waterproofing canvas

[david32cal]

anyone had any experience waterproofing canvas with a mixter of soybean oil and turpentine

[Three Hawks]

Sounds like a disaster searching for a place to happen.  Oil and wax based waterproofing makes a sheet of canvas into a candle of massive proportions and nearly impossible to put out once lit.   A horror you really do not want to experience.

The best canvas treatment is "Canvak" it's also a tad spendy.

A good, tightly woven canvas doesn't need waterproofing, just hose it down so it's evenly soaked then let it dry.   The secret to not getting wet under it in a rain is to keep it at a pretty good angle.  

If you're making ground cloths, try an exterior latex primer on 'em thinned about 20% with good ol' water.  If you want color,  have the paint counterman add a tinting color to it to your desires.  Here, N of Seattle, Lowe's has some good stuff for about $15/gallon with tax.  Have 'em mix it to a red brick color and call it tanbark.   You'll have ground cloths the envy of all who see them and you'll sleep dry to boot.

Three Hawks

[Uncle Russ]

Gotta agree on the "Canvak" treatment...I have three tents, none of which are actually PC, but great hunting tents, nonetheless.

Two of them have been treated with Canvak, and the other one is made out of some synthetic material that I didn't want to use the Canvak on.

Although this last tent is near new, only used once, it is of a design that I don't care for...at 10 x 17 one would think it would serve the purpose, but the door and windows are in all the wrong places for the design.
Will make a nice gift to my youngest son, who has moved back in now that he is wifeless.
 
(Be careful what you let your wife & kin hear you wish for....they'll screw it up for sure.)

http://www.cabelas.com/p-0005871513996a.shtml

This link should give you an idea of what you're looking for, and about what you're going to have to pay.

Uncle Russ...

[Ohio Joe]

Canvak is good stuff!  Also, if you use it be sure to leave your tent set up and air our for several days, as the last time I used the canvak it did leave a lingering oder for a while.  The formula these days may be different as I haven't had to treat any canvas in over 15 years.