Waterproofing
Submitted: Monday, May 12, 2025 at 08:25
ThreadID:
150380
Views:
1506
Replies:
6
FollowUps:
20
This Thread has been Archived
qldcamper
G'day again folks.
Well tried a small shake down trip with our soft floor camper which hasn't had any use for a couple of years and has been stored outside under 3 layers of silver tarps. Have owned the tent since new and used it many times without a problem.
Well it was a very wet weekend up here and the dome shade tent leaked like a sieve but more importantly the tent had small puddles on the ground side which it has never done before.
Have found that the entire roof gets damp internally about the same as it does when the 2 of us sleep in it on a cold night and the seams let a little through. The inner roof should not have condensation on it to that degree because for 48 hours it has been set up at home with a dehumidifier running in it to ensure the bedding is properly dry unless it's moisture ingress from the seams condensing in there once the dehumidifier was turned off over night so I could have a good look.
What I want to do is re waterproof the roof and all of the seams and looking for some of your experiences with different products. I'm a bit concerned about using unknown products on an onframe tent fearing it might stick the canvas to the frame and not allow it to roll.
Also the dome tent is a parachute material and has been a great asset over the years so not sure if it is worth trying to save or just write it off and
fork out the $300 for a new one.
Appriciate any suggestions.
Reply By: Member - silkwood - Monday, May 12, 2025 at 12:49
Monday, May 12, 2025 at 12:49
When working at Paddy Pallin (admittedly, many years ago) we used Nikwax products. They were excellent and long lasting. You can get Nikwax waterproofing for canvas and/or poly/nylon. They will stay flexible but will not hinder rolling up (or out) your canvas. Problem is, they are not cheap and to do larger units like your camper might be cost prohibitive. I have heard Dynaproof given a very good rap from the boating community. Maybe look into that, or similar. Don't forget to try and establish whether your unit is cotton or poly-cotton. Might make a difference to the product you choose.
As for the dome tent, again, Nikwax can provide a great sealer, preferably in combination with a decent seam sealer (Nikwax, SeamGrip, etc.), but if your floor is giving out as
well, probably time to replace...
Edit: sorry, not clear if only the dome part is leaking. Information still the same.
Cheers, Mark
AnswerID:
647899
Follow Up By: qldcamper - Monday, May 12, 2025 at 14:14
Monday, May 12, 2025 at 14:14
Thanks for that, will look into them.
The dome is just a shade so no floor, a 3.5 it 3.5 tarp does that
well. It's always been waterproof so a huge benefit in light rain and kept the dew off, but no longer.
FollowupID:
928980
Reply By: The Explorer - Monday, May 12, 2025 at 17:58
Monday, May 12, 2025 at 17:58
Hello
Dynaproof seems to be popular with camper trailer manufacturers (e.g. Cub) as a standard treatment. Can't comment on applying it myself as haven't been in that situation. Have had two camper trailers and both were sold with Dynaproof as canvas treatment. Again, haven't done it as no need but apparently candle wax is the go for leaking seams. Silicone aerosol spray is possibly another option for seams.
Dynaproof Web Page
Cheers
Greg
| I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874 Lifetime Member
My Profile My Blog Send Message
Moderator |
AnswerID:
647901
Follow Up By: qldcamper - Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at 06:38
Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at 06:38
Thanks for that Greg,
I had looked at that as it was suggested earlier.
What I am a bit confused about is the composition of the roof, the sides have definatly got a high cotton content but the roof is a lot lighter fabric so assuming a higher polyester content.
Hoping it won't make a lot of difference as all the products seem either to be a wax or silicone substance but some
water soluable for application.
The shade tent has no cotton at all so it will just be getting whatever I decide on for the tent.
The videos just refer to canvas in general, all tared with the same brush. (Sorry couldn't resist).
FollowupID:
928984
Follow Up By: Stephen L (Clare) SA - Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at 09:19
Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at 09:19
Qldcamper
We use Dynaproof on our Ultimate camper to keep the canvas waterproof and protection from mould.
I have only ever used the
water based one. When you open the container, the liquid is white and looks and smells like the wood glue Aquadhere. Let the proof dry and will make the canvas supple and like new.
You can buy it in a number of sizes and a product that does live up to all its claims.
FollowupID:
928988
Follow Up By: qldcamper - Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at 09:35
Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at 09:35
Thanks Stephen, I am leaning in the Dynaproof direction at the moment.
Should I be concerned about it sticking the fabric to the frame if any seeps through during application?
FollowupID:
928990
Follow Up By: Stephen L (Clare) SA - Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at 11:29
Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at 11:29
No issues, dries clear and a durable finish.
When I first used it I was concerned about the white colour, so did a swag first. Made the canvas on the swag softer and could not tell it was coated.
Like I said above, I used the
water based product, brushes wash out in
water.
FollowupID:
928994
Follow Up By: Member - silkwood - Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at 16:58
Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at 16:58
"all tared with the same brush"...
That's a weighty claim (sorry, I couldn't resist, either...)
Cheers,
Mark
FollowupID:
928996
Follow Up By: qldcamper - Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at 06:06
Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at 06:06
Good pick up Mark.
It appears that we are the last generation of people needing to spell at all.
Teachers at my grand daughters are encouraging kids to use voice to text.
Scarey really, for an island in the middle of nowhere such as ours being totally reliant on electronic tech eventually being unable to read the knowledge stored in books genocide will be as simple as knocking out the sattelites.
Maybe this is history repeating itself, it could
well have happened already in Australia, and everywhere else for that matter, 60 thousand years ago.
But for now I'll be happy to get these tents to stay dry.
FollowupID:
928998
Reply By: wbsl - Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at 09:31
Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at 09:31
Hi
I am in the process of restoring an 18 yo soft floor camper trailer and would recommend Magic Canvas products.
https://canvasmagic.com.au
Haven't used the waterproofing as yet but the mould remover is as stated magic. Not only does it kill the mould it also removes the stain from the canvas. Very happy with it.
Youtube videos show independent people using both products and also raving about them.
The one downside, pretty expensive. I am prepared to pay for something that works
Regards Wayne
AnswerID:
647911
Follow Up By: qldcamper - Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at 12:45
Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at 12:45
Hi Wayne.
It would appear that canvas magic has replaced dynaproof.
FollowupID:
929001
Reply By: qldcamper - Friday, May 23, 2025 at 07:14
Friday, May 23, 2025 at 07:14
Well turns out the nixwax gear and tent solarproofing for polyester is absolutly useless.
Looked promising after it had thoroughly dried
water beaded and run off
well but over night the dew seeped through and dripped just as bad as it was. Waste of time and money.
Hope the canvas magic works better on the camper trailer canvas.
AnswerID:
647971
Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Friday, May 23, 2025 at 07:29
Friday, May 23, 2025 at 07:29
Hi qldcamper,
Are you sure it isn’t just condensation coming from inside?
Macca.
FollowupID:
929123
Follow Up By: qldcamper - Friday, May 23, 2025 at 08:47
Friday, May 23, 2025 at 08:47
Doubt it Macca, it's a dome shade tent so open on 4 sides and the ground was dry beneath it.
Not just damp in it but dripping.
Hasn't rained here for nearly 2 weeks so doubt there would be that much ground
water.
Been using this shelter for several years so have a pretty good idea how it used to work. Had no trouble with light rain for 2 days in the past. Never had a condensation problem in the past. Time before last we used it had a couple of drips on us as the due was setting in and put that down to condensation but it failed completely last trip when it rained lightly over night.
FollowupID:
929124
Follow Up By: qldcamper - Friday, May 23, 2025 at 11:50
Friday, May 23, 2025 at 11:50
Macca, after letting the sun dry the fabric on both sides I have sprayed it several times and fail to pick up any leaks at all.
This and the fact that it had a very uniform coverage on the underside of the fabric lends a lot of weight to your condensation theory.
Although we have used the shelter and had rain in the past I can't say for sure that we have ever set it up on damp grass before.
Hopefully you are correct. Tonight I will cover half of it with a polly tarp and see what happens.
FollowupID:
929126
Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 08:02
Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 08:02
QLD,
Did you set it up on grass? Moisture in the grass could be causing condensation. Not sure a tarp over half the surface will make much difference. Is it possible to set it up on a hard surface such as concrete? I know it might be difficult to “peg it down”.
Macca.
FollowupID:
929130
Follow Up By: qldcamper - Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 08:22
Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 08:22
As in my follow up I will put the ground sheet under it tonight.
I'm thinking that it did fail while we were away with the groundsheet under it as it was literally raining under it. After treating it I think it might be a case of solved the problem but created a situation that caused a similar symptom.
FollowupID:
929131
Reply By: Member - Mark (Tamworth NSW) - Friday, May 23, 2025 at 22:42
Friday, May 23, 2025 at 22:42
There are two types of rewaterproofing treatments for synthetic tent fabrics.
One is polyurethane based the other silicone. They are incompatible, need to check which one to apply.
I understand Nikwax makes both types.
AnswerID:
647978
Follow Up By: qldcamper - Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 06:06
Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 06:06
From what I understand one is for polyester fabric, which is what I am working with and the other for polyester cotton blend, which is what I will be using on the camper although in a different brand, Australian made where the Nixwax I am using is made in the UK.
FollowupID:
929129
Reply By: qldcamper - Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 06:48
Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 06:48
Update for anyone that might be interested.
With the shelter half covered with a polly tarp still had condensation but only about half as much on the covered side.
The night away when it seemingly failed badly it had a polly ground sheet under its entirety however it was very humid with light rain over night.
Tonight will remove the tarp and cover the grass with the ground sheet, hopefully problem solved.
AnswerID:
647981
Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 10:35
Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 10:35
.
Hi QC,
Covering with a groundsheet over the top rather than under the top may better prove if the issue is coming from rain or dew on the top.
Covering underneath may not stop condensation unless the covering is
well sealed all around its perimeter. Let me describe a similar issue I had years ago…..
It was on the first trip with my newly built camper trailer. It had a quality heavy duty synthetic canvas roof with a gable shape. On the first night it began to drip on us due to condensation on the inside. It was a cold night on the 1st of June in the Alps. No rain, no dew. The upper side of the roof was dry. For the second night we erected a spare blanket in the form of a ceiling. Now it did not drip on us but instead the condensation that formed above the blanket froze on the underside of the roof. It formed a literal sheet of ice.
We managed with the blanket ceiling for the next couple of weeks and the issue became less or zero as we proceeded to warmer climes.
On return to home I installed a ventilator at the apex of the canvas roof and never had trouble again in the 10 years that I owned the camper. Perhaps I should mention that the initial event was on the first night of our honeymoon so condensation from heavy breathing may have played some part in the condensation. lol
FollowupID:
929133
Follow Up By: qldcamper - Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 10:58
Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 10:58
Back in your more athletic days Allan lol.
The condensation in this case would have to be comming from the warmer damper ground under the shelter.
We have noticed in the past a small amount of condensation on cold mornings which is OK, it's just when all your gear you put under it to protect from the dew is soaked its a bit of a pain. I'm betting on it being better with the ground sheet under it. Will find out in the morning.
The condensation on the tent ceiling is something we can put up with as it doesn't drip on us. Although we do mainly winter
camping in the deserts we haven't had the ceiling freeze yet but a healthy coating of ice on the solar panels sure helps for a while in the mornings.
FollowupID:
929134
Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 11:31
Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 11:31
QC,
The camper has passed but who says my athleticism has ????
But having just ticked off the 93rd summer, I'm not saying it hasn't?
All I'm saying is that it does not rain inside the Sprinter van. lol
FollowupID:
929136
Follow Up By: qldcamper - Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 12:21
Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 12:21
Now I know why some people insist it talking in capitals Allan. I'll have to type louder when replying to you.
FollowupID:
929137
Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 16:09
Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 16:09
I'm Death
FollowupID:
929144
Follow Up By: qldcamper - Sunday, May 25, 2025 at 07:11
Sunday, May 25, 2025 at 07:11
Well still a lot of drips inside but I'm going to put it down to condensation at this stage. The dew on the outside is beading and it has been foggy here the last few mornings.
I was pissed off bad enough when I thought the $35.00 Nixwax didn't work, imagine what the wife would have to put up with if I spent $170.00 on a new one only to find it behaved the same.
I am thinking of going for a drive to a
camping area somewhere near by and having a talk to people with a similar one if I can find someone that doesn't have Kings written all over everything.
Want to stick with this type because it's only 12kg and unlike the Kings ones doesn't require wheels on the carry bag so it can "easily be moved by one person".
FollowupID:
929153