Whisper Vinyl Rail Repair (1 Viewer)

[bsdunbar1]

I'm afraid I already know the answer, but i'll throw this out there anyways. I noticed this today cleaning up from the weekly game Thursday night. Cut appears not to be all the way through, if that makes sense.
Anyone have any experience with any type of fix???

 

[CraigT78]

Can't help, but damn that sucks. If it were a cheaper table I'd say throw some electrical tape on there and move on. Hope someone has some advice here

 

[Kensco]

Yep, you already know the answer!

I tried an off the shelf vinyl repair goop from an auto parts store. It melded the sides of the tear back together, but the repair was as obvious as the tear.

So start pulling staples

 

[T_Chan]

Never use tape. Ever. Tape will just peel off and leave a residue and is very obvious. I have tried some vinyl repair kits in the past without any success. If it bothers you, then yes it needs to be reupholstered. If it doesn't super bother you, leave it alone. The tear will unlikely grow and just stay like that for a long time unless something gets caught on it and rips it open. I've had tears in some of my rental table rails that have stayed the same for 3+ years.

 

[bsdunbar1]

Yep, you already know the answer!

So start pulling staples

If it bothers you, then yes it needs to be reupholstered.

 

[bsdunbar1]

@T_Chan
Ever just installed vinyl over the top of vinyl?

 

[T_Chan]

Yep. Haven't had any problems unless the vinyl underneath is really beat up, or if the extra thickness causes fitment issues. I have a lot of people bring me their old damaged rails to upholster. One thing to keep in mind is you don't want to over tighten the new vinyl on top, otherwise the old vinyl can bunch up underneath and show through the new vinyl.

 

[Blaster]

Put - leather repair - in Amazon, there are easy to use kits..

 

[bsdunbar1]

Put - leather repair - in Amazon, there are easy to use kits..

I suppose I have nothing to lose. The only saving grace (maybe) is that this is not sliced all the way through. I can’t live with it so i’ll Have to replace it. I ordered some repair shit from amazon and I will give it a whirl before I plan on redoing it anyways.

 

[DoubleEagle]

Never use tape. Ever. Tape will just peel off and leave a residue and is very obvious. I have tried some vinyl repair kits in the past without any success. If it bothers you, then yes it needs to be reupholstered. If it doesn't super bother you, leave it alone. The tear will unlikely grow and just stay like that for a long time unless something gets caught on it and rips it open. I've had tears in some of my rental table rails that have stayed the same for 3+ years.

Ditto on the vinyl repair kits. Total waste of time and money!

 

[T_Chan]

I suppose I have nothing to lose. The only saving grace (maybe) is that this is not sliced all the way through. I can’t live with it so i’ll Have to replace it. I ordered some repair shit from amazon and I will give it a whirl before I plan on redoing it anyways.

Try it out on a scrap piece of vinyl before you try it on the rail.

 

[Sprinsd]

I just used this product last week on my rail. It did a good job of closing the ripped vinyl but still looks far from perfect. Definitely practice on a scrap piece.

 

[grantc54]

I just used this product last week on my rail. It did a good job of closing the ripped vinyl but still looks far from perfect. Definitely practice on a scrap piece.

I have also used this kit on an inexpensive table I f'd up moving (rail caught on truck bed).

Same feedback, it works, but is noticeable.

Grant

 

[GoStumpy]

I've had good luck in the past with automotive upholstery repair shops.... it's worth a shot?

 

[Gameface]

My cat who died recently after 19 years, really took a liking to my carbon fiber rail vinyl. Completely ignored the vinyl on my other table but used the carbon fiber vinyl as a scratch pad. It isn't ruined, but has annoying claw marks that make it far less comfortable. I'm going to build another table soon and remove the chip tray from the current table, which will require replacing the surface cloth, and I'll re-do the arm rest at the same time. The new cloth for both tables will be custom suede from T_Chan, and I'm thinking suede for the arm rests as well.

@T_Chan you ever experiment with custom printed arm-rest suede? I imagine it could be hard to line-up and install properly.

 

[T_Chan]

Interesting idea but not possible. Rail suede and playing surface cloth suede are different materials, I cannot print on the rail suede material.

 

[bsdunbar1]

UPDATE:
While I won't be able to live with this long term, I suppose the vinyl repair kit did it's job as a good enough repair until I have time to replace it all.
It now resembles a scar, but at least the wound is closed.
I suppose you could try and add another layer and get the texture close, but it would never be "right".

 

[TheBigTater]

Looks like a passable temporary fix until you can do a new or reupholstered rail.

Still gonna really hate the first one of those I get.

 

[CraigT78]

Did you end up figuring out what caused it in the first place?

 

[bsdunbar1]

Did you end up figuring out what caused it in the first place?

No idea. First time I have had any type of tear or rip ever. 10+ Years

 

[CraigT78]

No idea. First time I have had any type of tear or rip ever. 10+ Years

Do you keep them set up, or do you fold the legs and store? Caught on something? Strange tear for sure.

 

[bsdunbar1]

Do you keep them set up, or do you fold the legs and store? Caught on something? Strange tear for sure.

This one has a permanent base so it doesn't move.
If I only have to deal with it once every 10 years I can live with that, BUT also if I don't know how it happened I can't prevent it from happening again.
I'll just have to get it replaced as soon as I can so it is behind me and I don't dwell on how bad its gonna suck to either pull staples or vinyl over the top of it.
Right now slapping an additional layer over the top is the front runner.

 

[allforcharity]

Have fun with it. Use a huge, oversize Band-Aid or something. If it's going to be obvious, might as well make it a talking point.

 

[BGinGA]

Covering the wound with an upholstered/stitched band of matching material -- similar to those sometimes used when a rail is sectional or multi-piece -- may look best and hold up better..... even if it's the only one on the table.

 

[DoubleEagle]

Covering the wound with an upholstered/stitched band of matching material -- similar to those sometimes used when a rail is sectional or multi-piece -- may look best and hold up better..... even if it's the only one on the table.

Good idea.

 

[Andrew Marks]

I had something similar on my rail. Somehow my cleaning people scratched or somehow melted the vinyl (maybe with a vacuum hose that was hot?) in one spot exposing the white fabric backing underneath the vinyl. At first I just colored the fabric with a dark blue Sharpie to approximate the color of the rail, but it always looked ragged. When I changed the cloth on my table two weeks ago, I also decided to put a cuff of the same vinyl over the damaged area. It doesn't look perfect, but it looks a lot better than it did. I simply cut a piece of the vinyl and folded the edges in so it would look neater and not fray over time. Then I just stapled it under the rail (which was removed when I did the cloth change). Don't have a before picture, but here is the after (the coloring on the picture is the result of bad lighting as the rail is navy blue..

 

[chipjoker]

@bsdunbar1 If you want to go this rout^^, I can sent you a piece of vinyl, I have some extra, just let me know what size you want..

Also, the last time I bought vinyl I got it from here:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0042TOBM8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is some nice stuff..

 

[CraigT78]

I had something similar on my rail. Somehow my cleaning people scratched or somehow melted the vinyl (maybe with a vacuum hose that was hot?) in one spot exposing the white fabric backing underneath the vinyl. At first I just colored the fabric with a dark blue Sharpie to approximate the color of the rail, but it always looked ragged. When I changed the cloth on my table two weeks ago, I also decided to put a cuff of the same vinyl over the damaged area. It doesn't look perfect, but it looks a lot better than it did. I simply cut a piece of the vinyl and folded the edges in so it would look neater and not fray over time. Then I just stapled it under the rail (which was removed when I did the cloth change). Don't have a before picture, but here is the after (the coloring on the picture is the result of bad lighting as the rail is navy blue..View attachment 153860

That certainly works - but for my OCD I probably would have done a similar patch directly opposite this one - for symmetry!

 

[bsdunbar1]

@chipjoker thanks for the offer. I ended up "patching" it with the vinyl repair kit until I can get it replaced. I have the replacement vinyl bought, just a matter of finding the time. The Vinyl repair did it's job of closing the would so I can live with that until i get it replaced.

 

[BGinGA]

I had something similar on my rail. Somehow my cleaning people scratched or somehow melted the vinyl (maybe with a vacuum hose that was hot?) in one spot exposing the white fabric backing underneath the vinyl. At first I just colored the fabric with a dark blue Sharpie to approximate the color of the rail, but it always looked ragged. When I changed the cloth on my table two weeks ago, I also decided to put a cuff of the same vinyl over the damaged area. It doesn't look perfect, but it looks a lot better than it did. I simply cut a piece of the vinyl and folded the edges in so it would look neater and not fray over time. Then I just stapled it under the rail (which was removed when I did the cloth change). Don't have a before picture, but here is the after (the coloring on the picture is the result of bad lighting as the rail is navy blue.

Yep, that's what I was referencing below.... but couldn't find a pic.

Covering the wound with an upholstered/stitched band of matching material -- similar to those sometimes used when a rail is sectional or multi-piece -- may look best and hold up better..... even if it's the only one on the table.