polly tarp/ How do I fix it ?

[gray wolf]

Men if you look at my Avatar you will see my house and the blue tarps over my wood shed. It's home made from some old pallets and scrap wood.
Well some folks down the road built a house and took down there temporary
Building. Julie said " hey what cha gonna do with that thing "
They said " Dump " she said " Dump hell--how bout the back of my truck "
They said " we will help you load it up "
It is 12 W X 20 L X 10 H The frame is a screw together Galvanized Steel affair.
It has a rounded top and looks like a Quonset hut. The frame is like new, even after 4 Maine winters.
The covering is some kind of Polly Vinal tarp. well on one side at the point that the roof meets the side is a seem. Looks like it was some kind of heat sealed at the factory. It came apart on one side. Not a rip, the seem gave out.
I would like to take the wood shed down before it falls down and put this up instead. So the question is what is the best way to fix this seem so it will last another season or two or three.
It will make a dandy wood shed with Pallets for a floor,
And,----And,---- And,---- I can go and hide in it with a nice comfortable chair.
It could be my Canvas man cave Eh. [smilie=2: :lol: ;)

Any ideas on the best way to fix the seem ??

[Rangefinder]

Sounds like the exact same thing I use too--great little shell. I use to do upholstery and custom boat covers and such--you "can" glue the stuff with an industrial style rubber cement, but it won't last like the factory seam welding. Your best bet would be to look for an upholsterer, or someone with a long-arm industrial sewing machine and just stitch the seam. Make sure they use polyester thread though--the UV from the sun will eat nylon thread for lunch and it will fall apart in a season.

[runfiverun]

my favorite way to fix things is to go right to the manufacturer.
they engineered the thing.
and know exactly what you are talking about.

[Von Gruff]

Dont have any advise on a fix unless one of the heavy duty duct tapes would stop any further letting go of the seam till you can get a permanent fix, but good score even if it costs a few dollars to get it right.

Von Gruff.

[Bill*]

My job years ago had a couple of those buildings to store mowers/plows depending on the season. I know the mfgr. sent us some kits of repair patches/tape when we called. There might be a label sewn onto one corner of the "tent". If so, give a call-might even be free, I think ours was.

[kodiak1]

gray wolf
Check your yellow pages and see if there is an out fit that builds tarps for Highway Trucks.
Those tarps are a vinyl rubber coat and come in different weights.
They have the machines to stitch, glue or vulcanize the seam back to the way that she was when she come from the factory.
After wearing out a few sets of tarps I know what I am talking about when I say they will know what to do with it.
We use to qaverage 5 years to a set of tarps. Take them in once a year for a going over unless you tore one bad then we would get it in right away.
That 70 mile an hour wind day in and day out can take a toll on a piece of good canvas.
We always found that they were very reasonable in the cost of the repairs

Good Luck Ken.

[-06]

Any industrial roofing company has thick rubber sheeting that they put on flat roofs. It is great stuff and will last many years. They have a glue that sticks it to mounting pads which can be secured several ways. I use smaller pieces to cover all kinds of stuff. It is heavy which is good in windy conditions. Not pretty and only comes in Black as far as I know. This is great stuff.

[jsizemore]

If your looking for a quick fix, then I would look at the tape that's used around windows to provide a seal between the nail flange and Tyvek wrap. Tyvek is very much like your poly tarp. This ain't no long term fix but it should keep your tarp from coming apart until you can install a permenant roof.

I know, I know, you ain't got the money to install a regular roof. May I tell you a story? I took apart a house that had used car license plates for shingles. The old timer that owned the house said his dad had won them at state surplus auction and had him and his brothers install the on the roof when he was 12 years old. He was 74 when he told me the story. One man's wheelweight is another's boolit. Good Luck

[Longwood]

There is a tape called Tear Aide that is made for repairing rubber rafts, tents etc.
It is incredible tape.
I think Cabella's sells it.
It ain't cheap but it sure does work.
I repaired a tear in my Ultralight aircraft wing two years ago and it is still holding up just fine.

[waksupi]

I would use some duct tape, gorilla tape, or similar, then paint the whole thing with a good latex paint.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

There is a product you put on a roof to create an ice barrier on the leading edge. It is incredibly sticky on the bottom but looks like roofing felt on top. If you know of a carpenter, he may have a small piece for you. That would work for sure.

[gray wolf]

OK we found the name of the unit and called the Manufacturer, they are made in Ct.
The replacement cover is close to 4 huned with shipping--so that's out.
They also have a peal and stick patch but it only comes in a 1 foot square piece for normal holes.
He said to use a water proof contact cement.
( is that the same as you use for Formica counter tops ? )
Is there such a thing as industrial grade contact ?
I have to work within my means . What if I find a contact cement that would work and manage to get the seam together. I could place a piece of wood under it and over it and put some weight on it for a day. Then cut some pieces from an old tarp, a little wider and a little longer than the repair--use the same contact adhesive and put the repair pieces over the seem. Just my thoughts on it.


I would use some duct tape, gorilla tape, or similar, then paint the whole thing with a good latex paint.

What does the paint do for the duct tape ?

[Phillip]

For cement, use tire repair cement or top model cement.

If you can sew it back together, use 3m scotch sealer. It drys into a red rubber waterproof coating. The stuff is very flexible sealer and sticks to anything.

http://www.hillas.com/Products/3M_Sealants/3M_800_TU.asp

[gray wolf]

http://www.hillas.com/Products/3M_Sealants/3M_800_TU.asp
The above link is a great idea, I can call 3M and ask them what they recommend.
So far the help has been great, it's making me think ( oh so painful )

[RayinNH]

Sam, another link for you. Scroll down to Premium Seaming tape and then Fabric Repair tape...Ray

http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/Search?catalogId=10052&catalogId2=10001&ftCatalogId=10001&storeId=10001&langId=-1&division=FarmTek&searchMethod=wcSearch&searchType=ANY&searchBeginIndex=0&searchDefaultPerPage=10&ftSearchBeginIndex=0&ftSearchDefaultPerPage=10&searchQuery=roof+repair+kits

[Springfield]

I use small bottles of DAP contact cement for glueing my leather items together before I sew, and I happen to know it comes in 1 gallon cans. It is strong enough to hold down tile floors so it might work well.

[montana_charlie]

He said to use a water proof contact cement.
( is that the same as you use for Formica counter tops ? )
Yes ... same stuff.

You put cement on both surfaces and let them dry to the touch. Then you join the surfaces and apply even pressure over the entire area.
The bond is instant, so be sure the two surfaces are aligned the way you want them before you let them touch.

CM

[gray wolf]

I have done counter tops with Laminates and contact cement, just wasn't sure if the word industrial was for some new space age contact cement.

[shaggist]

After you repair the seam with contact cement, then use the same cement to put the patches over and under the seam. Then, with an upholster's or sailmaker's needle and polyester thread, sew through the whole mess and cover the sewed seam with roofing mastic. It will still be there long after you've gone.

[troy_mclure]

15 years or so ago my father and i built a "tent"(20'x20'x10') out of tractor trailer tarps.

we got a 1gal can of industrial rubber adhesive for $10. we coated a side of each sheet with it, put it between 2 2'x4' s, and parked a car on it till it was dry.

it lasted 6 years till a colorado blizzard crushed it.

[Screwbolts]

Gray Wolf, is there a swimming pool dealer in your locale?

It is common to repair the Vinal Liner of pools. they will have on the shelf different size containers of the water proof contact cement and scrap pool liner to use for reinforcement. you can repair liners below the surface of the water. I believe this is the product you will want to use.

I have repaired 3 different Camper awnings using the pool cement and material from the valance. I also use a sewing awl to reinforce them. Tack the cover back together with the cement and then sew it with a hand held sewing awl, If it's in the middle of the canopy have the Little Lady do the threading on one side while you poke it threw and pull it back. the sewing awl is meant to be used on tarps/boat sails. they are great. they come with a spool of wax covered thread that will out last us.

Ken

[gray wolf]

Thanks fellas, this has been great advise.
This fix em up is looking good.
I hope I have a little space in this thing for ME.
Sometimes it gets a little close in the 15X26 foot cabin.
A mans gotta have his cave EH.

Sam

[waksupi]

What does the paint do for the duct tape ?

Doesn't really do anything for the tape. Way back when, back woods roofs used to be made by covering them with canvas or other material, and then painted to make it more or less waterproof. Works pretty darn good.

[gray wolf]

I bought one of those Portable Tent Garages and it lasted almoust a whole winter here in Southern Coast Maine where we dont get much snow.

fisrt the metal frame collasped.

My Neighbor bought a better more expensive model and his plastic tarp ripped to shreads.

So I took his metal frame and weled it to my bent frames for support and covered my tent back up again.

Yup it made it thru anouth 2months of winter before falling apart.


A Novel Idea is to make a bent frame of Willows and cover with the Hides of TaTonka. '

May take you a while to Git'r'Done'


Well I don't know what you bought but the one I got has all steel frame and it, and the cover have withstood multiple harsh, nasty, cold ,wet, freezing, winters here in Western Maine.
They screwed up taking it down and that's how the seem let go.
While your suggestion is useless to me it may help someone else.