View Full Version : Tent waterproofing - help for a boyscout project?
My 13 yo son is doing a project for advancement to Life Scout rank- and that is to waterproof the troops tents. You guys are the real experts in this area- what is the best method, or product that has worked in your experiences? Any products to stay far away from?
Thanks so much in advance, I love reading all the collective wisdom here!
Songster
envirodiver
05-12-2008, 15:37
Are they double wall tents? What kind of tents? If they are not silnylon rainflys he can likely get by with using a seamsealer along all of the sewn seams. If they are silnylon he will have to use a seam sealer that is made for silnylon.
big_muddy
05-12-2008, 15:42
How old are these tents. Most modern tents don't need to be re-waterproofed.
It's gonna depend on the tent and (as said before) what it is made of. I would defer to the manufacturer and ask for suggestions on the specific model.
sofaking
05-12-2008, 16:00
it's only boy scouts, they need to get wet.
Squeamish
05-12-2008, 16:27
Hey sofaking, I am a boy scout and like to stay dry:) But I do like to go for walks and do garden work in the rain. Like all the others said, type of tent and fabric depend on what you want to use. Most likely a seam-sealing product should do the trick. You can get it at almost any online retailer (REI?). Good luck on getting Life. Next... Eagle!!!
Frolicking Dinosaurs
05-12-2008, 16:41
If it is made of poly-coated nylon, waterproof it with a retail waterproofer. If it is silnylon, mix clear silicon caulk (used to seal bathtubs and showers) with mineral spirits. I use 2 part mineral spirits to 1 part caulk, but many use half & half. If he is redoing the waterproofing on a canvas tent, spay products can be found in the camping supply area of large department stores and in the lawn and garden area (used on awnings and umbrellas)
sofaking
05-12-2008, 17:28
Hey sofaking, I am a boy scout and like to stay dry:) But I do like to go for walks and do garden work in the rain. Like all the others said, type of tent and fabric depend on what you want to use. Most likely a seam-sealing product should do the trick. You can get it at almost any online retailer (REI?). Good luck on getting Life. Next... Eagle!!!
gotta pay your dues kiddo...go on your snipe hunts, find the smoke shifter, lose your pocket knife in a poker game, all the stuff that makes scouts timeless...like getting wet for a whole weekend and laughing at the kid that whines about not having fun.
envirodiver
05-12-2008, 17:37
My 13 yo son is doing a project for advancement to Life Scout rank- and that is to waterproof the troops tents. You guys are the real experts in this area- what is the best method, or product that has worked in your experiences? Any products to stay far away from?
Thanks so much in advance, I love reading all the collective wisdom here!
Songster
On reflection why is Dad doing son's project?
Shouldn't he be the one researching this information?
Well, this is *mom* asking for help, I came here because I wanted to ask the experts. His Scoutmaster requested me to assist him in this- so I am.
Thanks to everyone else for the advice, I appreciate it! Yes, on to Eagle!
Wise Old Owl
05-12-2008, 23:32
Stear him, don't lead. Show him how to look up the information. In short teach him to fish, don't give him a fish -
LIhikers
05-13-2008, 06:55
Check with the manufacturer of the tent. Whatever product he uses is going to have to be compatible not only with the fabric the tent is made of but also with the waterproofing that was applied when the tent was built. When my wife and I had to waterproof a tent, the manufacturer had us use a product called Recoat.
hopefulhiker
05-13-2008, 08:36
Henry Shires on his site, tarptent.com, has a good recipe for waterproof coating... cheap too... just go and get a tube of clear silicone like they use for bathtubs and windows, and a small can of paint thinner... Get something to mix the two, put a dab of silicone down and pour a litte paint thinner on it.. get a small paint brush and mix the two together until it is like a paintable consitency. Paint over the stiching in the seams, let it dry, and then you might want to apply a second coat..
The main advantage of this is price.. It costs hundreds of times less for big projects than buying a little tube of premixed seam sealer..
I used this method on my tent during by thru hike in 05.. No problems for the whole hike..
Also it was so wet at the beginning of my hike that I ended up using the same stuff to completely waterproof my boots.. It wore off and I had to reseal them about every two weeks.... At Standing Indian, they let me use their silicone and paint thinner!
TN_Hiker
05-13-2008, 08:45
The troop quartermaster should be an ideal resource on how and what to use.