Fix a Tear in a Trampoline
Because trampolines are kept outside and often are not covered by owners, exposure to the elements can result in a damaged mat. A mat that has been weakened by natural elements can become weak and susceptible to tears. These tears can be caused other ways as well, including dog bites, cuts and small holes that have been enlarged. But as long as the tear or hole is less than 1 inch wide, it can be repaired.
Instructions
1. Inspect the surface of the jumping mat to find all areas that might need to be repaired. If the tears are more than 1 inch wide or there are many tears, it may be cheaper to replace the entire mat. Before taking the jumping mat off the frame, mark the tears with a piece of duct tape.
2. Remove the trampoline jumping mat from the frame by removing the springs from their frame holes. Be careful doing this, as the springs are tight and may not come out easily. To make this process go faster, get some friends or family members to help.
3. Lay the mat flat on the ground and make sure the tape marking the tear(s) is still in place. Measure the tear so the proper size of the mat repair fabric can be cut. The repair material should be cut two times the size of the tear.
4. Cut two pieces of the same size, as you will "sandwich" the tear with repair material, with one piece on each side of the torn mat.
5. Sew the repair material to the torn mat with a commercial-grade sewing machine or other sewing machine that can handle thick nylon thread. Fold the mat to make it easier to carry it to where it will be repaired.
6. Load the nylon thread on the sewing machine as you would regular thread. Pin the repair material to each side of the jumping mat around the tear to hold the repair material in place while sewing. Sew around the edges of the repair material; to ensure a firm hold, sew around the edges twice and across the middle of the tear.
7. Place the mat back on the springs and frame. Test the stability by jumping on the trampoline a few times before allowing children or adults to jump on it.
Tags: repair material, sewing machine, around edges, each side, inch wide