Our tonnelle is getting elderly and the roof has suffered in one or two high winds and storms this summer.
The roof is held in place by Velcro tabs wrapped over an outer metal frame and sealed back on themselves and the roof fabric and Velcro are pulling apart at these points. I really don’t want to take the roof off - it’s always a major effort for OH standing on top of the garden table and trying to feed the fabric across the frame.
So, I need to repair these small torn sections of roof/velcro in situ. I’ll be standing on a ladder, so ideally want a relatively speedy solution for each tear. I’ve tried sewing in the past, but it’s a challenge to get a robust enough join - it tends to just split again.
I was wondering about using tape along the tear, stuck to the fabric on either side with some form of glue, but wonder if it will just pull apart.
I’d be grateful for any thoughts / suggestions please.
Thanks.
Worth a go Sue, the extremely strong tapes from Gorilla and Pattex which are also very waterproof, not cheap though around €20 a roll.
Something a little more permanent perhaps ? Say, polycarbonate or plastic sheeting.
You may need an odd job man to fix them if you or your husband can’t.
Thanks Corona. I’ve been imaging dressmaking tape rather than this, but you’ve given a good alternative. I’ll go DIY hunting in the morning.
Thanks @Rachel05. Interesting idea, but the Tonnelle roof is quite complicated - on two sloping levels with a flip up at the end.
Can you buy a new replacement cover?
I did - it’s not the same size even though clearly branded as the same as ours! Bought it 2-3 years ago and would have used it this year. So had to repair old one - machined the torn bits, but not strong enough - tore again at the first storm.
I might go back to Gifi and see if I can get yet another new roof as a spare for next year.
At this stage in the year the last thing I want to be doing is taking the old roof off and putting a new one on - table laid for guests, chairs out with cushions on, occasional tables in position. So me up a ladder doing repairs the easiest thing. We’re only talking about 8 or so tears - just looks scruffy.
Is it sun damage Sue, making the fabric brittle?
I don’t think so. It is literally the strength of the wind and also the amount of rain that collects on the roof, making it sag and then the velcro tabs begin to tear away from the fabric under the weight.
Thats good as I wondered if the fabric was degrading you could end up with more tape than fabric 