Bell Tent Tear: How Best To Deal With The Heartbreak
A Bell Tent Tear
The canvas or polycotton is the main material of most bell tents. It is used on the roof, walls, windows and entrance. It is the main body of the shelter itself.
On the face of it, a bell tent tear sounds like the worst possible problem, but it’s actually quite straightforward to rectify and this is one of the main beauties of canvas.
Don’t Panic!
If there isn’t any material missing, bell tent tears can be closed shut with a common needle and cotton thread (don’t use nylon thread as it won’t expand when wet and so fill your stitch holes). If material is missing, then a patch will be required. Again, use cotton thread and apply the patch to the outside of the tent.
A diamond or oval shape patch is best as this will allow water to disperse more quickly around it. Use the same material as the tent – request this from your supplier, or if it’s urgent take some material from the bag the tent came in as it is likely to have been made from the exact same material as the tent (check this with the supplier before doing so).
Most repairs can be carried out with the tent in situ. Simply slacken off the tension on the guy ropes, or even lower the central pole – often this will give enough slack to complete the task.
For more complex repairs the tent may need to be taken down.
Occurrence & Avoidance:
There are two types of tear that can occur in the canvas.
Type 1: A Tear To The Main Bell Tent Area
Tears in the main canvas or polycotton area are frequently associated with the furniture both inside and outside the tent. To avoid tears caused by furniture, think carefully about how you will furnish the inside of the tent. Position furniture clear of the canvas and select furniture without sharp edges.
Provide good storage facilities for your guests, therefore reducing the likelihood of them placing items too close to the canvas.
Next, think about the furniture outside the tent. A loosely secured gazebo in close proximity to the tent can become a weapon of mass destruction in the wrong weather conditions, as can a lightweight BBQ or a plastic patio chair. Select outdoor furniture that will keep its place such as solid wood picnic tables.
Consider carefully where you will pitch the tent. For example, is there a risk of debris falling from trees?
Type 2: A Tear In The Seam
This can happen for a number of reasons and may not always be the fault of the owner.
- It’s more likely to happen on a tent that doesn’t have it’s seams double stitched (a parallel row of stitching along each seam is best).
- It can also happen if the seam itself has been re-worked in some way which you will spot on first pitch by looking for stitch holes that no longer have any thread running through them. It’s acceptable for manufacturers to re-work areas of a tent if they failed the first quality check, so long as the new re-working isn’t unsightly and the area is improved by the re-work. If you spot any re-worked areas along seams, it is worth highlighting your findings in writing with the supplier with a view to possibly returning the tent if the seam ever fails at that section.
- Is there too much tension on the guy ropes? After bad weather, take off a little of the tension so the tent’s canvas can relax and so less stress is placed on the seams. This is particularly important for a wet, heavy tent.
Resources
Main image courtesy of John McClean of Saved by the Bell Tent
If you’re handy with a sewing machine, a read of Saved by the Bell Tent‘s blog post ‘Repairing a Torn Bell Tent‘ will be of huge benefit here. In his post, John McClean will walk you through the steps he took to repair his bell tent seam using a sewing machine.
Aside from bell tent tears, for more Care & Maintenance tips from us here at Glampshire, jump to the Care & Maintenance section here.
