Re-waterproofing tent fly

[gobears870]

I know this topic is tossed around on a lot of forums, but I have a specific issue with my tent that I wanted to throw to this crowd.

I have an REI Quarterdome UL that I really like but haven't used in a few years. It was neglected in my garage (hello Texas heat) over that time. I opened it up last weekend and discovered the sticky/flaky effect of a degraded PU coating. I've looked around a few sites and seen different ideas on how to remove the PU treatment to start from scratch on re-waterproofing. There seems to be debate on using laundry detergent vs. Woolite vs. Techwash, washing machine vs. tub, or soaking in a hot water/ammonia solution (which appears to be the simplest and most effective method).

Interested in hearing any personal experience on this type of operation, especially if you run an REI tent with the same treatment.

 

[kata2012]

I have the same issue with a tent of mine. The manufacturer (ll bean) suggested placing the fly in a 5 gallon bucket of mild dish soap and warm water and handwashing to remove the old coating. I have yet to do this, but figured I would throw it out there for you.



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[gobears870]

Thanks. Would probably be smart to try some detergent first and move to the hard stuff if that doesn't work. I'm worried ammonia or alcohol will discolor it, which isn't a huge deal, but still worth avoiding.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I have a 5-6 yea r old rei tent that started to crumble on the seams. Was leaking fairly well. I decided to seam seal the hell out of the seams and spray the whole thing with silicon. Can’t say I have more than a couple of nights in it but it works pretty well from what I can tell. Honestly I just globbed the seam seal on the entire fly on every seam.

I will say I have an old north face tent that is 3x as old as my rei tent. It has no issue and has been stored in the same conditions for much longer.

 

[FLAK]

I have a seedhouse UL2 that done the same. I ordered some spray to re-do it
but haven't yet. I sometimes wonder if I should just fork up for a new tent.

 

[*zap*]

Try denatured alcohol and an aggressive sponge, some car wash sponges have one aggressive side to them. May take a few times to get it all off. If some spots are stubborn use the alcohol and a toothbrush. Denatured alcohol will leave no residue once it dries. It is a pia job.

 

[gobears870]

Wanted to post an update for anyone else trying this. After looking into my tent’s features more closely I found out the top of the fly is silicone coated and the bottom is PU. The tent bathtub floor is PU as well. I decided to soak in a hot water and ammonia solution for 10 minutes, rinse a few times, dry out, and work over spots with alcohol and a sponge. At first I thought I was on the right track with the tent fly. All coatings came off nicely. The tent floor turned into a mess. The PU peeled back as a fine film across most of it. Getting it off is a real struggle. I think I’ve thrown in the towel.

Funny thing is I pulled out an cheap old Coleman family tent that was also in the garage suffering under the same conditions. Set it up today and it looks nearly new. It started to rain pretty good this afternoon and it’s still dry inside. I think this one’s going on my canoe trip in a few weeks now.


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[Mudygmc]

Im in the same boat with a tent. Say i get it cleaned good. Is there a go to sealant that everybody uses or has great luck with? Many product descriptions sound great but curious on real world input.

Adam

 

[Phaseolus]

It’s time for a new tent. You might be able to get by with a lower performing tent n the lowlands. I sure wouldn’t trust it on a mountain hunt.

 

[kata2012]

Im in the same boat with a tent. Say i get it cleaned good. Is there a go to sealant that everybody uses or has great luck with? Many product descriptions sound great but curious on real world input.

Adam

Here is a good comparison -

Tested: Five Water Repellant Coating Treatments | Gear Institute

When it comes to re-applying a waterproof coating to your gear, there are a lot of brands to wade through. Here are five we tested to make your choice a bit easier.

gearinstitute.com

For sealing, gear aid tent sure seems to be the standard.

Bryan

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[gobears870]

It’s time for a new tent. You might be able to get by with a lower performing tent n the lowlands. I sure wouldn’t trust it on a mountain hunt.

Yep. I was hoping to save some $$ on our trip this year by just restoring this one. Looks like I'm in the tent market now.