 |
| Polypro Awning photo credit: kevinrosseel from morguefile.com |
Polypropylene is a durable material, but it can get holes in it. When it is an awning that has a hole, anything stored under that awning is going to get wet.
Also, exposure to wind and rain are going to turn a tiny hole into a big, frayed mess if you do not do something to stop it.
If you have any modern polypropylene feed sacks and a heavy duty sewing machine, you already have exactly what you need to patch a torn polypropylene awning.
How to Do It: Polypro Patches Made Easy
Before you start cutting and sewing polypropylene patches on your awning, clean the awning. This will help keep grime out of your sewing machine's inner workings.
- Cut the patch from an old feed-sack, making it at least two inches larger than the hole, all the way around the hole. If possible, match the feedsack color to the awning's color.
- Place the polypropylene patch over the hole. You do not need to fold the edges of the patch under to prevent fraying because feed-sacks are coated and the coating prevents fraying.
- Sew all the way around the patch, 1/4-inch from the cut edge. This will be awkward if the awning is large, so be patient and carefully work the excess polypro out of the way to avoid sewing through the wrong layer of fabric.
- Use a stick of tent-seam sealant to coat the exposed stitching. Tent seam sealant kind of looks like a tube of lip balm and is available in stores that sell camping supplies as well as online.
Patching a damaged awning will not make it last forever, but it will get you through a season or two before you have to invest in a new one.
