Reconditioning Your Torn Patio Umbrella

Answer 1

Patio umbrellas are ideal for helping to provide protection from the sun in areas around your property. Temperatures in the areas that are shaded by these umbrellas tend to be twenty to thirty degrees cooler than full exposure temperatures that are experienced when directly in the sunlight. Harmful ultraviolet rays that are given off from the sun that have the potential to cause harmful medical conditions such as skin cancer, pre-mature aging and even vision damage can be decreased or eliminated all together with the use of patio umbrellas.

In additional to their health benefits, patio umbrellas are useful for helping to create inviting areas outside of the home that are appealing even during the hottest temperatures. These umbrellas complement the decor of patios, decks and gardening areas regardless of the theme you are trying to create. Unfortunately, over time these patio umbrellas tend to rip and tear due to continuous exposure to weather conditions and age. Often times people will opt to just discard these old umbrellas. However, these patio umbrellas may be able to be repaired easily, in many cases, instead of replaced.

Repairing Tears in Patio UmbrellasTo repair a patio umbrella that you may have that has tears or holes in the fabric, you will need a sewing needle, thread that matches the color of your umbrella material, fabric glue, a canvas patching kit and wax paper.

You will first want to assess any damage that your patio umbrella may have to help determine the method to use for the repairs. Most patio umbrellas are made of a canvas material that can be fixed using either the sewing method, gluing or patching the damaged area.

You should always start by using the simplest method possible. For most canvas patio umbrellas this will be the gluing method. To do this type of repair you will need to apply your glue to both side of the umbrella tear and fuse these two sides using your fingers. Let the umbrella fabric lay flat on a solid surface and cover the glue area with wax paper. Compress this area with a heavy object such as a stack of books to keep constant pressure on the glued area. When the glue has dried completely, you can choose to stitch over the torn area with your needle and thread for extra reinforcement.

The sewing method works best on tears that are only a few inches long. To do this type of repair you will need to double thread your need for added strength in your stitches. Make sure that the thread is knotted before cutting it off when the stitches are complete.

For larger holes in the patio umbrella's fabric you will need to purchase a canvas patching kit. There are many types of patch kits available and each one has their own specific directions on how to do the repair. It is best to follow the manufacturer's instructions closely to get the best results.

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