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The awning does not need proofed. Synthetic canvas works in a different way to cotton canvas and unless the lamination is breaking down from UV exposure, putting waterproofing on it is a complete waste of time and money.

The cotton canvas (?) Relum may not need proofing. Pitch it, soak it well...it may leak at this point...let it dry then try hosing it down again. Only if it leaks at this second hosing do you need to proof it. The first hosing weathers the canvas ie allows the fibres to plump up a bit. Only other reson to proof it is if you know the previous owners proofed it at some point. Once you start proofing cotton canvas you need to renew the proofer every five years or so.

Quote: Originally posted by labougie on 11/6/2010

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Aha! Many thanks for that. I was labouring under the misapprehension that canvas tents needed to be proofed if they'd been dry stored for a while, which this one certainly has. OK, I'll soak and test and see what happens.

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The dry storage can be a factor in that the cotton threads can dry out so far over an extended period of time that they can't swell up fast enough to close the canvas the first time they get wet after storage. Hence the suggestion that you reweather it (soak then dry it) before you test it for leakage. It's the same with brand new cotton canvas....it benefits from a soak and dry before being used for real.

Relums were made from very high quality canvas so my bet is that as long as it's not been mistreated at some time or is plain old worn out, it will be waterproof once reweathered.

Cracking little tent and just think what you saved on Fabsil, eh?

You can get little plastic Mexican hat things to pop over the pins btw.