Numerous folks consider canvas tents aren’t waterproof.
And whereas they don’t come waterproof straight out of the field, there are a few issues you are able to do to make them as impervious to water as nylon and polyester tenting tents are.
There are two strategies of reaching that – seasoning and waterproofing. On this article, I’ll cowl what every of those strategies does and how you can waterproof a canvas tent at dwelling.
Seasoning Vs. Waterproofing
Canvas has some pure water resistance.
Identical to wooden, cotton fibers swell as soon as they get moist, so the drops don’t get by means of the weave. Nevertheless, don’t anticipate a canvas tent to maintain you dry throughout a rainstorm.
Right here’s why:
All through the manufacturing course of, completely different items of cloth are sewn collectively to make a tent. The method entails quite a lot of stitching, and all over the place the needle pierces by means of the canvas, it creates a tiny gap.
These holes are what’s letting within the water drops.
However, there’s one thing you are able to do to forestall waking up in a pool of water if it begins raining in a single day.
Really, there are two strategies you’ll be able to implement – seasoning and waterproofing your canvas tent.
First, let’s break down what every of those means.
Seasoning a canvas tent has nothing to do with including salt, pepper and different spices to your tent, though it would sound like that.
Seasoning means getting ready your canvas tent for various seasons, together with moist climate.
As beforehand talked about, the stitching course of creates loads of needle holes that finally enable water to get by means of. Seasoning a tent will scale back the dimensions of the holes and stop your canvas tent from leaking.
It’s easy to do – mainly, you’re preventing hearth with hearth. Nicely, on this case, you’re preventing water with water.
Bear in mind how I in contrast canvas to wooden? Nicely, when saturated in water, cotton swells and similar to that – all these needle holes are gone.
So all it is advisable to do is soak your tent a few occasions, and there you’ve it – a water-proof tent.
Now, you is perhaps questioning – if seasoning makes your tent impervious to water, what does waterproofing do?
This technique implies utilizing some type of a waterproofing product in your canvas tent. One of these product does a very good job of sealing all of the needle holes.
In actual fact, they do it too effectively. In consequence, the canvas is not breathable.
But when that’s the case, why would anybody go for waterproofing as a substitute of seasoning?
Once you first purchase a canvas tent, seasoning is a should if you wish to maintain the water out of your tent.
Nevertheless, an previous tent merely received’t be as impervious to water because it was once when it was new.
On this case, you’ll want to make use of a waterproofing product on it.
How To Season A Canvas Tent In 5 Straightforward Steps
Seasoning a canvas tent is a chunk of cake.
You’ll want three issues: a water hose, a yard and a little bit of persistence.
Let’s see what it is advisable to do, step-by-step.
Step 1: Pitch your tent
Discover a appropriate place in your yard to arrange your tent.
It should keep there for just a few days, so do it someplace the place it received’t stand in the way in which. In the event you don’t need your children to by chance knock it down with a soccer, it’s most likely higher to pitch it within the nook, proper?
Remember the fact that the balcony received’t do, irrespective of how giant. You’ll want a correct yard, and in case you don’t have one, you’ll must ask a pal or relative to allow you to pitch the tent in theirs.
Set it up similar to you’ll when tenting.
Stretch out the canvas as a lot as potential, then shut all of the doorways and home windows.
Step 2: Soak the canvas
Okay, now that you’ve every part prepared, it’s time to get the tent soaked.
Theoretically, you may regulate the climate forecast and pitch your tent up simply earlier than a rainstorm. Nevertheless, the rain won’t final lengthy sufficient to soak the tent utterly.
Plus, nobody can know for certain in case your tent may have sufficient time to dry out earlier than the subsequent drizzle.
Subsequently, ready for an extended interval of sunny days is a a lot better possibility.
To get the tent soaking moist, use a water hose. Be certain each little bit of the canvas is drenched to the bone.
That is particularly vital for seams. These are the locations the place water often finds its means by means of, so seasoning the tent seams is a should.
To soak the tent you’ll want at the least 5 minutes of hosing. The extra, the higher.
After you’re performed, open the doorways and take a look at the canvas. If there are any areas the place the solar peaks by means of the needle holes, these locations want some additional soaking.
Don’t fear, there’s no such factor as drenching your tent an excessive amount of. In actual fact, it’s at all times higher to do some additional soaking the primary time you’re seasoning a tent.
Step 3: Repeat the method
I stated that sunny days are one of the best time to season a tent. Relying on how scorching it’s, it’ll take wherever from 4 to 24 hours to air dry.
However you don’t need the solar to only dry it. Ideally, you need the canvas to get baked. By baked, I imply scorching to the contact.
With somewhat little bit of luck, the climate might be in your facet and your tent might be blazing after just a few hours spent within the solar.
As soon as that occurs, it’s time to repeat the entire course of.
Alter the tent if wanted, to ensure each little bit of canvas is stretched tightly.
As soon as once more, be certain the doorways and home windows are correctly closed, then seize your water hose once more.
You’re about to “shock” your tent with the cold-hot-cold therapy. This can assist the canvas threads swell much more and, hopefully, shorten your seasoning course of.
After one other 10 minute hosing session, let the tent air dry. Once more.
Step 4: Take a look at time
For many tents, it takes about three to 4 soakings and bakings for the canvas to develop into waterproof.
However even in case you’ve repeated the method a number of occasions, at all times test your end result earlier than tenting. The very last thing you need is to search out out a few leak throughout a rainstorm within the woods, proper?
At this stage, pitching a tent when it’s about to rain is a good suggestion. There’s no higher strategy to test if the seasoning course of labored.
In the event you’re unfortunate with the forecast, simulate a rainfall with a hose once more.
After the tent will get moist, open the doorways and look inside. Ideally, there shouldn’t be any leaks. In the event you do discover one, nevertheless, then it’s time to use a waterproofing product to that space.
Step 5: Air dry and pack it up
And that’s it!
After a few seasoning classes and presumably the assistance of a waterproofing spray, your tent is prepared.
As soon as it’s utterly dry, pack it up till you’re able to try it out within the discipline.
Nevertheless, don’t anticipate the seasoning to final eternally. You need to repeat this course of each 12 months or so, to extend your tent’s life.
How To Waterproof A Canvas Tent In 4 Straightforward Steps
With time, your canvas tent will lose its water-resisting skill, even when seasoned yearly.
This tent cloth merely wears down finally and the fibers don’t swell as a lot when moist. That’s when it is advisable to get a waterproofing product to maintain the water out of the tent.
There are several types of these merchandise in the marketplace.
In the event you solely have to apply it to sure areas which are letting the water by means of, then a waterproofing spray is an efficient possibility.
Alternatively, for big surfaces, you may get a bottle of focus that may be rolled on.
There are additionally merchandise specifically designed for seam sealing.
As you recognize, seams usually tend to let the water by means of. That is much more true for canvas tents, as their seams aren’t factory-sealed, like they’re on a nylon tent.
Right here’s how you can apply tent waterproofing spray and a seam sealant to a canvas tent:
Step 1: Place a tent on a flat floor
Take your tent and unfold the canvas throughout a flat floor in your yard.
Ideally, you’ll need to do it on a sunny spot, which can assist with drying.
Step 2: Cleansing time
The tent must be clear earlier than making use of a product.
Which means eradicating any filth or soil left out of your final tenting journey.
For cleansing canvas, cleaning soap and water will do the trick. Use a tough bristle brush if it is advisable to take away a stain.
In case of extraordinarily persistent filth spots, a stress washer is perhaps the best choice.
Step 3: Apply a product
Absolutely saturate a waterproofing product on the specified space, whether or not it’s solely the weak spots or the complete tent.
Apply a seam sealer on the seams. Use a mushy bristle brush to correctly impregnate these areas, in order that there’s no chance of leakage.
After you’re performed, let it air dry.
Step 4: Hose it off
It’s time to make it rain once more.
Take your hose and pour the water down the tent.
You need to have the ability to see droplets gliding off the tent materials. If that occurs, you probably did an amazing job at waterproofing your canvas tent.
To Wrap It Up
Opposite to fashionable opinion, canvas tents can maintain you dry throughout a rainstorm.
Not like nylon tents, it’s not prepared to resist water straight from the manufacturing facility, however the course of of constructing it waterproof is easy.
With somewhat time and water, anybody can do it at dwelling.
