Fixing Tent and Awning Leaks

Tent and awning leaks are more obvious and usually more immediately problematic than RV leaks.  If there is any problem with the integrity of your tent, it will leak when it starts to rain and you will know it and will need to mitigate it right away.

Tent and awing fabric is easily damaged by embers blown from a fire, by debris falling from trees, by gnawing pests, and by accidents as well as ordinary wear and tear.  It is best to make repairs as soon as possible, both to protect the contents/occupants and avoid further damage.   Bird droppings that aren't cleaned off can damage fabric, weakening it or damaging the water proofing so it fails when it rains.

Small leaks in awnings might be ignored for a while but larger tears should be patched or the awning should be rolled up until it can be repaired.  Often a judicious application of duct tape is sufficient to control an awning leak and secure a tear until you can get it home and make permanent repairs.

As always, prevention is preferable to repair.  Inspect your tent or awning and address any problems regularly, especially before you start on an outing.   Things to look for include loose stitches or visible needle holes in the seams, frayed or otherwise damaged fabric, and broken or missing ties and zippers to close windows and doors.  Loose stitching should be re-stitched to maintain the integrity of the seam.  Visible needle holes can often be sealed using a wax sealer or a waterproofing liquid or spray to cover the holes.  Broken or missing ties or zippers should be replaced.  Things like bird droppings and sap should be carefully removed before they can introduce damage or attract pests that will cause damage.

Some temporary emergency repairs can be done using waterproof tape, like Eternabond.  Waterproof tape is sometimes hard to find and kind of expensive.  It is advertised for use on RVs but should work just as well on tents and awnings.  In a pinch you might be able to make temporary repairs using duct tape.  The tape will stick best if applied to dry surfaces but sometimes you can make it stick to wet ones.  Mythbusters once used duct tape to repair underwater leaks on a leaky boat in the water but I have never had very good luck using it on wet surfaces.  Waterproof tape is designed to stick on wet surfaces.  Tape can be used to cover leaking seams and thin spots and tears in the tent or awning fabric.  Clear tape will make most repairs almost invisible.  Use a single piece of tape oriented to the direction of the tear on small tears.  Larger tears may need to be secured by sturdy strips of tape across the tear before putting one over the tear to seal the leak.

Large holes may require stitching or even patching with additional fabric to effect permanent repairs.  Patches should be of a material and weight (and color if possible) similar to the original material.   Patches should be stitched to the outside of the tent and should be at least 1/2" or so larger than the hole.  Hemming the patch to prevent unraveling is a good idea too.  Try to match the color as closely as possible to maintain cosmetic appearances.  I patched a large hole in the roof of a blue cabin tent with white canvas when I couldn't find anything to match the original fabric.  It was only about 3" across and not too noticable and it sure beat having a big hole in the roof!  Once stitched into place, seal the seams using wax, liquid, or spray seam sealer.

An alternative sometimes used instead of repairing leaks in the field is to cover the tent with a tarp.   That is one way to get immediate relief from water dripping on you and your belongings and may allow the damaged area to dry enough for you to make temporary repairs with duct tape.  Installing a tarp takes a bit of time and skill and you will want to leave an easy way to get in and out of your tent with the tarp in place..  If you know or suspect you have leaks you may want to set up the tarp over your tent BEFORE it starts to rain.  Polytarps are small, light weight, and inexpensive so it would be a good idea to get one big enough to cover your entire tent and tuck it in one of your camping bins.  Be sure to inspect the tarp from time to time.  It would be really disappointing to pull it out when needed and discover a kitchen knife in your camping bin had made holes it in or holes had been worn in it by heavy items in the bin or perhaps even by its own weight over time.  Awnings are usually pretty difficult to effectively cover with a tarp, but it might be worth a try if you have away to securely anchor them so they protect the awning.

Leaks in the tent floor can be more difficult to find and more difficult to repair.   Once again, prevention is better than repair so always clear the ground of rough debris and use a sturdy, waterproof ground cloth beneath the tent.  Protect the floor from the inside use a sturdy ground cloth or foam tiles.  Check to see if the water entered the tent from a door or window before assuming there is a leak in the floor.  If you get water coming up through the floor you not only need to patch the holes but you need to find out how and why the water is getting under the tent and take proper measures to stop it.  A tent that is properly set up should not have water underneath it in the first place.  Make sure the ground cloth doesn't extend beyond the walls of the tent.  If possible, trench around the tent, digging a little ditch to catch and redirect water from running under the tent.

Stay dry!