How To Glue Canvas to Canvas

Which glue patches a hole in a canvas camper awning and still stays flexible?

For bonding canvas to canvas, Selleys recommends a contact adhesive — specifically the solvent-based Kwik Grip Vertical Gel. Selleys All Fix Multi Grip, a clear general-purpose solvent glue, is the other option named for this repair.

Contact adhesive is the right family for a canvas patch because of how it works: you coat both faces, let the solvent flash off, then bring the surfaces together, and the bond forms across the whole patch at once rather than at a few points. That gives you an even, flexible glue line that folds with the fabric — which matters on a camper awning that gets rolled up every trip.

What Kwik Grip Vertical Gel's figures mean for a canvas patch

Canvas is a listed use. The Kwik Grip Vertical Gel technical data sheet names canvas directly, alongside veneers, rubber cork, felt, leather and metals, so this is not a stretch application.

Property	Typical result
Colour	Beige / opaque
Application temperature	10 °C – 35 °C
Open time	20 – 40 minutes
Full cure	24 hours
Heat resistance	130 °C
Coverage	0.25 m² per 40 g of one surface, depending on porosity
Pack sizes	40 g tube; 400 g, 800 g and 3.2 kg cans

These are indicative figures, not intended for preparing specifications.

Two of those numbers drive the job. The 20–40 minute open time is the window in which you keep the two coated faces apart while the solvent evaporates — join too early and the solvent is trapped in the bond, join too late and the adhesive has gone off. The 10 °C minimum application temperature is a hard limit in the TDS, so a cold morning at a campsite is the wrong time to attempt this. And because canvas is porous, expect coverage on the lower side of 0.25 m² per 40 g: porous fabric drinks the first coat.

How to patch the awning

1. Cut a patch of the same canvas, generously oversized so it laps well past the damage on all sides.
2. Make sure both surfaces are clean and dry. Old canvas carries wax, proofing and dirt; anything left behind ends up in the bond line.
3. Lay the awning out flat with something behind the hole so the patch cannot stick to the opposite face.
4. Apply Kwik Grip to both surfaces and spread it evenly, making sure the faces are completely covered. Patchy coverage is where these repairs fail.
5. Keep the surfaces apart until the adhesive is almost dry — approximately 20 minutes, and no more than 40.
6. Position the patch carefully. It grabs immediately on contact and you do not get a second attempt, so line it up before the faces touch, then press down working from one edge outwards to avoid trapping air.
7. Secure the bond by running a roller over it, or by hammering through a padded block from the centre outwards.
8. Leave it 24 hours to reach full cure before you roll the awning up or put it back into service.

For a small patch on porous canvas you can also use the wet-bonding method in the TDS: apply to one surface only, bring the pieces together and clamp until dry.

Limitations and cautions

• Do not use below 10 °C. If the product has been stored cold it may thicken; warm it to room temperature for 24 hours, or stand the can in the sun or in a bowl of hot water for a short period, stirring occasionally.
• Not for polyethylene or polypropylene plastics. If the awning is a PVC-coated or vinyl-faced fabric rather than plain canvas, test first — the TDS warns that some vinyl floor coverings are incompatible with solvent products, and the same caution applies to coated fabrics.
• Test compatibility on an offcut or an inconspicuous area before you commit to the visible repair.
• Solvent-based. Work in a well-ventilated area, and clean up wet adhesive with mineral turps. Let contents dry completely before disposal.

Selleys All Fix Multi Grip as the alternative

All Fix Multi Grip is the clear, general-purpose solvent glue Selleys also names for canvas repairs. It is worth considering where you want the glue line to be invisible rather than beige. Selleys has no published technical data sheet for All Fix Multi Grip, so we cannot quote open times, coverage or a cure schedule for it here — follow the directions printed on the pack. You will find the current range on the all-purpose glues page.

Common questions about gluing canvas to canvas

Will the repair stay flexible?

A contact adhesive lays down a thin, continuous film rather than a rigid bead, which is why Selleys nominates it for fabric work. Kwik Grip's technical data sheet describes the bond as durable, heat and water resistant.

Do I have to coat both pieces?

For the standard method, yes — apply to both surfaces and spread evenly, ensuring the surfaces are completely covered. The wet-bonding method (one surface, then clamp) is the exception, and it is intended for small areas or porous surfaces.

How long until I can pack the camper up?

Maximum bond strength is reached after 24 hours. Rolling the awning before then puts peel load on a bond that has not finished developing.

Can I use it in the middle of winter?

Not below 10 °C. The application temperature range is 10 °C to 35 °C.

What if the patch goes on crooked?

Contact adhesive grabs immediately, so there is no repositioning. On a larger patch, use the dowel trick from the TDS: hold the surfaces apart with dowels, align the edges, then remove the dowels one at a time and press down progressively.

How much do I need?

Coverage is 0.25 m² per 40 g of one surface, depending on porosity — and you are coating two surfaces. A 40 g tube covers a small patch comfortably; awning-scale work calls for the 400 g can.

How do I get it off my hands and tools?

Mineral turps removes wet adhesive. For dried Kwik Grip see how to remove Kwik Grip once dry.

Is there a broader guide to choosing between these glues?

Yes — see contact adhesives and glues and glue guide 101.