A lot of us must be planning to have a little outdoor getaway into the woods. But these days one can never trust the weather. The sun might be shining bright upon us with a clear sky at one minute, but before you know it, there could be heavy rainfall. So having your tent waterproofed is necessary to make sure that you’re prepared for any sudden changes in the weather such as rain.
Most of the tents these days are already covered with some kind of waterproofing agent. To make sure that your camping experience doesn’t get ruined due to rain . But, these waterproofing agents can wear out over a period of time which could cause the water-repellent coating to tear up. These tiny little leaks wouldn’t catch an eye until the water comes pouring through it during a rainstorm. The best way to make sure that your tent is waterproofed is to apply a water spray on it. If there are parts in your tent where the water pours through, then you should get it waterproofed. You can apply a water spray from either side (from inside or outside) of the tent and it will give you the same results. Lets check out the best way to waterproof a tent
There are three places a tent leaks- through the seams, fabric and Rain Fly. The following aspects needs to be taken care of to make sure that your tent stays waterproofed throughout your trip:
Well you must be wondering about how to do all these things. So here is a detailed guide to make sure that you waterproof your tent properly before leaving for a camping adventure!
Table of Contents
Most of the tents these days have seals already seamed. So if you have recently bought a tent you have nothing to worry about. Yet, the lamination cover on these seams will wear off over the period of time which will allow the water to pour in during the rain. Thus, it is necessary to make sure that the seams are sealed properly.
Seams are the points at which two pieces of fabric are stitched together. It is the easiest way for the water to enter inside the tent. Sealing the seams is rather an easy task and it shouldn’t take more than 25-30 minutes. It’s the part where you have to let the tent dry which consumes most of the time. One must let the tent dry for not less than 7 to 8 hours.
You’ll need the following things to seal the seams:
A sealant which is suitable for the fabric of your tent. (Different types of fabric need different types of sealant and it is necessary to choose the right type of sealant for your fabric. Make sure that your fabric doesn’t get damaged in the process. Most tents these days come with polyurethane-coated fabric. If you’re not sure about the type of the fabric that was used in the making of your tent, then you must contact your tent manufacturer before buying a sealant.)
A small paintbrush (Usually all the sealants these days come with an applicator but if it’s missing, you can use a paintbrush to apply it.
Once you gather everything you need, you should find a nice spot where you can easily let the tent dry for hours. Waterproofing the tent indoors is better but it can only be done if you have enough space. But, waterproofing it outside is also not an issue. You just have to make sure that the tent can be left out to dry for hours once the process is completed.
Just follow these simple steps:
Shop Seam Sealer from here.
DWR stands for Durable Water Repellent sheds water from Rain Fly. Rain fly is a waterproof outer layer to be pitched above the Tent. The most effective way to spray water on rain fly and if drops of water are seen it’s a sign to apply Durable Water Repellent.
METHOD-
There are many water repellent sprays available in the market, let’s have a look at Top Picks-
This is the best water repellent spray which can give two thick coating to a rain fly in a 10.50 ounce bottle. Also it can be used on other items too like Tent Fabrics, Outdoor Gear and shoes. It is available on any store and provides silicone based protection to the Tent.
This spray serves both the purpose of rain and sun too. This spray also cleans dirt and grime from the material and can also be used on all the products tents, tarps, umbrellas and many others.
This product suits well on nylon and polyester fabrics of Tents. This company has given other best seller products like Sticky Notes and Scotch Tapes. It comes in 10.5 ounce cans.
It works for Tent which has been seam sealed. It too comes with a Silicone based protection and comes in 10.50 ounce aerosol. As per product specifications, it takes 72 hours to fully dry the tent so the tent needs to be assembled in a secured area for 72 hours.
Coming from brand Mcnett which also makes a favorite go to product seam sealer comes with silicon based protection and can also be used on paper maps. It comes in 5 ounce aerosol which can only be used in small tents. For bigger tents, 2 bottles will be needed.
Coating can peel off as the tent starts getting old. As soon as you observe flakes on the floor of the Tent or under the rain fly, it shows a need to apply a fresh coat. It works as a barrier to water entering the Tent.
METHOD-
Things to avoid while Waterproofing-
To decide whether waterproofing is needed or not, there are two ways. First is to check whether there are any flakes in the Tent. And the second one is to water spray on the Tent and check whether it gets soaked at any place which shows a sign of reproofing.
Sometimes we buy camps for Family camping (Also a cheaper one) and we doubt whether it would survive in rainy weather. There is a solution to this also. We can get a basic tarp from a hardware store and hang on to the tent. Also we can use Nikwax Tent & Gear Waterproofing & Solar proofing Spray can be applied to the tent which is affordable and works in both rainy and sunny weather.
If we are going camping where there are chances of adverse weather conditions it is always advisable to apply double coating. But take a note let the first coat dry and then apply the next.
It seems it is difficult to take care of a tent and use it for years for many memorable adventures. Don’t worry it is not as difficult as it seems, once you get to know the correct way out it will be done easily. Hope this article has helped you to understand the method and get the best available products for the same. All these efforts will be fruitful as there is no better feeling than to walk down the woods on a rainy day and of course dance in rain.
Happy Monsoon!
