Most people who own a canvas tent will know that from time to time the canvas will need reproofing in order to keep it waterproof. Here are a few tips on waterproofing your canvas tent, follow them and you should have no problems with the procedure. If you have a nylon (polyester) tent, the steps are basically the same but you'll find that the tent dries faster than canvas tents.
When To Reproof?
Some signs that your tent needs to be reproofed are: the canvas becomes soaked by rain, which no longer beads up and runs off the canvas. Drops of water pass through the tent outer without it being touched. It hasn't been reproofed for several years.
Preparation
You will need to wait for dry weather before you start the reproofing process. Before you start to waterproof your tent, you need to make sure that the canvas is really clean. Using a clean brush, brushed off loose dirt endorsed and sponge the canvas down with either clean water or a purpose made cleaning solution such as Fabsil Universal Cleaner or Grangers tent and awning cleaner.
 |
No items matching your keywords were found.
This solution will ensure that your canvas is really clean, but the downside to using this cleaning solution is that you have to make sure all of the solution is rinsed off your canvas otherwise the reproofing may not work out very well. Let the canvas dry out completely before moving onto the reproofing stage.
Reproofing
For reproofing the canvas choose a silicone based proofer such as Fabsil or Fabsil Gold.
US $15.80
They are very similar products, however Fabsil Gold has a higher concentration of silicone and therefore has an bit more waterproofing power. 1 litre of the proofing liquid covers about 7.5 square metres of light weight canvas, 5 square metres of medium weight canvas or 18 square metres of nylon. A 2 person tent is roughly 6 square metres. Small tents and small areas of canvas which need reproofing can be treated with Fabsil in aerosol form. Larger areas will need to be treated by using a container of proofer solution and a clean paintbrush to apply the proofer. Apply the proofer to the canvas, using a clean cloth to rub any droplets which form into the canvas. Make sure that you cover the whole area of the fabric, and do not miss any parts out. The solution is flammable, so avoid heat sources when using it and keep it out of the reach of children.
Once you have covered all of the fabric with the proofing solution, you must leave it to dry out thoroughly before putting the tent away or before getting it wet. If you follow these steps correctly your tent should now be fully waterproof once again. If you find that the tent is not sufficiently waterproof, you can repeat the proofing process after rinsing the dirt off with clean water and letting the canvas dry out before proofing again.
Once the tent has been reproofed, it is a good idea to keep it clean to maintain the waterproof qualities and to avoid any soap or detergent coming into contact with the canvas, including children's bubble solution.