so can't vouch for quality, but that's way cheaper than fabsil.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[S.C.M.]

Without photos it is very difficult to understand what you are trying to explain.
(...)
To improve the flysheet/tarp, Aldi currently have waterproofing aerosol £1.49 for a 300ml can, only got some yesterday so can't vouch for quality, but that's way cheaper than fabsil.
(....)

Yeah, I thought photos might be necessary, I'll try to get some before I leave tomorrow.
The groundsheet seams are on the sides, just to stop them unravelling. I've got some wash-in waterproofing from aldi, so maybe I'll use that on the flysheet! (still will need to change the colour though)

 

[S.C.M.]

Ok, so I put up what remains of the tent (very sloppily), took some photos and threw some water at the flysheet, finding out that it's water-repellent, but will soak through easily.

seen from the front

seen from the back

the groundsheet is more or less 175x110cm and the flysheet 180x200cm (200 over the triangle, 180 along the side)
I was thinking of either cutting the back "A" panel off and snipping the front so it could open out flat or cutting front and back off. However, because it's so short, I'm now thinking of cutting off front and back "A" panels and sewing the groundsheet on to extend it... and I still would want to dye it. Maybe I'd be better of sewing it into a bivvy bag? Or I could cut it up into bags and stuff