Tent and Awning Repairs

No matter how careful you are, eventually something is going to happen to damage your tent, canopy, or RV awning. A breeze is going to suddenly turn into a strong gust and yank something loose, a branch will fall out of a tree and puncture it, one of the kids will fall on it, or sparks may blow onto it from a campfire. Don't panic, even if it bursts into flames! Panic will only make things worse! If you should experience blowing sparks, carefully brush them away as quickly as possible to minimize damage. Wear gloves or use an object to brush them off so you don't burn your hands and turn a minor equipment problem into a major medical emergency. If something catches fire, calmly but quickly take appropriate steps to contain and put out the fire. Water, sand, and dirt thrown at the base of the flames should help smother most any fire. It is a good idea to carry a fire extinguisher and to keep it handy and know how to use it.  RVs, by law, must have at least one fire extinguisher.  They are usually very small so I carry larger, 10 lb commercial fire extinguisher for added safety.  The basic procedure for using is defined by the acronym PASS, which stands for Pull, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep. Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the flames, Squeeze the trigger/handle, and Sweep side to side. Most fire extinguishers give you only a few seconds before they are empty so they are effective only on small fires. If the fire spreads rapidly or you are unable to extinguish it quickly, immediately send someone to call 911 or get additional help.  A standard way of telling if a fire is big enough to call the fire department is if is bigger than a waste basket.  

Wind can wreak havoc with extended awnings.  We once returned from a dirt bike ride to find an unexpeted sudden series of wind gusts had destroyed virtually every awning on our motorhome. We had, unwisely, left the large patio awning and all the window awnings extended in hopes it would keep the interior cooler in the desert sun. The damage was extensive. Every awning was ripped and most had damage to at least one of the awning arms. It was a frustrating, inconvenient, and expensive mistake.

The most common type of damage that happens to tents and awnings is to the fabric, but sometimes you may have problems with bent or broken tent poles or awning hardware. It is usually relatively easy to make at least temporary repairs to tent and awning fabric in camp using duct tape,  similar patching tape, self adhesive nylon patches, or hand sewing on patches. Repairing broken poles or hardware may be a little more difficult without replacement parts but could be critical. Broken poles often punch holes in tents and the longer they are left unrepaired and unrestrained, the more damage they will cause. Broken or missing stakes may leave the tent unusually susceptible to wind damage. If possible, splint the broken pieces of tent poles like you would a broken bone, then replace them with new ones as soon as practical.  It is a good idea to carry a spare pole or two or at least a pole repair kit.  I also carry a package of nylon tent repair tape. It works on tents, sleeping bags, jackets, riding gear, and awnings. The little repair kits I have contain red, yellow, blue, and green tape but it is also available in other colors and in larger rolls as sail repair tape. The tape is often sold as kite and sail repair tape and is sometimes available in 25' rolls in addition to the little pocket sized packages you'll find in most camping supply departments.  Bent RV awning hardware can sometimes be straightened enough to at least get you through the trip but badly damage components should replaced as soon as possible to avoid additional damage to other components and to avoid frustration in use.  Once bent, hardware will have been weakened and will be more susceptible to further damage.

Regardless of the source or type of the damage, begin at least temporary repairs as soon as possible. As soon as possible does not mean trying to repair a torn awning in a wind or rain storm, but get to it as soon as you can after the weather calms down. Small, simple tears or holes can usually be temporarily repaired using self-adhesive patches,vinyl tape, or duct tape. Sometimes these patches are sufficient for permanent repairs on small cuts. If the patch is clear or matches the fabric, it will often be almost invisible. I carry a tent repair kit that contains self adhesive nylon patch strips. The kit contains a variety of colors and the patches can be used to repair tents, sleeping bags, jackets and even back packs and riding gear. Duct tape or awning repair tape works very well for emergency awning repairs or large tears in tents and canopies -- if the surface is dry so the tape will stick.    You can also purchase sealing tape that will stick to wet surfaces.  Whenever repairing any fabric, take the tension off the fabric so you can pull the edges of the tear back together. Cut a patch about 2" longer than the damaged area. Align the edges of the tear, center the patch, and press the patch in place. It helps if you can apply pressure from both sides of the fabric.  Sometimes that means having a second person under the awning or inside the tent.  For extra strength and security, put patches on both sides of the fabric. If your patch materials or access are limited, patch just the outside surface. Making immediate repairs will reduce the chances of the tear getting bigger as well as helping keep the weather outside. Duct tape will not stick well to wet surfaces but it can sometimes be persuaded to stick. There are special wet-repair tapes that will stick well to wet surfaces.  Radiator hose repair tape is another option.  If you can find some wet application tape at a reasonable price at your local hardware store, home center, RV store, or auto reply store, it might be a good idea to keep bring some along on every camping trip. Otherwise, you'll have to wait until the surface dries out to repair it with duct tape or tent repair tape.

Repair tape comes in various forms. Ordinary duct tape is commonly used for a multitude of emergency repairs. Awning repair tape is usually more cosmetically appealing. It may be clear or may match the color of your awning. Nylon tent repair tape can be used on tents, awnings, sleeping bags, jackets, back packs, and riding gear and you can often match the color pretty closely so a proper repair may be nearly invisible. Duct tape is usually gun-metal gray, but can also be commonly found in black, white, red, blue, camouflage and sometimes other colors. I recently found some in purple, my wife's favorite color.  I just had to get it for her even though I can't think of a single piece of purple gear we can use it on.

Large holes or tears or areas that will be under tension may require sewing and perhaps even reinforcement to achieve permanent repairs. I bought a used cabin tent that a previous owner had cut a 4" hole in the roof for a stovepipe. I originally bought it to use as a portable garage for my dirt bikes so I wasn't too concerned about cosmetic appearances. I purchased a piece of ordinary white canvas big enough to cover the hole. I hemmed the edges, then stitched it in place over the hole and sealed the seams with tent seam sealer, a large, waxy crayon-like stick you rub over the seams and stitching. The patch held securely for many years and I ended up using the tent on several boy scout camping trips with my sons. I'll be the first to admit my patch wasn't cosmetically perfect (it wasn't even the same color as the original tent fabric), but neither was it totally obnoxious, and was fully functional, which was, of course, the whole point. There are also good spray-on seam sealers that are sometimes easier to use than the wax sticks. The wax sticks are easier to use when they and the surface you're applying them to are warm. Sprays are not as much affected by temperature but they will dry quicker when it is warm.

RV awnings usually are under quite a bit of tension so if a tear starts, it will quickly spread if it isn't mitigated right away. Roll up the awning until you get a break in the weather when you can work on it. To effect repairs, release the tension on the fabric. You may have to have someone lift up on the roller tube to get some slack in the fabric. Then align the edges and apply a generous layer of repair tape to both sides of the fabric. For small tears or burn spots, a single piece of tape on the outside surface may be adequate. For larger tears that may be under tension when the awning is extended, you may want to tape the edges together with long strips of tape perpendicular to the tear before taping along the tear for a waterproof seal.

Repairing damaged hardware on a tent or an RV awning may require a little ingenuity. If a tent pole or awning arm gets bent, you may be able to gently straighten it. If it is broken, you may have to splint it in much the same way you would splint a broken bone. Align the bent or broken pieces and place a rigid support across the break. Secure it on both sides of the break with rope, wire, or tape.  Duct tape or plastic electrical tape is easy to use and works very well.  In a pinch you might even use adhesive tape from your first aid kit.  Repairs of this type may be enough to get you through the weekend and get you home. Replace broken hardware as soon as possible to avoid further damage to your tent or awning. It is also a good idea to replace bent tent poles or awning arms, even if you've been able to straighten them because they will have been weakened and will be likely to bend again. Repeated bending will lead to breaking and broken hardware is likely to pierce, tear, or shred the fabric.

Taking care of minor damage right away can prevent little problems from getting bigger. Immediate, temporary repairs can help keep the damage from spreading. More permanent repairs should be completed a soon as practical. The old adage that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" definitely applies here. Of course, the initial ounce is to prevent damage from occurring in the first place if you can. Avoid exposing your tents and awnings to high winds, falling debris, and blowing embers. Then, when things happen anyway -- and they will! -- timely attention can keep the damage to a minimum.

Tents are usually water resistant but sometimes, after extended use or exposure to sunlight, wind, and rain, the waterproofing breaks down and they begin to leak.  If that happens you can spray your tent with something like Camp Dry to restore its water repellent properties.  RV awnings are usually made of vinyl that will retain its water resistance until the fabric is pretty much beyond help.  Keeping awnings clean and using quality conditioners on the fabric regularly will help keep them looking good and lasting for many years. If the colors on your awning have faded, you can probably re-paint it with vinyl paint to restore its original appearance or even change the color.

Patch it up!