How to Waterproof your tent

 

Are you fed up with waking up with water dripping on your head when camping? Yeah, I was too, so I learned how to waterproof a tent to avoid from this happening again.

The funny thing is:

Most people didn’t even know you had to re-waterproof their tent. And this has led to many unhappy nights under the stars.

And I want to stop it from happening again by showing you exactly how to waterproof your tent, so you never have to be woken up to water falling on your head again.

One thing you have to realize is there are three ways to waterproof your tent:

1. Seal The Seams: Your tent’s seams are weak points when it comes to waterproofing; you need to seal them to stop water from seeping through.
2. Refresh The Urethane Coating: The primary barrier inside your rainfly and floor is the urethane coating; you need to refresh it.
3. Refresh The DWR: It stands for durable water repellent, and it helps your rainfly shed the water.

 

So, without further ado, let’s get into the article:

 

How To Seal Your Seams

Most of the time, your tent will come with seams that have been sealed, but this coating can wear over time. And this leads to leaks.

So, to reseal your seams, you’re going to need:

• A clean rag
• Rubbing alcohol
• A Seam sealer (make sure you get the right one for your tent. Silicone treated fabric uses a different sealant than polyurethane)

 

Once you have everything you need for the job, you’re ready to reseal your seams. And these are the steps you need to take:

 

1. Set your tent up dry and examine the seals of your tent. Put the rainfly upside down to make it easier to see the seam.
2. If you find any loose pieces, gently remove them. If any parts are intact, make sure you leave them how they are.
3. The next step is to prep the seams by gently cleaning them with your rag and rubbing alcohol.
4. Now it’s time to start applying the seam sealer as directed by the sealant manufacturer.
5. If you have significant sections that have broken, it probably means the rest is about to fail, so reseal it all.
6. Now you just have to wait for it to dry before putting it all away.

 

How To Refresh Your Urethane Coating

If you’ve been camping and noticed the inside of your rainfly or the floor of your tent flaking, it’s time to refresh the urethane coating.

To do this, you’re going to need:

• A sponge with a rough side
• Rubbing alcohol
• The tent sealant (again, make sure you get the right one for your tent’s materials).

 

Once you’ve got everything you need, these are the steps you need to take:

1. Lay the rainfly and your tent’s floor flat and gently remove any flaking using the sponge and the rubbing alcohol.
2. Apply a thin layer of the new coating to everything as directed by the sealant manufacturer.
3. Leave the coating to dry for at least 24 hours before packing it away.
4. Ensure you wash your hands thoroughly to remove any residue from the sealant.

 

How To Refresh Your DWR Coating

Now we’re on to the final phase of re-waterproofing your tent. If you’ve noticed is beading anymore, there’s a good chance you need to replace the DWR coating.

And you’re going to need a few things to do that:

• Spray on water-repellant
• A clean damp cloth
• Water

Once you have everything lined up, we can start refreshing the DWR coating by following these steps:

• Set up the tent and clean down the rainfly with clean water.
• Wait for the tent to dry before applying the DWR coating fully.
• Apply the waterproof coating evenly across the entire exterior of your rainfly.
• After a couple of minutes, the coating should dry; then you need to wipe off any excess coating with your clean damp cloth.
• Again, let the tent fully dry before you pack it away.

 

Final Thoughts & Takeaways

And there you have it. Once you’ve followed these simple steps, your tent will be fully waterproof once again.

Some people even waterproof the tent when they purchase it because they are unhappy with the manufacturer’s waterproofing.

Either way, if you follow these steps, you’re never going to worry about water dripping on your head in the morning or waking up in a small puddle.

 

 

 

-CT