Hello all, we have just bought a 1998 pennine aztec folding camper, it has always been well looked after and I want to try to gain maximum life out of it. Can anyone tell me the best way to waterproof the canvas, any advice on product and method and frequency etc would be greatly appreciated. Also is there any other treatment I can give it?
I'm sure there will be more people advising you, but I think most of them will say "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". If its canvas then its designed to absorb a certain amount of water, allowing the fibres to swell and seal the fabric. ONLY if it leaks should you waterproof the canvas with fabseal or equivalent, but then I believe you need to reapply regularly.
As above...
if it has not been used for a year or so....
if you have a space to erect it then put it up and get it wet... let it dry... then when wet again it should not leak
the first time after lengthy storage it may 'appear wet' inside but this should just be the fibers expanding to make it water tight... canvas is naturally water proof... that's why it is used for tents etc... until cheaper came along...
touching the inside of wet canvas will encourage wet to come through... until it has been dried...
to get long life from a canvas you must ensure it is 'properly dry' each time it is packed away for storage..
If it hasn't been used in wet weather for over a year, the fibres will have opened up. Fully erect the camper, remove mattresses & all other fabric items, or cover them with polythene, zip up the door, and hose it down - preferably with someone inside so that they can tell you whether there is a fine mist coming through when you hose it. If there's nothing coming through at all, then just let it dry thoroughly. If there is a mist coming through the canvas, then you should let it dry, hose it down again, then let it dry thoroughly. This will make the cotton fibres swell up & become fully waterproof again.
Actually this is excellent advice I never knew any of this, only not to touch the canvas with waterproofer if not leaking. Think mines only been in a very short drizzle I suppose, since owning a year ago.
I now know what I'm going to be doing.
------------- Up there for thinking, down there for dancing. 😎
Well looked after Canvas should not need waterproofing. However, once you have started waterproofing, then it will need doing every couple of years.
Some people believe that it is best to waterproof as a preventative measure, and to do it every 2 to 3 years - which is fine, albeit unneccessary in my opinion. However, most tents that have been waterproofed will have been done due to damaged canvas, which starts to leak.
If you tent has already been reproofed by the previous owner, then it is probably best to continue with the treatment. If not leave well alone, if not leaking
We find that the first time we use our tent each year, whenever it rains, you do get a light mist for the first couple of minutes - this is not serious and is not sufficient to get anything wet. After a couple of minutes the cavas is soaked and will swell up. The canvas will feel damp to touch on the inside, however, this is normal. Only worry if you have drips coming through
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: waterproofing
