How to Repair a Tear in Your Inflatable Movie Screen Frame
The majority of holes and tears we see come from punctures. Often it is from a snag during transport or the frame has been dragged across a rough surface during setup or teardown. In most cases you can fix it yourself in a few minutes.
What you can repair yourself — and what to send our way
Any tear that isn't load-bearing is a do-it-yourself repair. The load-bearing areas are the strap and rope connection points — the anchors that hold the frame under tension. If the damage is right at one of those connections, don't field-patch it; email us at sales@openaircinema.us and we'll take a look. Everywhere else on the body of the frame, a patch will hold just fine.
What we use: Tear-Aid Type B
It's made specifically for vinyl and vinyl-coated material like your frame — it contains an inhibitor that blocks the oils in vinyl, so the bond lasts instead of turning gummy. It's see-thru, UV-resistant so it won't yellow, holds up in high heat, and goes on with no glue and no sewing. One 3 in × 5 ft roll cuts to any size with scissors.
You can pick it up directly on Amazon. View Tear-Aid Type B on Amazon → We've also listed it under Accessories for reference.
How to make the repair
- Patch the inside first. Reach inside the frame. Find the nearest zippered opening to the hole and reach inside and pull the frame material towards you to bring it within arm's reach. Use a headlamp if necessary. Clean the material around the damaged area so the surface is dry and free of dirt.
- Cut your patch. Size up the amount of material you want to cover the hole. Measure, cut, and round off the corners of the Tear-Aid strip. Square corners are the first thing to catch and lift; rounded ones stay put.
- Press firmly into place. Pinch the gap closed, lay a piece of Tear-Aid over the tear, and press it firmly onto the material. Done right, a Tear-Aid repair should carry on for years. It bonds within minutes and seals permanently.
- Then patch the outside in similar fashion. Apply a second piece to the outside of the same spot. The inside patch is doing the real work — because it's sealed against the inner wall, there's no external abrasion to peel it away. The outside patch protects the repair from accumulating dirt.
