PE groundsheet repair

[gmrza]

When I brought my gear from South Africa to Australia, the kind people at AQIS were nice enough to put a nick in the groundsheet of one of my tents.

It is a cheap tent with a woven PE groundsheet (I would have been really irritated if they had damaged my MSR Super Fusion), but I would like to get it back into use for family camping trips. The challenge I am facing is that I am struggling to find a solution to repair the cut in the groundsheet. - It appears that almost nothing will actually stick to a PE groundsheet.

I have seen some tarp repair tapes on sale on eBay, but I am wondering whether they will actually work.

Does anyone have any suggestions on a good method of repair?

[ollster]

When I have similar issues and can't be fussed with a neat solution like a patch kit, I usually clean the area with alcohol or similar, mask around the area with tape, then cover the hole with a thin layer of "Seam Grip", remove the tape, let it dry, and repeat on the opposite side.

I haven't found anything Seam Grip won't stick to. I guess you could also try roughing the area with some fine sandpaper before sticking down a patch or something?

[Strider]

Take it to a sailmaker and get a small patch stitched over it.

[sailfish]

I have tried various glues on PE and found none that work. Seamgrip will not work, neither will urethane based glues. At least they will delaminate under tension. The standard repair for PE is heat welding but that only works well with linear PE. Cross Linked – nada!

I suggest you take it to a tarp and awning business and see what they can do or suggest. They should have a welder for this type of material. Sewing a patch is going to make many little holes in it so it won't be perfectly water tight but better than a cut I guess.

You can get self adhesive sail repair tape from places like Whitworths and Bias Boating etc this will hang on a sail flogging in the wind. I have used a clear one on my MG14 Mylar sail and it stood up really well so may be worth a try.


Regards,
Ken

[gmrza]

I have tried various glues on PE and found none that work. Seamgrip will not work, neither will urethane based glues. At least they will delaminate under tension. The standard repair for PE is heat welding but that only works well with linear PE. Cross Linked – nada!

I suggest you take it to a tarp and awning business and see what they can do or suggest. They should have a welder for this type of material. Sewing a patch is going to make many little holes in it so it won't be perfectly water tight but better than a cut I guess.

You can get self adhesive sail repair tape from places like Whitworths and Bias Boating etc this will hang on a sail flogging in the wind. I have used a clear one on my MG14 Mylar sail and it stood up really well so may be worth a try.


Regards,
Ken

I think I may give the sail repair tape a go. The way I treat my tents, there will not be a lot of strain on the groundsheet - I always put a tarp below the tent and then a space blanket or a sheet on the floor inside, and this particular tent is for car camping only.