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Repair kit

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Repair of tarpaulins & eyelets - your tent accessories

Even if your tent's PE or PVC tarpaulin is of the highest quality, it is always possible that holes or small rips will appear. Such damage can occur, especially if the tarpaulin is used for a long time or after a severe storm. A tarpaulin eyelet can also break under certain circumstances. But do you then have to buy a new tent directly? Thankfully not! With the help of a tarpaulin repair kit, some duct tape, or a strong needle and thread, your tent can be quickly repaired. This guide sets out how you can make small repairs at home, and what you will need.

Repair kit for marquee eyelets

How to mend tent tarpaulins

As soon as you discover a tear or hole in your tent tarpaulin, it is important that you repair the damaged area as soon as possible to spare yourself from further, or permanent damage. You do not need any special know-how to do this, and there are various ways of repairing the damaged fabric. You may be able to find a repair solution that doesn't require a tarpaulin repair kit.

Use adhesive tape, for example. Stick this on to the tarpaulin from both sides and thus protect the tarpaulin from further tearing or major damage. However, we don't recommend this as a permanent solution. For longer-term repairs, sewing the rip closed is a better idea. By using a strong thread and a thick needle, your small hole can be sewn and repaired in a short amount of time. When the seam is finished, the area can be coated with glue or seam sealer for extra durability. If you don't have any sealant on hand, a piece of tape will always help.

Otherwise, you might like to apply a small patch over the rip, on the outside of the tent. This can be done without difficulty for PE tarps. You will need to apply hot air to the affected area and the patch, using pressure to bond the slightly melted materials together.

Tent repair tips for a PVC tarpaulin

PVC tarpaulins are waterproof and similar in material to a truck tarpaulin. Because they are particularly robust, they require special care, and a different treatment than PE tent tarpaulins. Apply patches for small tears, but use hot air or plastic glue to apply the patches. Once you have finished fixing the patch, you should allow the glue to dry for 24 hours to ensure a good bond to the tent fabric. We also recommend that you use a large flat surface to lay out your PVC sheet for repair.

You can find further tips for PVC tent repair in our magazine article How to repair tent tarpaulins.

Repair kit for tent tarpaulin eyelets

Among the tent accessories offered by House of Tents is a repair kit for tarpaulin eyelets, also known as grommets. So if you come across broken eyelets when checking your tent for potential damage, this tent repair kit is just the right solution for you.

The kit consists of 30 eyelets with an inner diameter of approx. 11 mm. Also included in the kit are an eyelet setter, anvil, and punch alongside the brass eyelet rivets and washers that are combined to form an eyelet. With the help of this eyelet kit, you will be able to add eyelets (grommets) wherever they are needed.

Here's how to make an eyelet:

  1. 1

    First, if applicable, remove the damaged grommet with pliers. Patch the area if needed.

  2. 2

    Once you have a good surface to work with, punch a small hole in the tarp material with an eyelet punch and hammer at the point where you want to form the new eyelet.

  3. 3

    Now place the rivet under the punched hole so that the upper, thinner part of the rivet looks out through the hole in the tarpaulin.

  4. 4

    Now place the anvil underneath, so that the rivet sits comfortably within the indentation.

  5. 5

    Place the washer on top of the rivet and press vertically against it with the grommet setter. The rivet and washer should be well aligned, but you will need to hold it firm because the tarp will prefer to lie flat.

  6. 6

    Now hit the hammer onto the setting pin so that the ring and rivet are forced together. The thin wall of the rivet, extending upwards from underneath the tarp, will fold over the washer, creating a smooth, rust proof brass protected opening.

High quality brass eyelets that won't rust

Just to be clear: the eyelets are not made of rubber or plastic, but instead are high-quality metal eyelets made of brass. Thanks to the brass, the grommets are not affected by rust. A further plus point: with this kit you can not only repair tent eyelets, but also canvas, caravan awnings, groundsheets and more. Or you can use the eyelet repair kit to repair a swimming pool cover or trailer tarpaulin. This will allow you to run a rope or bungee straps through the eyelets to tie down loads or keep the cover in place.

    In summary

    Should a tear in the tent tarpaulin be detected or a tarpaulin eyelet be broken, it's really no problem. You don't have to replace the entire tent product right away. Try the "do it yourself" method and repair the eyelets or the PVC tarpaulin of your tent yourself. You don't even need many tools for this - in most cases, a simple patch or, in the case of tarpaulin eyelets, the eyelet repair kit will help you to repair the tent. At House of Tents you can currently find tarpaulin eyelet repair kits in stock. Check back in a couple of months to see if we have other kits in stock!

    Our expert customer service

    If you have discovered larger holes in your PVC tarpaulin or have questions about the fastening of tarpaulin eyelets or would just like to get personal advice about tarpaulin accessories and prices, you can give us a call. If you have a broken tent pole, have lost a steel connector piece or pole, or really do need a replacement tarpaulin, feel free to get in touch. We have plenty of spares in stock!

    Expert advice

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    *1 Our original price in this shop including 20% VAT.