Waterproofing - what's the worst that can happen.

[DavidG]

After a number of weeks camping in the Outer Hebrides this 'summer', seriously considering waterproofing the canvas. Various posts say "no" but after having water dripping onto the front seats having been blasted by high winds and lashing rain with water visibly coming through the stitch holes on the zip I'm thinking what's the worst that could happen. I'd use high spec Fabsil which I use on my TT soft-top.
Any thoughts and comments.

 

[GrannyJen]

It depends how you use your vehicle but my thoughts would be that internally generated condensation may be just as bad for generating water as what you are experiencing now plus if you seal the fabric you may generate mould and rot.

I'm more concerned that you have that level of ingress. I camped in some very wet and windy conditions this winter in Scotland and had none of that ingress. I do sleep downstairs and I keep nothing on the upstairs bed so no capillary action at risk, but to date the only water ingress that I have ever visibly seen was from leaving the front window open during a 50mph thunderstorm downpour.

 

[Hotel California]

VW told me that the canvas is made waterproof and not need to be treadend from new ....
But afther some years of use there's no harm done by treaden the canvas again with special product for waterproofing tents.
First clean canvas with water ( some nutral soap) and soft cloth , let dry
Then tread canvas with product.
Nothing wrong .

 

[DavidG]

It depends how you use your vehicle but my thoughts would be that internally generated condensation may be just as bad for generating water as what you are experiencing now plus if you seal the fabric you may generate mould and rot.

I'm more concerned that you have that level of ingress. I camped in some very wet and windy conditions this winter in Scotland and had none of that ingress. I do sleep downstairs and I keep nothing on the upstairs bed so no capillary action at risk, but to date the only water ingress that I have ever visibly seen was from leaving the front window open during a 50mph thunderstorm downpour.

Good points, I guess on the Hebrides they call 50mph winds a light breeze . Certainly conditions were extreme. Any other thoughts welcome.

 

[GrannyJen]

The Hebrides can be windy.

I was 12 miles west of Ullapool on the coast when the storm came in that registered 97mph in Stornoway


My only experience of waterproofing tent fabrics is just that, waterproofing tents, and I would think that Wim is more knowledgeable on VW's than I am, but I used to see some dire results from it.

 

[motacyclist]

After a number of weeks camping in the Outer Hebrides this 'summer', seriously considering waterproofing the canvas. Various posts say "no" but after having water dripping onto the front seats having been blasted by high winds and lashing rain with water visibly coming through the stitch holes on the zip I'm thinking what's the worst that could happen. I'd use high spec Fabsil which I use on my TT soft-top.
Any thoughts and comments.

Our first ever night in the Cali was a wild and windy one, we slept in the roof and could feel water droplets on us. It wasn't so much the rain coming through but the canvas got droplets on the inside and the wind was shaking them off, and also anything touching the canvas got damp.

Following that we bought an external topper but only used it once because it was a pain to pack up when wet, and if it was windy it didn't help either.

We now have an internal topper which stops any water ingress and keeps the heat in. It stays in place all the time so there is nothing to pack away. If it has been wet I just open the roof to dry when we get home, the inner topper has three zipped windows similar to the canvas so I just open these to ensure no moisture is trapped between the layers.

Available from Branderup for silly money, or more reasonably from Comfortz where ours came from (Cali Cosy).

 

[SimplyDubs]

We always... for the past 6 years... use a mütze, best accessory every. (Other toppers also work well)

There's no real reason why you can't waterproof, but being canvas... it's pretty good.

If you were to waterproof, I wouldn't use Fabsil... personal preference but I find it VERY smelly... It's got a high solvent content which I really don't like, takes weeks to dissipate. There are lots of good waterproofers out there with low odour.

Personally, I'd get a topper if you intend to use all year round.

Rgds
Mark

 

[jts46]

Not waterproofed ours since we had it from new, and been in some serious storms and rain on SW coast of France and in the UK

John

 

[cpjb@btinternet.com]

Hi Motacyclist - Can't seem to find the internal topper on the Comfortz web site. Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[motacyclist]

Unfortunately Nick at Comfortz doesn't seem to have had time to get the production fully underway, the one we have was a prototype.

Have a look at this thread.

Might be a good idea to drop him a line ...

Colin

 

[Barryjm]

Yep, used Fabsil on canvas, a couple of coats helped seal the canvas, after all it is a canvas and the old canvas tents needed resealing every few years. This improved things, that is until the canvas got replaced when the roof was repaied. New canvas only has a single coat on at moment so not quite so effective.

However, we have had a Mutze for 6 years, little bit of a faff putting on and taking off, much easier with two, but fantastic at keeping out the elements and keeping the van snug. Still as good as new, folds up really small and fits in with chairs so if damp or wet is kept away from other stuff.


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[Barryjm]

Oh, and the smell disappeared after a few days.


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[Skylark2.0]

After a number of weeks camping in the Outer Hebrides this 'summer', seriously considering waterproofing the canvas. Various posts say "no" but after having water dripping onto the front seats having been blasted by high winds and lashing rain with water visibly coming through the stitch holes on the zip I'm thinking what's the worst that could happen. I'd use high spec Fabsil which I use on my TT soft-top.
Any thoughts and comments.

We were up there in the storms this summer.
They were bad, really bad. Buildings leak in those conditions.
It was very unusual weather. We had a few leaks then too. The only time and no bother otherwise. Don't worry about it, normal weather is fine

We bailed (pun intended) to a B&B one night as it was so bad. The high speed horizontal raindrops stung they were so fierce and drove through the fabric of my high performance waterproof that doesn't usually leak either

 

[BikerGran]

I can only comment on waterproofing a tent. We have an extremely old canvas frame tent, bought very secondhand when my children were young (my youngest grandchild is now 10 years). It was leaking badly through pinholes in the roof, and the sides were absorbing a lot of water, and the discussion was whether to Fabsil it or throw it away. Fabsil won - but it has to be the brush-on sort not the spray.

We pitched it in the garden on a warm dry day and having covered every inch of it we left it up to dry, and next day the weather obligingly rained on it - we stood and watched from our living room and celebrated as the rain literally bounced off the roof! The tent (which must be 40 years +) has a new lease of life! We left it up for a day or two after thrain and the smell had gone by the time we repacked it.