Hi everyone, I am waterproofing my TT with fabsil for the first and was just wondering if i will need to clean it off the plastic window sections as i have never waterproofed a tent before.Also has anyone got any good tips on the best way to apply,all sugestions welcome.Thanks to all that can help and happy camping Al
yes keep it off the windows ,you can mask the windows with plastic if your clumsy ,it stains them and if your spraying it will find your car as well (been there done that) wipes off with a little effort on both though
i use a 5ltre garden sprayer and you will need several cans if your doing a complete awning properly with whats called a wet edge as the company suggests.
i start on a seam go right around that panel on the seam ,then the panel itself and once more round the seam.
i used 4 gallons i'm sure i could have used twice that.
stand on a ladder and use a jet of waterproofer to reach the centre of the awning getting less coarse as you come closer.
It will kill your grass
or it starts leaking
i dont envy anyone waterproofing using fabsil because of the cost (out TT cost the equivalent of 4 gallons of it) luckily i grabbed many gallons of waterseal before Europe stopped us buying cheap waterproofing liquid
thanks for all your replies, i dont really know if it needs waterproofing.I have just bought this TT and the canvas is faded so didnt want to risk camping without doing so.Didnt realise how much fabsil i would need so is there any cheaper alternative i could use.Thanks Al
Quote: Originally posted by Fat_al on 28/6/2011
thanks for all your replies, i dont really know if it needs waterproofing.I have just bought this TT and the canvas is faded so didnt want to risk camping without doing so.Didnt realise how much fabsil i would need so is there any cheaper alternative i could use.Thanks Al
Could you ask the previous owner if it's been reproofed and if so, when? Good quality cotton canvas (and Conway canvas was some of the best) doesn't actually need reproofed you see till it gets old and starts to go thin and leak. But once you start doing it then you need to renew the proofing every five years. My old Conway Camargue is 21 years old, sunfaded, never been proofed and is still dry as a bone even in really heavy rain.
To find out if you need to reproof it, erect it fully and hose it down really well. it may leak if the canvas has been in storage for a while and is really dry. Do not fret about this. Allow the canvas to dry out fully. Then hose down again. Hopefully this time it will not leak and this means it does not need reproofing. If it does leak on the second hosing though sorry, time for the Fabsil.
Definitely test it first as Val suggests. Our camper is 1999 and seems completely waterproof still (as first two trips out have tested!) even though faded in places.
Once you start waterproofing you have to keep doing it forever and canvas is naturally waterproof due to way the fibres react when it gets wet, unless damaged of course
Use thompsons brick seal. Its the same stuff but cheap. look on the tin - its for Canvas :)
I've done 3 folding campers over last 5 years and all have been 100%.
not sure you can use it unless you find some of the illegal stuff in a shop (bootfairs are good to find it) i pointed out to "thomsons" its very popular as an alternative but they reformulated it to comply with the VOC directive so the modern version cannot be used on fabric.
as the old version does not comply with the VOC directive its illegal to sell it but you may find the odd tin in a old fashioned supplier who isnt fully up on the rules
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Topic: waterproofing
