REPROOFING A TENT (FLY )

Discussion about making bushwalking-related equipment.

Re: REPROOFING A TENT (FLY )

Postby Moondog55 » Fri 28 Apr, 2017 6:59 am

Personal opinion and experience says "Yes"
Don't use soap or detergent tho as thse are very difficult to wash off. I use either one of the propietory down wshes/Sportwash or much cheaper a mix of i-Carb and ammonium in cold water and 2 rinses
Ve are too soon old und too late schmart
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Re: REPROOFING A TENT (FLY )

Postby Marian » Thu 04 Feb, 2021 8:04 pm

I set up my Nook tent. The fly had suddenly started shedding its seam sealant on my last backpacking trip I had cleaned off as much old sealant as possible from the fly and put that inside out on the tent.
I mixed some newly bought Parfix All Purpose Clear Silicone Sealant in a small tuna tin with some Diggers turpentine (from Bunnings) to a mix suitable for brushing on the seams using a stiff bristled artist brush. It was easy to brush into the seams and dried well. Set up the tent the next day and hosed it down using quite high pressure for a while to see if it was water tight. There wasn’t a drop of water inside the tent. The fly is nylon, hence the success. I tried this on my polyester Bike’nHike tent fly a few years ago but sadly, it wouldn’t stick to polyester.
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Re: REPROOFING A TENT (FLY )

Postby GregG » Fri 05 Feb, 2021 9:20 am

Thats very interesting Marian. I too have a Eureka Bike n Hike 2p tent which is around 20 years old and has been a very reliable and versatile tent, albeit a bit on the heavy side at five pounds, it has been my "go to" tent in preference over newer and lighter ones I also have. The seam tape started falling off when I used it last December in torrential rain on the Solitary Islands walk so I binned it but then changed my mind and retrieved it just before the garbage truck arrived!!! I am about to try the same resealing approach that you tried except using Seam Grip straight from the tube. I have received advice that this stuff will bond to clean polyester so I will see how it works.
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Re: REPROOFING A TENT (FLY )

Postby Marian » Fri 05 Feb, 2021 2:11 pm

My Bike'nHike leaked not just on the seams but through the sun damaged parts of the fly. Like you I loved that tent and have not been able to throw it out hoping for some solution. When I brushed silicone on the inside surface of the fly it peeled off when it was dry. No peeling with the nylon fly seams of the Nook though. I hope you let us know how the seam seal goes and if it is suitable to cover the whole inner surface of the Bike n Hike fly.
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