Instructions for Repairing Large Cuts or Tears in PVC

Instructions relate to repairing large rips, cuts or tears in PVC material, aka vinyl, in an enclosed area such as a water tank. Read instructions and organize all tools and supplies before attempting any repair.

You may need some of the following if you are inside a tank or any enclosed area (if in an open area, such as a pond, items listed in 1 and 2 will not apply): 1) Drop light or strong flashlight (*word of caution, do not allow light to lay directly on PVC material when turned on, place towel or some padding between it and the liner. Some lights will burn through some liner material very quickly as they heat up); 2) Step ladder or full ladder plus padding to be used beneath the ladder to protect the liner; 3) Soap, clean water, clean cloth, paper towels, steel wool and/or scotchbrite; 4) PVC primer (same primer as used on rigid PVC pipes), PVC glue and 2-3 small paint brushes if not incorporated into the can design; 5) PVC patch, 1"-2" larger than the area to be patched plus extra PVC material; 6) Scissors and small roller (teflon roller recommended).

Place ladder or ladders inside of tank, one on each side of the area to be repaired. Use two ladders for large repairs, one ladder for small repairs. Feet of ladders should be padded to protect the liner from accidental punctures and base of ladders should always be supported by a second person when anyone is on the ladder. Always think safety first!

Before starting the PVC repair, the area to be glued must be clean and dry. Use soap, water and a clean cloth to scrub the area to be glued. You may need to use steel wool or scotchbrite to clean deposits off the liner. Rinse clean and wipe dry.

Before gluing, coat both the area to be repaired and the PVC patch with PVC primer. All areas to be glued should be primed. If the area is fairly large, you may find it easier to do the priming and gluing in smaller sections. Use extreme caution not to spill excess primer. Allow the primer to dry 1-2 minutes or until material softens slightly or becomes tacky.

Once the primer is absorbed into the PVC material, brush glue over the same area and also on the patch. Allow to partially dry which may take 1-5 minutes depending on temperature. Glue will be opaque in appearance, tacky to the touch. PVC patch will want to curl due to a chemical reaction with the PVC glue.

Place PVC patch over the area to be repaired and press into place. Caution should be used when aligning patch over the rip or tear because once the glue is in contact, the patch should not be removed. Add pressure with a small roller and work roller in an outwardly direction to eliminate air bubbles that may have become trapped under the patch. Keep pressure on the PVC patch with the roller until patch adheres to the PVC liner. Allow to dry 1-2 hours.