How To Repair Outdoor Cushions

How to Repair an Umbrella

Has the handle or rivets of your favorite umbrella broken? If you truly cherish it, don't throw it away. You can learn how to repair your umbrella before it rains again. For instance, the versatility of market umbrellas together with their ease of operation makes them an ideal shade system for patios. Oftenly umbrellas can fail, many times because the stringing fails. Restringing your umbrella isn't a tough task to accomplish. You can do it on your own by following the manufacturer's instructions and using various umbrella replacement parts.

Inspect the damaged part

You need to identify exactly where the umbrella is damaged. Most common damages include a busted rib, a torn canopy fabric and a broken handle. With some minor sewing skills, you'll be able to fix any canopy fabric. The rib is the slender metal spoke that supports the canopy of an umbrella while it's open. Repairing this part is as easy as as binding the dislocated pieces with a length of wire. Fixing the handle will require specific items and is easy.

You'll require different umbrella replacement parts and materials to fully repair your umbrella. For instance, fixing your damaged rib will require a utility knife, connecting wire, hollow out paper pen, and a long, skinny reamer. Mending a torn canopy fabric will require a needle and sewing thread. Sewing on a waterproof fabric requires a pair of fabric scissors for trimming the patch. Repairing the handle requires a washcloth, warm water and super glue.

Start repairing

Each damaged part requires a specific process of repair. The following are steps to help you accomplish these tasks.

A torn canopy fabric

When the canopy fabric is detached from one end of the rib, you'll need to weave a sewing needle with thread through a tiny hole in the rib as well as up and down the canopy. Ensure that the thread holds by tieing of the ends three times. Stitching up small tears requires folding the torn canopy fabric over on itself then sew a strand of waterproof fabric (nylon) and double-knot on the loose end.

Broken umbrella handle

First, remove any dirt that might be on the parts to be glued using a damp washcloth to ensure good adhesion of the glue. Apply thin beads of super glue onto the metal pole of the umbrella and attach the loose handle. Apply steady pressure and hold the separate pieces together for 20 seconds. Hold off from using your umbrella for an hour after repairing it because super glue takes a little more time to cure completely.

A dislocated rib

Open the umbrella halfway so that the ribs are positioned at an angle. Turn it upside down so that you are free to work with both hands. Cut off an inch of the pen body and insert it into one end of the rib and the other end into your paper pen. Fold the umbrella to view where the new hole will be and ream through. Using a small connecting wire, Using a small connecting wire, reshape the U-shaped hook to a J-shaped then insert it into the new hole. After using these umbrella replacement parts, close it and check for alignment.