Seam sealing a tarp

[tartanferret]

I slept under my tarp a few weeks ago and noticed a few drops of water that appeared to be coming from the central seam.

Upon closer inspection the sealing tape appears to be coming away in places.


Is thinned down silicone sealant OK for this ?


I have some NIKWAX tent and gear solarproof from a recent promotional give-away for the outer surface.


Is it worth bothering with the inner seal? if so, what ratio would you recommend to stick the sealing tape back in place? I've never tried thinning sealant before, bear in mind I don't want to re-proof the whole tarp with the solution.

Any ideas? or should I just buy some seam sealant?

Cheers !

 

[Shewie]

If it was me I'd pull off the tape and use the thinners and silicone method on the inside, use masking tape for a straight edge if needed.

I can't remember the ratio I used but I think it was 2 parts thinner to 1 part silicone, mixed in an aerosol lid until runny. Mix small amounts at a time as it goes off quickly.

 

[tartanferret]

If it was me I'd pull off the tape and use the thinners and silicone method on the inside, use masking tape for a straight edge if needed.

I can't remember the ratio I used but I think it was 2 parts thinner to 1 part silicone, mixed in an aerosol lid until runny. Mix small amounts at a time as it goes off quickly.

Aerosol lid ? that short a time span? I was going to make a small jar up !

I reckon I'l bite the bullet and peel the tape off

cheers for the tips !

 

[Shewie]

It depends on how fast you can brush it on, you'll notice it going off after a couple of minutes though

It might delay it in a jar with a lid on but I've not tried it myself

 

[Dave]

I'd add, its better to go thinner then re-apply more coats, if needed, rather than go thicker.........[Its not pretty ]

 

[Seoras]

Such a handy thread this.

I have (well my wife Alison really) been cutting some Desert tarps in half and sewing them onto a whole tarp. Makes the new tarp just over 4 metres. I should get 6 four metre tarps in the end for my cadets.

I used the silicon and white spirits method and it seemed to pass the test last weekend with the rain we had.

Cheers

George

 

[crosslandkelly]

A post on here today recomended "Thomson weather seal".

 

[bigroomboy]

There is an extensive post on hammockforums.net DIY section on this but I think Shewie is correct 2:1 for seam sealing 3:1 for waterproofing material. you need to mix well though which can be hard on a large scale.