Plastic Duck Decoy Repair

Although plastic duck and goose decoys can take quite a bit of abuse, the time will come when repairs are necessary. Most often these repairs are due to a misplaced water swat at a cripple or perhaps the plastic has cracked where the keel joins the body. Repairing a crack where the keel joins the body can occur on older or lower quality decoys and will require closer attention than repairing a simple pellet hole.

Before starting any of the repair methods listed below wash the decoy with a scrub brush and a mild cleaner such as Simple Green or a natural citrus cleaner. Allow the decoy to thoroughly dry. This step is necessary for proper repair and for the follow up primer and paint to adhere.

Adhesives - Adhesives that can be used in decoy repair include: Sportsman's Goop, Guerilla Glue or Elmer's Polyurethane glue. These adhesives are a reliable method for sealing pellets holes and they are the second best method for the repair of cracks. The disadvantage of this repair method is the extended cure time of the adhesives listed above. The extended cured time is due to a chemical reaction-taking place.

Polypropylene Rope - To use polypropylene rope, hold the rope horizontally and with the end of rope on fire the polypropylene will melt and drip. Use these drippings to fill holes caused by pellets. Because it can be hard to control exactly where the rope drips on the decoy, you may want to use a piece of paper with a small hole in it as a stencil held directly over the pellet hole. Gloves are recommended when performing this method to avoid burns. This is a reliable and quick method to repair pellet holes but it is not recommended for repairing cracks.

Hot Glue - With a very fast cure time and good strength, we highly recommend using the hot glue method not only to repair pellet holes, but also cracks around a keel. The glue cures as it cools and is relatively inexpensive. Be sure to allow the glue gun to fully warm up as cool glue will not penetrate into the repair area, thus it will only harden on the very surface of the decoy. A hot glue gun and sticks of glue can be purchased for about $10. This is a reliable and quick method to repair pellet holes, and it is the second best method for repairing cracks in the decoy.

Soldering Iron - The best structural and permanent repair can be made using a soldering iron. This method is much like welding steel, except that you're welding plastic. This is the most difficult of the repair techniques listed to perform. This technique is performed by using the iron to smear existing material (plastic) into the repair area and then allowing it to cool. Be careful not make an existing hole bigger or push the iron through the plastic. A piece of similar plastic can be used as filler if necessary. Gloves are recommended when performing this method to avoid burns. Most soldering irons will heat to approximately 700 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the most reliable method for all plastic decoy repairs, but it is also the most time consuming.

Expanding Foam - Filling the entire decoy with expanding foam such as Great Stuff has been tried several times, but has never given us favorable results. The foam surprisingly adds considerable weight to the decoy, voids or air pockets can be left and excessive expansion can cause the decoy to look more like a basketball than a duck. Although this method sounds good we do not recommend it based upon our past experience.

Primer And Paint - After making these repairs the decoy is ready for a coat of primer and a proper coat of paint. A quality latex or oil based primer can be sprayed or painted on with a small brush or a Q-tip. After the primer is dry apply a coat of paint and the decoy is ready to go.

Hint: When using spray paint or primer you will want to use a sheet of paper with a small hole in it. By placing the hole over the repair area and applying the primer or color, overspray will not be of concern. This painting technique works very well for small areas such as pellet holes.

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