Repairing enviromesh

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Beryl, i look up to you with great admiration but, i don't expect even you to be good at everything.....

[Ricard with an H]

If you aren't sure about what you are buying, get back to me.

By the way, I tried poly tunnel adhesive tape, it doesn't stick for long on enviro mesh. I also tried some secret stuff called KN200 . It's a Kevlar fabric backed by 3M adhesive, this stuff is aerospace tech but it stay stuck to enviro mesh in the same way I'm suggesting. I'll look for a link for you.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/23118033 ... 108&ff19=0

[Beryl]

Thanks OH. I definitely am not good at everything. DIY in particular. I am told I strangle a hammer and as for an electric drill, well I don't think we will go into that; John would turn over in his grave if he could see what I have done to his tools.

Beryl.

[Beryl]

Richard with an H, I've been looking at the glues on Amazon and asked a couple of questions, I am getting some feed back and think I have made up my mind to get some and try.

Many thanks.

Beryl.

[Westi]

Hi Beryl

Did you make those? I am well jealous! They have such good height and look very sturdy. I just loop my mesh over canes & although I've tried to make a frame with the canes it isn't nice & taut & in a good wind it has a mind of it's own.

Westi

[peter]

Beryl, test the glue on a scrap piece, just in case it melts the mesh. PVA wouldn't.

[Beryl]

Oh Yes, Peter, I will try it out first. and Westie - I purchased these grow frames and covers from www.twowests.co.uk
Not cheap, one each year was my Christmas present to me. They work out to about £70 complete. Zips one side for easy access.

Beryl.

PS not badger proof though and the foxes love to bounce on top of them.

[Beryl]

Westie another good investment I made was one of these cloche tunnels from Plant Belles that you put canes through loops to hold it more firm then the mesh over the top. If I remember rightly it was about £28 at the Wisley Garden Event.

http://blog.theenduringgardener.com/plant-belles/

[Ricard with an H]

Beryl, test the glue on a scrap piece, just in case it melts the mesh. PVA wouldn't.

It isn't that type of adhesive Peter, it's design is to work with plastics on sports clothing, I've used it on sails, Pertex 6, nylon, neoprene and of course enviro mesh.

Beryl, if you have some clear self adhesive tape, maybe poly tunnel tape then stick it onto the fabric and go around the edges with Aquasure. Better still is a patch of enviro mesh if you first use a tiny bit of glue to hold it in place then go around the edges next day..

Another option though it will be on the brittle side is to use plasterers fibre glass tape with the Aquasure spread over the top of the patch it will then amalgamate with the enviro mesh.

[Beryl]

Thank you Richard I did have something in mind like putting a backing of tape on first then a patch of the mesh. I have ordered poly tunnel tape and the glue so watch this space say.

Beryl.

[Ricard with an H]

That glue is fantastic, I'll tell you how fantastic.

About 15/20 years ago I went over the handlebars and into a stone wall on a mountain bike mission, (Around Troutbeck. Lake District.) I grazed the wall with my head in a helmet so not much damage but my very expensive outdoor garment had the outer water resistent but breathable cover rip a three inch gash just above the cuff.

I was gutted, I could have died but I mortified about the damage to my lovely jacket, Aquasure is still holding the two parts of the rip together. It looks a mess but on wet,cold and windy days, who-cares.

I can illustrate quite a few stories relating to Aquasure repairs on nylon type garments and very expensive Pertex 6 garments. Now at 72 and retired from all that excitement I'mm recommending it to gardening pals.

[Beryl]

Are you on commission Richard? Only joking but a very good recommendation. It arrived in the post today - next day delivery can't do any better than that. Now I just need the tape and it will be all systems go.

Beryl.

[Ricard with an H]

I'm an evangelist Beryl, an evangelist if I can help.

The only bad thing about this adhesive is it's messy so in the case of my jacket the repair didn't look good. In the case of your enviromesh repair it just needs to be strong.

A couple of things I just thought about are, the glue will dribble through the enviromesh holes so just spread it very thinly around the edges of your patches and do blobs every now and then as the adhesive cures. keep it flat because the adhesive can run.

If you have half a tube of adhesive left keep it in the fridge, it doesn't have a long shelf life because of the way it cures. Once you opened it then it might be best to use it all.

[Beryl]

Thanks Ricard I will keep all those points in mind.

Beryl.

[Beryl]

Having spent all last week-end trying out your suggestions I think it is back to drawing board folks. Being such a slippery non porous surface the poly tunnel tape had no staying power at all and just peeled off; a patch using a piece of mesh with the Aqua Sure glue didn’t stick either. No idea how you managed it Ricard, there must be something I didn’t do right. The Duck tape with a piece either side with a brushing of PVA and the Aqua Sure between, both took 4 days to dry and even after 5 days neither had formed a strong hold; it will peel off very easily and I feel in the rain would soon come away. For the odd small hole I think maybe sewing a patch is the only answer but for the number of holes the animals have made in my cover with their claws not worth it.

I can still use the frame with ordinary netting so not all is lost.

Perhaps now we are all using this fabric so much the manufacturers could come up with a repair kit.

Thank you once again for all for your help.

Beryl.