how do you waterproof canvas?
Hubby and I got out dad's old Cox fold-out camper this week. It's still in good shape (circa 1960's) but the canvas placed on it in 1999 could use some waterproofing again. We'd like to do it ou...
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Actual cotton or linen canvas, or duck, we used to waterproof with wax (1950's). Lowest cost was self-mixed paraffin in a petroleum solvent that would evaporate, but that is probably illegal now in many places trying to control evaporative emissions. You could buy it pre-mixed at least through the 1980s, haven't seen it in camping stores since all consumer tents went to synthetic fabrics instead of canvas.
We used to brush it on, lost too much of it, and breathed too many toxic fumes, trying to spray it. A really good coating would about double the weight of our tents.
Modern approach, used on synthetics that aren't backed by a waterproof coating, is silicone, usually in a spray bottle. This coats the fibers (or soaks into leather etc) but doesn't necessarily fill the space in the weave, in the way that cotton is waxed. It might have an adverse effect on cotton, because that depends on fibers getting wet in order to close up the weave and repel water.
So what you use might depend on what fabric you actually have.
We used to brush it on, lost too much of it, and breathed too many toxic fumes, trying to spray it. A really good coating would about double the weight of our tents.
Modern approach, used on synthetics that aren't backed by a waterproof coating, is silicone, usually in a spray bottle. This coats the fibers (or soaks into leather etc) but doesn't necessarily fill the space in the weave, in the way that cotton is waxed. It might have an adverse effect on cotton, because that depends on fibers getting wet in order to close up the weave and repel water.
So what you use might depend on what fabric you actually have.
