Vinyl Repair Products

Adhesive

• Adhesive is probably your most useful product when repairing vinyl. Adhesive is used to seal vinyl floors and counters back in place if they have loosened. Over time, the bonds of the original adhesive can weaken, and the vinyl material can crack upwards, leading to unsightly problems. With adhesive, you can remove the old layer and set a new one in that will hold the vinyl down properly.

Kits

• Many different vinyl repair kits are available, but these kits are designed mostly for the vinyl used in cars and furniture -- the upholstery type of vinyl that mimics leather. The kits include several different tools that allow you to patch tears using a vinyl compound that literally seals up the tear without patching it over. You will need to fix the tear very carefully so that the compound is not visible.

Sealer

• Sealer keeps the top of the vinyl well protected from water and grime. While you may not need to use the sealer to fix vinyl (unless it only comes loose at the edges), you will need a sealer to help protect the vinyl seams when you use a patch. Without sealer, water can seep under the seems and undo all the repair work you just completed.

Replacement Materials

• If worse comes to worse, you will need to replace the vinyl material completely, which is easier in some situations than others. Vinyl siding, for instance, is usually replaced board by board. Vinyl tiles are replaced with new tiles. You can also patch a vinyl sheet if you have similar materials or are willing to sacrifice a less visible piece of the same sheet.