How To Glue Patch To Polyethylene Ground Sheet?

[woodbine]

Not strictly building related, but may come under the materials heading. I have a ground sheet on my tent with a nouse hole in it. The ground sheet is made of thin polyethylene sheet, same as some budget tarpaulins.

I want to glue a patch of the same material to the ground sheet. What would be the best glue? I believe that plumbers solvent weld is suitable for polyeth. On thin sheet, would this work, or just melt the sheet? Obviously thin polyeth. sheet is a lot thinner than the poly pipe it's intended for.

This type of groundsheet -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gelert-Atl...47133&sr=8-1&keywords=gelert+grey+groundsheet

 

[Burnerman]

A bit of a difficult one, this.....solvent weld is really acrylic based rather than polyethylene and you would need a solvent base of toluene or benzine, maybe.
A professional repair would probably weld the patch in, but for a DIY repair
I'd try hot glue.....at least if it failed there would be no damage and the glue could be peeled away.
John

 

[lostinthelight]

Sheets are jointed by sewing the seam so maybe patches are as well?
You could carry a piece of suitable waterproof sheet to lay on the under the damaged area first?
litl

 

[woodbine]

Thanks gents. After a great deal of research, it looks like there is a specially made product out there - Tarpaflex Tarp Tape, especially for polyethelyne sheet. Will stick a piece on either side and replace when it eventually fails.

Shame I can't do a more permanent repair, being a new tent. But as you have advised, polyeth. isn't easy to bond. As long as it stops the water and ants coming in, that's all that counts. Oh, and a mousetrap will be one of my new camping essentials.

http://www.tarpaflex.co.uk/acatalog/Tarp-Tape.html