View Full Version : Question about TyVek
Stitches
05-16-2016, 19:18
I procured a nice sheet of TyVek from a builder in my neighborhood. It's pretty stiff! If I crumple it up a bunch of times, maybe get it dirty, too, will it be easier to pack in a small folded packet? That won't damage it, will it? What words of wisdom do you have?
country99
05-16-2016, 19:31
wash it in the washing machine....
A couple of times and don't cut it to size until afterwards
Step 1: Run through the washer on cold water with no detergent and no fabric softener.
Step 2: Put in dryer on low to no heat with tennis balls or an old pair of shoes. Dance to the rhythm of the thud in the dryer.
Step 3: Repeat steps 1 and 2 until adequate level of softness is reached.
(Note: Tyvek will shrink so wait to do any modifications to the material until after the steps above are complete.)
I just roll it up and twisted as if you were wringing a towel
left52side
05-17-2016, 06:23
One mistake people make when washing tyvek is that dont make sure the material is fully submersed in the water in the washer.
If you just throw it in the washer and turn it on there will be piece still stiff that did not get wet.
M
Using a washing machine to soften TYVEK is wasteful and unnecessary. Just crumple and twisted your TYVEK manually and it will be soft and quiet in a fraction of the time it takes to run a wash cycle. Zero water and zero electricity wasted.
It consistently confounds me that a group of people who will walk hundreds of miles, sleep out of doors, cook on a catfood can or generally find the least convenient method of doing almost everything feels that they need to use a washing machine to do a job that takes 10 minutes manually.
orthofingers
05-17-2016, 10:08
I'm with you OCDave, except I'm lazier (if that's a word). I've used tyvek for years as a ground cloth, sit sheet etc. in fact, the first hammock I made I used tyvek. (I've even used thousands of square feet of it for its intended purpose.)
After you sleep on it, hang in it, stuff it in your pack for a couple of days, it becomes quiet and no longer stiff. I think I'll call it the LPTT (Lazy Person's Tyvek Treatment).