Thread: Water Proofing A Tent Floor, help for anyone who hates a wet arse in bed

I Have a Fairydown Altimate 4 season tent. Great tent, double skinned, very warm but the floor started to leak with the PU coating on the nylon breaking down.
Having a new floor sewn in was considered but going to be 2 Hundy + and as it is a complicated design of tent I am dubious that the result would be perfect.
Considered a few products but now have the problem licked.

A mix of clear plumbing silicone thinned with mineral Turps is the go.

Tools and materials: Tube clear silicone ( the type that cleans up with Turps, read the label)
Bottle of Turps
Tin can or plastic container to mix in.

Battery drill, wire bent as stirrer / mixer , cardboard splash cover, gloves, safety glasses. old paint brush

Clean the tent floor inside and out with a little dishwash detergent in warm water and a cloth. Then wipe down with cloth and clean water.

When the tent is dry, mix a brew of somewhere between 2/3 silicone and 1/2 silicone and Turps, use the battery drill as hand mixing doesn't get there.
The brew should be a bit thicker than thick paint - just brushable. Brush coat the underside of the floor and leave to dry. I put the hoop poles in the tent and propped it upside down.

When dry I tested the floor by pouring some water on it and rubbing between palms. Still a little leaky, so I coated the inside as well. Fixed.
Cost 10 -15 bucks + time.

The tent floor now has an arousing latex feel, reminiscent of younger days and activities. Not Gay but very 'camp' in my tent - at least I am dry!

How long do you anticipate it will last what with wear, folding etc?

Used to something similar for re waterproofing canvas tents: Fist sized piece of beeswax (dad kept bees), pint of turps, old not-to-be-cooked-in-again pot. Warm the pot on an electric stove, put pieces of beeswax in turps, wait until hot and all melted in. Get vacuum cleaner (old one where you could reconnect hose to blow), connect to the old spray gun, and spray all over roof of erect and in the sun canvas tent. Leave erected outside for 3-4 days till the turps smell disappears. hey presto! waterproof tent

you COULD buy a product for canvas tents...looked ,smelled and painted on for all the world like PVA glue....I put white walled green roofed 12x12 tent up on back lawn,stripped down to shorts and went at it with 4" paintbrush......now trying to wash off a water proof thing from now crusted up armpits (how the hell else do you do the roof?)caused wife n kids much amusement,me,not so much...sure as shit kept canvas watertight.
I was thinking this silicon thing sounds like ideal for old pack untill got to the latex feeling thing....eeeew condom on the back is JUST WRONG!!!!!

Originally Posted by Finnwolf

How long do you anticipate it will last what with wear, folding etc?

The silicone is embedded into the nylon. I cant see any problems with durability because of that alone. If the silicone was too thick when applied, it could just form a skin and in time separate.
Because I have applied it to both sides it has fully impregnated the fibres. The treated floor is also completely supple with no fold memory.
Washing the coffee and the fat from dropped bacon etc etc off first is the key to a good 'key'

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

you COULD buy a product for canvas tents...looked ,smelled and painted on for all the world like PVA glue....I put white walled green roofed 12x12 tent up on back lawn,stripped down to shorts and went at it with 4" paintbrush......now trying to wash off a water proof thing from now crusted up armpits (how the hell else do you do the roof?)caused wife n kids much amusement,me,not so much...sure as shit kept canvas watertight.
I was thinking this silicon thing sounds like ideal for old pack untill got to the latex feeling thing....eeeew condom on the back is JUST WRONG!!!!!

Not a condom on the back MD, think of a 5'9'' gorgeous blond wrapped in black and red latex ....