There are several ways to repair vinyl. Not all of them are easy, but they can all be done if a person is willing to take the time to do them the right way. The most common problems with vinyl are bubbles and tears. Both of these are fixable. For vinyl that has a bubble in it, you can cover the bubble with tape and poke it with a pin. You can also use a hypodermic needle to inject adhesive under the bubble. This will help it reseal when it is pressed back down after pricking with a pin. The best way to press it down flat is with a block of wood or some other object with a smooth, flat surface.
If you try to use something that is not flat, like your hand, you can end up with smaller bubbles as well as wrinkles and other problems. Wait until the glue is completely dry (usually twenty-four hours) before removing the tape. You’ll also need to make sure that the adhesive that you’re using is appropriate for vinyl. Some adhesives will destroy the vinyl or the backing on it, and that won’t help your repair look good. It will also cause you to have to repair the same area again and there might even be more damage the next time from the glue that you used. If it’s a tear that’s a problem instead of a bubble, these can be fixed, too.
For a tear or rip in vinyl, you’ll usually need a patch. You want to put the patch under the opening so that you can glue it to the vinyl without having a large piece of patching material sticking up where it is very obvious. Of course you want to get the edges of the tear as close together as possible, but sometimes it’s very difficult to get them to meet completely, especially if there is tension on the vinyl and it pulls apart at the site of the rip.
If you try to press too hard to seal the rip you will end up having more problems than you did originally, so take care not to be too aggressive with the repair. If you take your time, use the right adhesive, and follow the instructions that come with that adhesive, you should be able to make a vinyl repair that looks good and that lasts a long time without too much of a problem.