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Topic: Advice please - waterproofing a tent

topsy75

05/9/2010 at 9:26am
Location: northeast
Outfit: 1988 vw lt35 70's inflatable tent

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Hi folks,
Just been given a early seventies inflatable tent (the poles inflate, not the whole tent, and the canvas is stretched between the poles) which apart from a few marks on the canvas is in perfect condition - except it isn't waterproof....
I've looked into waterproofing products, but the range seems quite large and very confusing, to me anyway.
It's made from old heavy canvas, so what would be the best way/product of making this lovely vintage tent waterproof so it can be used again, it seems a shame to have such a lovely piece of kit and not use it!
Hope someone has more knowledge than me....

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sunvalleysue

05/9/2010 at 9:54am
Location: The Love Shack
Outfit: BearLake 6 and a hot water bottle.

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Fabsil is what you want.Either paint it on or spray it on.I would have thought the best method for an all over reproofing is to paint it on.

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Sue & Phil
--------------------- I Love My AeroBed

cathyh

05/9/2010 at 2:37pm
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Is it definitely not waterproof?
It's just that sometimes, old canvas needs reweathering and it will become waterproof again. To weather it, just give it a good soaking, let it dry then try wetting it again. If it still lets water in, then yes, it does need waterproofing.

topsy75

05/9/2010 at 3:26pm
Location: northeast
Outfit: 1988 vw lt35 70's inflatable tent

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cheers for the info, will try weathering it, if that fails, will try the fabsil....

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JK98

06/9/2010 at 1:45am
Location: Coventry
Outfit: Cabanon Elody & Julie & Combicamp

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Hi Topsy & welcome to the forum

Wow, you've acquired a lovely old Igloo tent My friend used one of these back in the 70's & she loved it so much that even after she bought a frame tent, she wouldn't sell her Igloo - she's still got it now.

What Cathy says is spot on. Soak it well with a hose pipe, let it dry thoroughly, then soak it again while someone is inside it to check whether any spray is coming through. The second soaking should make the fibres expand again & it should be waterproof then.

Let us know how you get on.

-------------
Jean

topsy75

06/9/2010 at 6:56am
Location: northeast
Outfit: 1988 vw lt35 70's inflatable tent

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thanks - hopefully will be doing the weathering on wednesday.... will let you know how it goes!

The tent is great, the instructions (yes, it came with the original black and white instruction pamphlet!) say it's a europleasure pneumatic igloo 4 tent, which i think means 4 sided... I'm delighted with it as I've not long sold my classic vw camper van, so to have something vintage again for camping is super

We also got given the 80's folding raleigh shopper bike that's in the photo, which is getting stripped down - it's going to be my first restro project.
Both were off freecycle, it's the only time someone has replied when i've responded to an offer add.... you can guess how chuffed I was when I found out the tent still worked!
Already been offered silly money for the tent, but it's not for sale, I love going through the round door too much

cathyh

06/9/2010 at 8:26am
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Freecycle!!!!

My goodness, how jammy is that? Well done

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topsy75

06/9/2010 at 10:16am
Location: northeast
Outfit: 1988 vw lt35 70's inflatable tent

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has an unexpected couple of hours off today so just put the tent up and soaked it - it's only come through in a few places so finger crossed that after it's dried it won't come through at all on the next soaking!

topsy75

06/9/2010 at 6:15pm
Location: northeast
Outfit: 1988 vw lt35 70's inflatable tent

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latest update - just got the tent in after it dried before the torrential rain started... and, there's only two little patches smaller than a 50p bit where the water came through on the second soaking... will waterproof it anyway next time we put it up but for now i'm very happy.... thanks for the advice xx

annac77

06/9/2010 at 7:50pm
Location: west yorkshire
Outfit: tent - ultracamp asquith 4

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Hi there,

I have always used nik wax to waterproof tents, it works on both old canvas and the newer nylon tents, quite cheap too. Hope you are enjoying your tent. Good luck :-)

-------------
Anna C

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