Save Your Carpeting: How to Fix and Properly Repair a Waterbed Bladder Leak

This is the 3rd part of our 3 part blog series on repairing a waterbed mattress:
#1: When is it Ok to repair my waterbed bladder with a patch kit?
#2: How to correctly find the spot of a leak in a waterbed bladder mattres

We always recommend taking your waterbed mattress to a store and have it done professionally. For those risk takers, repair at your own risk.

How to repair the hole in a waterbed mattress using a vinyl repair kit. Only use a vinyl repair kit. Do not use a rubber repair kit; they do not hold and you usually only get one chance for the patch to stick.

• Assuming you have located the hole in your water mattress and circled it the first step will be to clean the vinyl mattress surface with clean water or alcohol.
• If the leaking hole is less than ¼ of an inch in size the leak may be repairable. The idea is not to have a huge patch so it will be pliable and flexible. If the hole is round (like a pinhole leak) cut the vinyl patch in the shape of a nickel or quarter. Buy cutting the patch in the way it will eliminate corners that can catch and tear loose causing the waterbed patch to not hold.
• If the leaking hole in the waterbed mattress is a straight line cut or tear less than 1/4 inch in size then cut the patch in an oblong or oval shape, again with no pointed edges that can catch on bedding.
• Apply vinyl adhesive to both patch and the mattress surface area to be repaired. Let vinyl glue start to set up and become tacky and even hazy in color.
• Put the waterbed vinyl patch on to the waterbed bed surface.
• Most patches should sit and dry for an hour or so to assure a good bond. Read the directions on the patch kit for exact dry time.
• Another thing we like to do is once the original patch has dried we will run a consistent bead of vinyl glue all the way around the patches edge. Again let sit until the patch is dry. This additional step helps to hold down the edge of the patch.
• Fill mattress to correct fill level and regularly check to make sure the waterbed repair kit has held and is not leaking. This can last for many years. We never recommend repairing mattresses that are between10- 12 years of age or older. Waterbed mattresses are very cheep to replace especially when compared to regular mattress and boxsprings.

Always be sure to follow patch kits instructions for proper water mattress repairs.

Have you ever had a waterbed leak? Did you repair it or just buy a new water mattress? Leave your comment below or email us.