How to Replace Canvas on Pop-Up Tents

While canvas is a durable material, it does eventually wear out. This applies especially to the canvas walls of a pop-up camper, as opposed to a regular tent, since the pop-up camper has metal rods and joints that can put extra stress on the canvas fabric. These campers are also often left out in the sun when not in use, creating hot, musty conditions. Replacing damaged or rotten bits of canvas is a fairly straightforward procedure, provided you have some good canvas left to work with.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Tape measure
Scissors
Bolt of canvas
Canvas adhesive
Canvas waterproofer

Step 1

Erect your camper on a nice, sunny day. This will not only make your replacement work easier, but also speed the drying process for the glues and waterproofing agents you will use.

Step 2

Use a tape measure to establish the dimensions of the area to be patched. Your patch should be about 2 inches larger than the dimensions of the tear or hole. If you are patching rotting canvas, cut away the bad material with scissors and then measure the resulting clean hole.

Step 3

Lay out a section of canvas, ideally one that matches the canvas used to make your pop-up camper. Measure and cut out two patches from the canvas.

Step 4

Take a tube of canvas adhesive and smear a layer of it over one side of each patch.

Step 5

Go to the outside of the hole in the camper's canvas and press one of the patches on. Then go inside the camper and press the other patch on to match the first patch. This will glue the patches both to the canvas wall and to each other, forming a solid bond.

Step 6

Let your camper stand erected overnight, so the cement will dry properly.

Step 7

Apply a canvas sealant like Nikwax to the outside layer of canvas. Let the camper stand overnight again, so the waterproofing agent will dry properly. Then collapse your camper and put it back into storage for your next camping trip.

Article Written By Edwin Thomas

Edwin Thomas has been writing since 1997. His work has appeared in various online publications, including The Black Table, Proboxing-Fans and others. A travel blogger, editor and writer, Thomas has traveled from Argentina to Vietnam in pursuit of stories. He holds a Master of Arts in international affairs from American University.

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