Any suggestions on how to waterproof a tent?

Question

Store bought stuff or anything around the house to use.

Answer 1

I use the store bought stuff. I learned the hard way once, get the good stuff not the crap from walmart!

Answer 2

Seal the seams of your tent and also your tent fly. None of the tents come with the seams sealed and I assume this is where your moisture or rain is getting in.
Oil, Grease or Petrol based aerosols will destroy the waterproofing. There are several waterproofing products available in nearly any store that sells camping supplies, giving full instructions for use.
Quality tents come with seams that are factory taped, which is not the same as sealed. Taped seams have a waterproof material placed between overlapped seams, which are then double stitched. This sewing technique adds to the strength of the seam and helps eliminate any gaps when the tent is stretched. These seams will be more water-resistant than normal seams, but they are not water-proof. The seams should still be sealed to ensure the best water-proof protection.
Also Use a ground cloth under your tent, set your tent up on higher ground, if your floor leaks, use a tarp inside the tent, use a rainfly that gives good coverage, take raingear, and finally vent your tent to allow condensation to escape.

A good link:
http://camping.about.com/od/tentfaq/f/tentseams.htm

A GREAT link:
http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/skills/b-p/wb/tents.htm

...jj

Answer 3

Lots of good answers, but only a FEW state to get a FLY - any tarp or covering that goes OVER the tent will make a huge difference.
And yes, use the good tent waterproofers as well, but the
FLY does 99% of the work. It also cools the tent in the sun,
heats the tent in the cold, cuts the UV radiation so that the
actual tent remains in good shape, etc. The fly should stay an inch AWAY from the tent material if possible...

Answer 4

Weatherproof Tent

Answer 5

First, is the tent canvas or plastic?

If it is canvas, then when the fabric gets wet it swells. The new water runs off the surface like the last person to join a crowd has to skirt around the edges in order to find a place. The fabric is already crowded, so the water's surface tension causes it to generally run off. Sometimes, and this can be fun or frustrating, some tents will develop sags as water pools on the saturated canvas. If you touch the sag on the inside of the tent, then it can break the surface tension on the bottom and the whole thing flow out inside the tent like a flood, so just don't do that and keep your tent supports and stays secure to minimize its happening. Scotchguard spray might help water runoff, but particularly put that on the outside, however, that could also affect the fabric's ability to swell and seal.

If the tent is plastic, do what you would with plastic. Plastic tape, plastic glue around seams and tears to keep the tent water-tight. If there is a hole or a gap, then water can get in. Careful in getting things too tight in a plastic tent, or else you've essentially put yourself in a plastic bag and can suffocate unless there are air openings. Good tents, however, are like wearing multiple layers of clothes. They have covers for falling water (rain) and floors for standing water but never completely seal around the walls or doors, so air can flow.

Answer 6

I would not use any kind of insect repellent or scotch guard because it will deteriorate the fabric over time and make the leaks even worse. A good quality tent will leak in only two places: the seams and if something is touching the tent from the inside. I would not waste time trying to seal the entire tent: a good rain fly will handle the non seams area. Buy tent sealant, which is silicon based, and apply to the seams. Make sure the tent sealant is silicone or silicone based. Apply multiple coats letting each coat dry before applying a new coat. I've done this with my tents and I have spent many a night in the pouring rain in the Washington Cascades and stayed toasty dry inside.

Answer 7

Scotchgaurd- works . Just set up the tent and spray the entire exterior of the tent. Let dry and then put tent away, until next useage. Also many tents I have used request that the tent be stored in a dry area out of direct sunlight. Also, when camping place a tarp ( no holes) on the bottom about the same size as the tent bottom- say tent 5feet by 7feet a 6x8 tarp. Then use a slightly larger tarp for the top to act as additional rainfly.

Answer 8

Most waterproof tents keep out the water. make sure you buy a double wall tent, where the fly on the outside covers the whole tent. If you want to make sure that your tent remains waterproof no matter what put a tarp on the ground and apply a seam sealer and a waterproofing spray.


http://www.waterprooftentguide.com/waterproofing-your-tent/

Answer 9

Modern tents are made of lightweight fabric that is usually waterproof straight from the package.Sports stores,motorcycle accessory shops and hardware stores also sell a variety of spray on waterproofing materials of the silicon variety.These can also be used on clothing,or your wet weather gear.These products are toxic and should not be inhaled.Allow several hours drying time before attempting to use sprayed items.

Answer 10

RE:
Any suggestions on how to waterproof a tent?
Store bought stuff or anything around the house to use.

Answer 11

Your Question has two posibilities :
1. You have a tent which is not waterproof and you want to make it waterproof : then buy thin plastic, you will get it in any stationary shops. buy addhisive , paste surface of both the tent and plastic. make it for both sides of the tent.

2. You want to know , what is the technologybehind water proof tent.
then use yahoo search , search for keywords "waterproof tent" "technology behind".