Looking for a guide to waterproofing canvas tents, you are the right place. For many years, when I go for a hike or hunting, I struggled with keeping my canvas tents waterproof. Although, I only use them one or two times a year, but as time passed their condition got worse.
So, I have to find a solution to use that tent once again. So I looked at how to waterproof canvas tents.
Do Canvas Tents Need Waterproofing?
Yes, canvas tents need Waterproofing, although canvas is a durable material that consists of water-resisting properties. But the manufacturer put millions of holes in it with a sewing machine and allowed the tent to leak and thereby attracting mildew. Mildew is a form of fungus and it causes discomfort to people with existing allergies. You are quite familiar with the bad smell from any tent or any products if you touch them after a long time.
In your lifetime you never want that mildew, it destroys your tent and you have to buy another expensive tent. So the only option is to waterproof the canvas tent. But before waterproofing canvas tents, you should if all canvas tents are the same.
Signs your canvas tents need waterproofing
When your Canvas tent starts getting tight around the corner, is the first indication that you need to waterproof your Canvas tent.
If you see any mildew inside the tent’s corner, you need to act fast and get it ready for waterproofing. The longer you weigh the smell starts getting worse and it increases faster in high moisture areas.
If you want to know more lightweight tents and which one to buy. you could check here for Best Ultralight Tents for 2 people.
How Often Should You Waterproof Canvas tents?
If you thought that waterproofing one time and it will live forever, you could be not more wrong. It starts with the time you buy it and it wants to maintain requirements throughout its lifetime.
To increase the lifetime of the canvas tents you need to Waterproof them after 12 months every year, it doesn’t matter if you are not using them once or twice a year.
If you are frequently using canvas tents like in desert or rainfall areas, you need to Waterproof and season the tent after 4 months. If not, canvas tent corners start getting right and you have a hard time standing it.
If canvas tents are mostly used in rainfall, it increases the attraction of mildew, and to stop that you have to Waterproof it after every 3 months.
Traditional vs Modern Canvas tents Waterproofing
In traditional canvas tents, only cotton material was used in manufacturing canvas tents. In traditional canvas tents, cotton gets wet the fibers swell, and seal the weave. It is a good option but mildew is spread widely. If you have an. Old traditional canvas tents, you definitely need Waterproofing otherwise water will leak resulting in the spreading of mildew.
In modern canvas tents, vinyl-coated polyester or acrylic material is used in manufacturing canvas tents as they have strong water-resistant properties. But when these are manufactured, they need additional ventilation to hold the weave and it causes in water leaking problem.
It doesn’t matter if you have a new or traditional canvas tent, you have to waterproof canvas tents. If you don’t water will sweep through the tiny holes made when stitching and attract mildew. If you have bought a new tent your dealer has given his opinion on waterproofing and seasoning a canvas tent. If you get that you could skip the next topic, if not let’s recap.
Seasoning canvas Tent vs Waterproofing canvas tent
The first thing to do after buying a canvas tent is seasoning it. It is a process to seal the tiny holes made by the manufacturer through the stitching. No canvas tents come Waterproof out of the box, you have to do it.
If you are an old consumer of canvas tents, you need to have the perfect instruction for waterproofing canvas tents.
If you have recently purchased a canvas tent maybe your dealer has given you the instructions on how to make your canvas tent fully waterproof, if not we are here for you.
Seasoning Your CanvasTent
If you just bought a canvas tent, you have to season it. You do not need any additional products to season your canvas tent.
- Set up your canvas tent and you have to replicate rain with a sprinkler hose.
- Go inside the tent and stay water in the corners or the tent.
- If you have ongoing rain outward, you could use that as your advantage for seasoning your tent.
- Dry your tent naturally and do this procedure twice.
- It will seal the thread and you’ll have a better camping experience in your waterproof canvas tent.
Canvas tents Waterproofing products
The perfect waterproofing products do not affect the breathability of the fiber, not it catches fire quickly as in your tent you may smoke or make coffee when there is a rainfall outside. You have to be careful before selecting the water repellent spray and also how much you have to but to Fully Waterproof every inch of your canvas tent.
The size of the spray depends on the size of the canvas tent, so if you have a large tent you probably should buy 2-3 bottles of water repellent spray. (i personally used ) Star Brite Waterproofing Spray and the after-effects were magical.
Not only my Waterproof lasted longer, but it also did not make my canvas tent unbreathable, and also it has UV rays protection. No water repellent spray could do all these things.
Now, we the most important product for Waterproofing our canvas tent, let’s start with the process.
Waterproofing Canvas tents
- Only begin on a sunny day and set up your tent.
- I brushed with soap as mine was covered with dirt and clean off gently every inch of the tent.
- Don’t use force, you could easily tear the fabric
- Use the water repellent spray on every part of the tent and especially on the corners.
- You to add an extra layer of water repellent spray on the corners.
- Use any brush and gently touch on every part of the tent.
- After few hours it will dry off and you’ll have a waterproof canvas tent, ready for your Hiking adventure.
