If your trampoline started to look like Pringles, I have news for you. Your trampoline has started to bend. Why is my trampoline bending, you ask? The trampoline is either experiencing excessive loads or cracks opening up in the trampoline frame.
Why did it happen? Well, it could be because of a myriad of issues. From improper installations to bad weather, anything could have caused it. But the most likely reason would be the defects in manufacturing.
The good news is that most bends are fixable. I hope you haven’t thrown it out yet. Only a few replacements and getting some parts back into shape are enough to fix it.
Why Is the Trampoline Bowing?
We can point out a few reasons, but mainly there are two. It’s either the poor-quality materials used in the frames or the bad weather damaging the poles and mats.
It can happen to brand-new trampolines if there’s a manufacturing defect or you’ve overloaded the trampoline past its tolerable limit.
Issues That Cause a Trampoline to Bend
Weather Damage
You can expect a trampoline to get severely damaged from extreme wind, snow, or even rain. But trampoline bends occur mostly after heavy snow is collected on the mat and weighed down. Extreme winds can also damage it by pulling it away from its position and bending the poles.
Overload
Even the brand-new trampolines will break if you’re disciplined about allowing a limited number of people at a time.
Poor Installation
This is a rare issue but happens more often than you may think. If you don’t set the legs down on level ground, any imbalance or extra pressure in a bad spot will cause damage to the mat.
Poor Quality Materials
Buying cheap things is good when it’s not a product for daily use. But it’s never a good idea when it’s a product you’ll regularly use, especially, if it’s going to deal with dozens of users.
Can You Fix a Bent Trampoline?
If the trampoline is in one piece and there’s no significant damage to the poles and the mat, you can definitely fix it up.
You could do it yourself if you have the tools. It can be tricky to deal with. For example, when you will be straightening the bent poles, they can break if you’re not careful.
If there are any cracks near the bends, I’m afraid there is no hope. You’ve got to replace them.
One other crucial thing is the right technique for replacing the mat with a new one. We’ll be describing the process in detail in a separate point.
How to Fix a Bent Trampoline: Solutions
How you’re going to approach a solution will depend on the cause. As discussed above, there are a few different causes. Let’s cover all of them one by one.
Situation 1: Bent or Broken Poles
When the trampoline has been knocked over or hit by the wind terribly, it’s not uncommon to see bent or broken poles. And they are the main reason why a trampoline starts to bend.
If the poles are broken, get replacements. There are no other ways around it, I’m afraid.
To fix the poles, you don’t need much. Find a solid stable surface and fix a sturdy clamp on it. It’ll help to straighten out the poles.
I should warn you that bent poles can easily crack if you don’t deal with them with a light hand.
Situation 2: Torn or Warped Trampoline Mat
When the poles are okay, it’s the trampoline mat that got messed up. You may not know, but a properly fitted mat is vital to the overall structure of a trampoline frame.
If the mat has lost its durability and hangs down in some spots, you need to replace it. It could have been repaired if it was only torn apart in the middle or from the frame.
Whatever the issue is, I’d suggest buying a new mat and replacing the old one. Here’s a guideline on how you can replace it.
- First, you’ll remove the springs from the mat or from the frame. Taking the springs off of the frame is easier.
- Now, how you take off the springs is vital.
- You need to ensure that the order of spring removal is maintained so that there is no extra pressure on other springs.
- Divide the trampoline into 4 quarters. Take one spring from each corner of the quarters.
- Remove a pair first, then the second pair.
- After that, remove every other spring and their opposite ones consecutively.
- The process will make sure that the springs do not feel too much pressure from the disconnection of the other end.
Bring the new mat and follow the same order to connect the springs to the mat. This will ensure that your springs do not get stretched too much and also prevent any warps to the brand-new mat.
Final Words
So, those with the question “Why is my trampoline bending?” should have realized by now that it’s probably not their fault, at least most of the time. Don’t overload the trampoline if you want to keep it functional.
And living in an area prone to extreme winds requires you to tie down the trampoline with extra reinforcements at all times.
Last Updated on May 3, 2023