How thick is the vinyl strapping material?
Our vinyl strapping is made in the USA of 100% virgin vinyl with no plastic fillers or recycled material. The 1.5" and 2" wide vinyl measures .110 in thickness. The vinyl strapping offered by Chair Care Patio is the best quality vinyl strapping you can buy. You will see and feel the difference. You are welcome to order FREE samples of our vinyl strapping material before you place you order.
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How long will my vinyl strapping last?
The answer truly depends on how you take care of your vinyl strap patio furniture and what conditions the vinyl strap material must endure. The biggest enemy of vinyl is the UV rays of the sun. The UV rays of the sun will cause the vinyl strapping on your patio chairs and chaises to fade and become fry and brittle. You also need to keep the vinyl clean. Body oils and suntan lotions in combination with the UV rays of the sun will stain your vinyl. Over the last 16 years we have seen our customers get 5 - 15 years out of their vinyl depending on conditions.
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Why do you have to cut the strap shorter than the hole-to-hole measurement?
Vinyl straps should never be installed at 100% of the hole-to-hole measurement. They need to be cut 10-15% shorter. The vinyl strap will be placed in boiling water to make it soft and stretchable like a rubber band. After the vinyl strap is installed on the frame and has cooled down, it contracts to make it firm and tight on the frame. If the vinyl strap in not cut shorter it will be too loose and baggy on the frame.
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Is the vinyl hard to install?
Depending on your skill level, vinyl strap replacement is really not that difficult to install for the average home owner. Single wrap vinyl strap installation is a bit easier than the double wrap vinyl strap installation method. Chair Care Patio provides you with detailed instructions on how to measure cut and install your vinyl strapping no matter how your vinyl is attached to the patio chair frame.
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What rivet do I need?
Chair Care Patio offers 3 different vinyl trap installation rivets on our web site. We suggest using the short shank rivet for the single wrap, vinyl strap installation, as the rivet only need to pass through the thickness of the vinyl strap and the thickness of the patio chair tubing. If you have PVC furniture, then we suggest using the long shank rivet as the wall of the PVC is quite thick so the rivet must be long enough to pass through the vinyl thickness and the PVC wall thickness. If you are installing your vinyl strap using the double wrap method, we suggest using the solid shank rivet. We like using this rivet because it is much tougher rivet for this application. The solid shank rivet does not need to have a barb on the end. Part of what holds double wrap vinyl to the frame is the friction of the vinyl wrapping on top of itself. Please see our how to section of the website for more detailed installation instructions.
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My vinyl is notched on the end or looks like and arrow head. How do I install my strap?
This type of installation is called a slotted conversion. It's not necessary to notch the vinyl strap again as it originally came from the manufacturer. An easier way to install replacement strapping is to drill a hole in the frame, a hole in the strap, and use a plastic rivet to install your new vinyl strap on your patio chair. It's easier and quicker to install the vinyl strap material this way rather than precutting the notch shape on each end of the strap. Refinishers across the country have been using this method for years.
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Can I get color samples?
We realize that vinyl strap colors are very difficult to view on your computer monitor. We would prefer to send you samples if you are not sure about color and avoid returns and restocking fees. Our handy FREE vinyl strapping sample order form makes it easy for everyone. Complete the information and select your FREE vinyl strap samples. (a limit of 4 please) We'll get those out to you by US Mail ASAP!
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Do I have to heat the vinyl strapping before installing?
The vinyl strapping material must be hot or you will never stretch it onto the patio furniture frame. The water should be almost to a boil or low simmer. When you start to see small bubbles coming up from the bottom the water should be hot enough. No need for a rolling boil. If you have a problem and can't get the strap installed while the strap is still hot, just toss it back into the water. The straps will not be harmed if they sit in the pot for a while.
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How should I clean my vinyl strap patio furniture?
Never use bleach based products on your vinyl or dip the chairs in your pool to clean them. The chlorine will cause your vinyl to fade and dry out prematurely. You should use a mild cleaner/degreaser such as Fantastic, 409 or Simple Green. Chair Care Patio also offers a really great cleaner called Casual Clean that is specifically made to clean vinyl. You can find this on our website in the miscellaneous parts section.
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I have some old vinyl straps that are discolored. What can I do?
Once the vinyl strap has discolored, there is really nothing that will clean it to bring it back to life. Body oils, suntan lotions and the UV rays of the sun have permanently stained the vinyl. Using bleach-based products will only make it worse.
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My vinyl is very narrow. It measures 5/8" or 1" wide.
This type of vinyl is called lacing and can be found under the vinyl lacing section of our website. This narrow vinyl is typically used as a lacing and woven into one continuous pattern onto the chair frame.
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My vinyl width doesn't measure 1.5 or 2" it's in between.
When vinyl strapping is heated and is stretched onto the patio chair frame it narrows down a bit. The vinyl width probably started out as 1 ½" or 2" and stretched down when installed. Many years ago, 1 3/8" vinyl strapping was very common. However, this width is no longer manufactured. You will need to use 1 ½”" wide vinyl. The spacing between the straps will be closer together after installation.
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Can you match the vinyl on my chairs?
If you purchased your furniture from one of the big box stores, it is unlikely that we will be able to match the vinyl strapping. This furniture was imported from China and made available from stores such as Lowes, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Target and Costco to name a few. Patio Furniture replacement parts and replacement strapping are not available for these products. Your best alternative is to replace all the vinyl strapping on the patio chair or chaise so everything matches.
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How quickly will Chair Care Patio ship my vinyl strapping or patio furniture replacement parts order?
90% of vinyl and patio furniture replacement parts orders are shipped within a day or two after they are placed on the website. However, during peak season, processing may take a little longer. If you require an expedited shipment, we will gladly accommodate your request. Indicate the method of shipping when you place your order and we will get your shipment processed ASAP. Please call us during business hours for special shipping requests. We will try to give you a general idea of how long it will take when we receive your order.
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Do you ship vinyl strapping and patio furniture repair parts to Canada?
Yes, we now can ship to Canada but once you place your order, we will contact you with shipping options and pricing by phone. We have found that there are some pretty severe charges placed on shipping and we have had customers receive packages from us along with a nasty surprise in the form of additional shipping charges. We need some additional information from you to manage these shipping issues and to arrange a more cost effective delivery.
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Can I use a replacement sling instead of vinyl strapping on my patio chair or chaise?
To date, there is now way of retrofitting and vinyl strap patio chair to a sling chair. If this product ever becomes available, you can be sure that it will be available from Chair Care Patio
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