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When to Replace Your Tent Cover: Signs and Replacement Options

5 days ago
4 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

You know it's time to replace your tent cover when cracks or flaking appear in the PVC coating, when water leaks keep coming back even though you have repaired seams and eyelets, or when the material has become stiff and brittle to handle. It is also time to renew it if its appearance is no longer presentable to your clients, or if you need to guarantee the fabric's European T2 fire certificate (UNE-EN 15619). Below we go through the most common signs and the options you have for replacing it.

Signs that it's time to replace your tent cover

A well-made PVC tent cover withstands many cycles of assembly and disassembly, but over time and with use the material eventually gives clear warnings. These are the signs worth watching for:

  • Cracks, flaking or loss of the PVC coating on the surface of the cover.

  • Water leaks that keep coming back even after checking the seams, eyelets or fixing system.

  • Stiffness or brittleness: the cover folds badly, creaks or cracks when folding or unfolding it.

  • Repeated tears or splits at high-tension points, such as corners, anchor points or edge trims.

  • A worn appearance, with stains, discolouration or ingrained dirt that no longer gives your clients or guests a good impression.

  • A missing or expired fire certificate: check which fire certificate your local authority accepts for the use you are giving the tent.

Repairing the cover or replacing it completely

Not all of the signs above mean the entire cover needs replacing. Before ordering a new cover, it is worth assessing whether the problem is localised or widespread. Repairing a cover can be the more sensible option when the damage is small and recent, for example an isolated cut near an eyelet or a seam that has come loose in one spot. However, once the coating starts failing more widely, each repair lasts less time, and the time and material spent no longer compensate compared with ordering a new cover.

  1. Check whether the damage is localised to one area, such as a seam or an eyelet, or whether it affects different parts of the cover.

  2. Check the overall condition of the PVC coating: if it flakes or cracks in several areas, repairing it stops being worthwhile.

  3. Consider whether the problem affects safety, weatherproofing or the tent's appearance to your clients.

  4. Bear in mind how many times you have already repaired the same cover: if repairs keep recurring every season, it is usually better to replace it.

What you can replace: just the roof, the sides or the whole cover

When you decide to replace the cover, you do not always need to renew everything. You can order just the part that is damaged and keep the rest in good condition.

  • Just the roof, if it is the part most exposed to sun and rain and the first to wear out.

  • Just the sides or side walls, if the wear is concentrated in the access or handling areas.

  • The whole cover, when the wear affects both the roof and the sides.

Keep the structure and renew only the cover

A tent's metal structure usually lasts longer than its cover, so in most cases there is no need to replace it. A replacement cover can be made for structures of any make, based on measurements, a drawing or even the old cover as a pattern, keeping the same fixing system you already have, whether keder or eyelets.

How ordering a made-to-measure cover works

The process for ordering a replacement cover is simple if you are clear on these points:

  1. Provide the measurements of the tent or send the old cover as a pattern; here is a step-by-step guide to measuring your tent.

  2. Confirm the fixing system your structure uses, so the new cover fits just like the old one, whether with keder, eyelets or another trim.

  3. Choose the weight of the PVC according to the use you will give it; in this article we compare 650 and 850 g/m2 cover fabric.

  4. Decide on the finish: opaque, translucent or transparent, depending on the light and visibility you need inside.

If you run a tent-hire business

If you work in tent hire for events, you know that the cover wears differently from a fixed installation, because it is put up and taken down far more often. Besides use, it is worth factoring in transport and storage between events, since repeated rubbing and folding speed up wear on the coating. Keeping a record of each cover's condition per season helps you plan the replacement before you run short of availability in peak season.

Tips for extending the life of your new cover

  • Clean it regularly following these guidelines for cleaning and maintaining PVC tent fabric.

  • Avoid always folding it along the same creases when you store it, so as not to mark or weaken the coating.

  • Store it completely dry before folding it, to prevent mould and bad odours.

  • Check the seams, eyelets and fixing system before each assembly, so you catch any problem in time.

Order your replacement cover with no obligation

If you have noticed any of these signs on your tent, you can browse our range of replacement tent covers, made to measure and with the same fixing system you already use. If you would like to feel the material before deciding, request the free PVC fabric sample book, or contact us and we will help you define the cover that best suits your tent.

Real project: PVC grandstand roofs and 288 tent side walls, made in Málaga for a major motorsport event in Madrid. See the project

 
 
 

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