There are three ways to waterproof your tent: sealing the seams, refreshing the urethane coating, and refreshing the DWR coating. Sealing the seams is essential to prevent moisture from seeping through the tent’s seams. To do this, you need a rag, rubbing alcohol, and seam sealer. Seam sealers are typically tape or glue designed to cover the seams.
To waterproof your tent, select a dry day, clean your tent first, seal the seams, and apply a layer of sealant to the interior seams working from the corners upwards. Use a brush to distribute the sealant evenly on the seams and leave it to dry. Test for leaks and follow the instructions on the package.
To ensure your tent is water-proof, purchase a waterproofing agent and some seam sealant. Wait for a clear, dry warm day and pitch the tent in an outdoor setting with plenty of ventilation. Tent manufacturers have three options: seam taping, seam sealing, and creating a strong seam construction itself.
To ensure your tent is water-proof, set up the tent, check all the seams, use seam sealer if needed, and soak the tent with water. This will help keep you and your gear dry and comfortable while camping. Remember to check for potential leaks through the seams, the rainfly, or the fabric itself before applying sealant.
📹 Most People Do This the HARD Way – Seam Seal a Tent or Tarp and Make Repairs – Seam Sealing Guide
Seam Sealing is one of those events that most of those who are involved in the outdoors will have to at least entertain the idea of …
📹 How to Waterproof a Tent || REI
If getting ready for bed in your tent feels more like gearing up for a rainy-day hike, you may want to refresh the waterproofing on …
Great way to seal a tent. One thing I might comment on though, is to start at the top instead of the bottom, reason being if you have a higher tent ( as I do) and need to reach the top, you run the risk of brushing up against what you just brushed on as you lean in, making a sticky mess and possibly ruining some clothes. I decided to start at the top and work my way down. So far so good. Great process with the syringe and brush. Lots of helpful tips for someone who’s been away from camping for many years and will be using an old tent that was never sealed.😳 Thank you, Sir!
Great tutorial! Your suggestion to use syringes is a nice tip. Seam sealing tents and tarps is a good idea. It protects the threads and adds strength to the seams as well as keeping out moisture. I would add one suggestion: after the seam sealer cures, sprinkle small amounts of baby powder on the treated seams, then brush it off. This will reduce the tackiness of the sealer and prevent it from sticking to itself or other parts of the tent body when you pack it away.
“THANK YOU!”, Luke! I have a “Coleman 4-Person 2000035801 Skydome” tent that I bought new for only $34.44, taxes included. I like it because it was so cheap, its huge, & most reviews generally say it’s good. I’ve never ‘seam-sealed’ a tent before & your article is fantastic for instructions. I want to seam-seal my tent before I use it. That way it’s clean & I can do in the great room in a climate-controlled environment. The only question I have is what is the best seam-sealer for a 100% polyester (label says). Because I’ve heard of using homemade concoctions like melted wax, petroleum jelly, & boiled linseed oil. There are many synthetic versions, polyurethane, polyester, silicone. There are also many brands such as “GEAR AID Seam Grip Sealant”, “GEAR AID Seam Grip Fabric Sealer”, “Coleman Seam Sealer”, “GEAR AID Seam Grip Silicone Sealant”, “Coghlan’s Seam Seal”, “Texsport Polyurethane Waterproof Seam Sealer”, etc. Walmart.com has like 40 items on the 1st page, including “ULTRA PRO BEIGE SEAM SEALER”, “3M Urethane Seam Sealer”, & “Barrier Bond Black Polyurethane Seam Sealer Adhesive” caulk. I know many want the benefit of your experience, w/ close to 500,000 subscribers. Thank you in advance for your kind assistance. I’m thinking the silicone you used would word really well but you are the expert. Have a GREAT day, Neighbor!
Hey Luke, I love your adventures and all the reviews you have done over the years for outdoor gear. It’s always a pleasure to be able to watch your articles and experience nature vicariously. I used to do a lot of hiking in Washington state while stationed there in the Navy and even hiked 1100 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail after transitioning back to life as a civie. Right now, I am using my GI bill to get a degree in Chemical Engineering, and I haven’t had a whole lot of time to go hiking as I take summer classes and also have a part-time job. As I made the mistake of moving back to Texas, it can take hours to drive the hundreds of miles to go somewhere to hike, and given the heat, it’s been rather difficult getting out there. However, I have been planning to take a semester off to hike the CDT for the better part of the last two years. I have been looking at new tent options outside free-standing tents (I used the copper spur UL1 on the PCT). One tent I came across that seems rather interesting is the Six Moon Designs Gatewood Cape. It only costs $150 and also functions as a rain poncho. It is a modular design, and with the bug net/bathtub floor insert, the total package comes out to $275 and weighs only 22 ounces. I have several concerns with the design, and only sparse reviews are out there. However, it is an older design that has been around for a while and is made by a reliable company. I know it is asking a lot, but if you could somehow do a full review on it, I would be much obliged.
Fantastic Job! 😃 I wish I had seen this in the mid-80s. I had spent many hours sewing together my own tent. I went to seal it and went around the inside of the tent. 😔 I also let it dry but didn’t know to let it sit overnight to cure. I also didn’t know about the flux brush. 🌲 Great Job explaining! 😃
Good job and demo Luke👍👍 Seam sealant is one of those things that wears out after constant manipulation of the tent or material you’re sealing. By setting up, taking down, folding or stuffing in a bag, eventually you’ll have to re-new the seal, nature of the beast. This is as good a way as I’ve seen without going industrial. Thanks for the article demo. Enjoy!
Thanks so much for this article! I have 2 bottles of Gear Aid Seam Grip FC on the way from Amazon because it seemed like it would be so much easier and faster. I was a little worried about the fact that it’s water-based, but other than that, I thought I was doing the right thing. Thanks to your article, I just placed an order for some curve-tipped syringes from Amazon that will be here on Saturday. I already have the sealant. I was just keeping it around for major repairs, like to sleeping pads or whatever. I think I’ll still keep the Fast Cure stuff on-hand for emergency repairs, but I’m not going to waste my time trying to seal my tent seams with it anymore. I love your articles man! I learn so much, and you always seem like you’re having a good time! Keep it up!! You’re doing good things!!! 🙂
What is the best way to remove dried seam seal messes from silnylon? I made the error of using that stupid runny sealant with the attached brush. It worked for a couple years, then started peeling and leaking in heavy rain. I need to remove the old sealant in order to properly redo the job, but worry about damaging the silnylon in the process. Thanks for all of the practical knowledge you provide to the outdoor community!
Followed this process today on my Lanshan Pro 1. Thanks for the tutorial. Super helpful, thorough, and informative. Tent looks great. Bit of good natured ribbing incoming: Some of your article titles crack me up. I get why (traffic and views, both legit reasons), but the number of vid titles that include ‘heavy rain,’ ‘attacked,’ etc. stand out as an odd contrast to your excellent content. Thank you and keep up the great work. Appreciate ya!
I seam sealed and used a spray on water proofing on the Bimini Top on my boat three years ago top side and bottom side. It is still doing its job quite well, but even so, three years have passed; I’ll re-do the task. Oh, I leave the Bimini Top up year around and see no wear or damage. The material is much very much heavier than the 3F tent material. Even the heat here in Florida is no match for the top.
Luke has an attention to detail most people lack in this industry, I know because I’m one of those people who gets frustrated by seemingly simple comments like ‘seal the tent yourself’ when it leaves out so much information. I would only say that I personally find a 25mm foam brush (1 inch) cut down to about half that with scissors more efficient when brushing, as the thin point slots into the valley of the seam, the foam holds sealant evenly and they are very cheap and easy to find. However, I do dilute Silnet or Seam Grip Sil with odourless mineral spirits, it just makes the flow so much better and dries in half the time. When I use Seam Grip standard I don’t dilute it because I’m unclear on how to best do this.
good tutorial, ….. i just saw how long this post is, i will totally understand if you can’t be bothered reading it hehehe, is there a good reason i can’t find a vid on how to create new guylines for silnylon tent, namely the taiji 2, i recall you mentioned there should be guy out points to help with wind resistance. i’m thinking of adding one or two guy out points and possibly adding two extra hoops to attach to poles, sort of doubling up the two lower ones already there to help stop the sides of the tent being blown inwards in the way they do, which sort of creates a feedback loop as it cups to catch more and more wind. i have already bought new poles which though thinner, 8.5mm, are a little thicker in section and a lot less bendy, they are also 6cm shorter than normal which is around 4m 12cm, the new ones seem lower quality, and i’m not 100% being less bendy is the right way to go. the stock ones are very bendy but this might make them less likely to break, even though they are distorting all over the place in a heavy wind. so, any chance you could try making the extra guy out points for the taiji 2, what would be best to use? tenacious tape, or some piece of silnylon along with stitching and silnett/seam grip sl ? the taiji 2 will never be very good in high winds over 40mph, but i live in scotland and i would like if it could survive a gust or two of 45mph.
Thank you for your instructions. I’ll be relying on my tent when my long journey starts again soon. What can you say from your own experience about how long it will last? Can I crumple the tent or do I have to fold it for the bag? Would it be advisable to tape it on the inside with sealing tape to be 100% sure?
After it’s dry I’d do the whole tent in diy 100% clear silicone & odorless mineral spirits in 8 to 1 ratio mix. I believe coating the tent ropes and mounting tabs will help them last longer. When it rains, it’s nice to have the ropes waterproofed also. So they don’t need extra time to dry. You don’t want to put away a dry tent with the ropes unknowingly still wet.
A year later, gotta poke my nose in here. Funny you should say seam sealer goes on the outside. I have several tents, one has been stored for a really long time, the other, not so much. Long story short, it was easy to remove all the seam seal tape on the inside of the rain fly of the one stored for a long time, the one I’ve been using took some effort, but I didn’t force anything. If it gave too much resistance, I left it. But… I put the fly on the tent inside out, so the seams were exposed. I used the tube and a box of epoxy brushes (big tent, lol) and re-sealed the entire inside of the rain fly. Granted, this was after a nikwax solarproof wash. Both flies are doing great now, but I wonder… You said on the outside. I put it on the inside because I was replacing the old tape. Hmmm….. That syringe idea tho… that’s pretty awesome. Makes it a lot less product that needs to be used, too.
Thank you for making this article! I have a UGQ hammock tarp on the way which doesn’t come seam sealed, and this really helps me understand how to do this process correctly. I am curious if you recommend using anything after the silicone is set to prevent it from sticking to the fabric when packed/unpacked? I’ve heard some people use baby powder for this — but given the seam sealer is applied on the outside, I would expect it to just end up washing away after the first rain, so I curious if there is anything else I could use or if this has any merit. Thanks again for making this, and so many other great articles!
Ha Luke Great article, we have two eight man Coleman tents took two hours per tent, wish I would have known this before hand would have saved about thirty bucks. Really like the music you played in this article, could you please post who it is so I can download it. I will come back in a week or so to see if you posted it.
Great article Luke. You make it look so easy. I have but one question. For the horizontal seams, isn’t there a horizontal Seam that ties the floor to the side panels? Did you not show that to save time, or is there a reason not to do it? Sorry to sound like an idiot but I may not be the best waterproof tent in the arsenal of equipment 😂😂😂 Take care, have fun, stay safe and stay healthy!
You can thin 100% silicone sealants with vm&p naphtha. Just a little bit goes a long way, definitely if you still want it to be a paste, just a little more thin. (This is just a FYI since you mentioned possibly thinning the sealant) I do this to let the threads absorb the sealant on work and outdoor gear, then a coating at regular viscosity. You can also thin it down quite a bit and soak or brush it on stuff to make fabric much more water resistant then the spray on “water repellent” does. If trying it, try on something sacrificial to for any trial and error.
@TheOutDoorGearReview Hi, Luke! I recently bought the Nortent Gamme 4 tent. As you know, that’s a winter tent used as a hot tent. I have to seam seal it myself, and I just watched your article, where you said don’t seal below 15.5 degrees celcius. It’s Feburary here in Canada, and I was planning to take the tent out in the next few weeks. If I have to wait until closer to Spring when the temperature gets above 15 degrees C, should I not use the tent until then? Nortent said to me that the tent is waterproof, but if you want to be 100% safe seal it. The tent was very expensive, and I don’t want to blow this. What would you do in this situation?
Sealing seals on the outside does intuitively seem the right thing to do, and would probably initially work very well. HOWEVER, can you make another article in about 1-2 years time after having had the sealer exposed to harsh UV and the elements (I’m in Australia) and let me know how the sealer is holding up. My bet is that it wont last very long at all, but let’s let the experiment and science show us.
I have a 2-man HUNT MONSTER 300/600D uninsulated Ice Fishing Shelter coming from Amazon next week… For the frigid temperatures of South Florida! I bought it for day camping only, to use for fishing trips and to put a toilet in it, and protect me from our intense downpours much of the year. It doesn’t indicate a material, only Denier, so I don’t know what to use for seam sealer.
I’ve seen some that thin down the seam sealer with acetone or mineral spirits. It makes it much neater so you don’t have all the shiny sealer sticking out. I personally don’t do it that way. I do it the same way you do, Luke. Maybe I’m just lazy. Or maybe, I go for functionality over looks. I’m going to give you my opinion now before the leak test article comes out. This tent will NOT leak. You heard it here first. I don’t care what weather you throw at it! My lanshan 2 pro doesn’t leak and neither will this lanshan 1 pro.
I normally hug the outside basically like that once after it’s set to a very light tack. I hit it once more. An even hit the inside because it can’t hurt. If anything will only help aid in the sealing. Of the long run for any spots where there’s tension on the seams. For it to have a longer term good holding seal. Through multiple setting ups an wind putting any pulling an tension over the stitching
To be honest… $35 for them to do it is a fair price UNLESS you have other silicone seam sealing needs (or you anticipate needing to in the future). That seam sealer (with flux brush) is $10-11, box of gloves is anywhere from $5-10, those syringes are about $5… It adds up. Then there’s how you value your time. An extra $10-15 above materials cost for somebody’s labor is pretty fair, imo.
Well done! That was a thorough, very helpful demonstration. I think it is worth noting that one of those syringes is a good thing to have in the FAK of your survival kit, as recommended by Cody Lundin of “Dual Survival” in his book “98.6 Degrees, The Art of Keeping Your (Crude term for ‘posterior’) Alive!” to use for wound irrigation.
I like to seam seal the inside and outside after I’ve set the tent up outside on a day when I know it isn’t going to rain. Then I test it on a day when I know it will rain. I apply the sealer quickly…it does make a mess, but I don’t care…no one is going to see my messy job but me while I’m out in the woods.
I’ve not camped since childhood and was obviously with my parents. I don’t remember them doing this ever. Why do you need to seam seal? Maybe they got lucky but I remember they had a big tent that had big metal poles in it, don’t remember it leaking for at least a decade. Don’t they do this at the factory? Do different seam sealers have lower curing temperatures? I’d like to go camping again at some point but the average year temp here is about 10C. Cheers.
I would like to know how you would rate the “timber ridge 6 person glamping tent”? I’ve only seen a half dozen or so articles on it and only the set up and first thoughts. Nothing about the rain proofing or air flow. We haven’t camped in over ten years. But if we make good use of a cheap ish one first. When it’s time to replace it we would like to invest in a good canvas tent. I’ve heard this tent can be found at Costco. We don’t have one around here but the Sam’s Club website also has it for about $90.
You produce very informative articles. I usually learn things from each. However, you left out a crucial step of preparation. And there are a few flaws in your technique. The tent should be set up with a tight pitch for 24 hours before beginning the process on a new tent. New tents stretch. They must have that done first. After 24 hours, tighten the pitch and continue the process. You should not drag the syringe. You should push it, driving the sealant into the seam, thus filling the stitching holes. Use the brush to push – not stroke – the sealant into the stitching. You need to also seal the stitching around time-out loops on the inside of the loop, not just both sides of the outside of the loop.
How can you do this process on a taller tent, though ? Can it be done while the tent is lying flat on the ground, or should it necessarily be set up to have the tent fabric taut all over ? Also, would it be alright to also seal the inside of the tent ? Thank you to anyone who may answer my questions. 👍
I am wondering why you can’t use a spray on product like Scotch Guard for tents? Is there a flexibility advantage using the gel verses the spray on type? Also I wonder if the clear FLEX SEAL spray you get at Home Depot would work as well? I use that stuff on everything. I am sure in a rain storm if you had a small leak that stuff would work immediately however I would probably not use it everywhere because it does stiffen up the material. I also read somewhere that you can throw your tent in the washing machine with a waterproofing agent and it is suppose to do the same thing…..However I have never tried it.
Same tent. Same technic used. Works perfectly. BUT: Every time now I unpack my tent, there is always little spots that stick together and while unfolding the tent ripping of little pieces of the seamsealer. After a few weeks of use, its now a complete mess along all stiches 🙁 The “rubber-ish” material unfortunately loves to stick to the nylon while packed. Any idea to prevent this from happening?
Should the tent be erected under tension before applying the seam seal? Is it just the thread that needs sealing or the seam fabric also? Dont mean to be nasty here but at 7:56 in the article, the application looks dreadful. If I were paying for the factory to do this I would expect a neat precise application.
Well, it didn’t work at all. I ordered the same glue and it was way too thick. Even when I cut the tip off are used so much on just a little bit. How do use a brush then it down nothing works like you showed. I’m really good at following directions and I can’t believe I’m the only one that hasn’t had this problem.
You stated the importance of using the correct seam sealer for our tents, however, you failed to address the fact, that most viewers will not know what our tents are made of and you didn’t inform us on how to find out nor did you inform the viewer what type of sealer we’ll need for our tents. You simply showed us that you knew what your tent was made of and what sealer you’d be using. This wont be enough info for 99% of your viewers. You left us searching for other peoples articles to try and find these two vital things out, see?
only seam sealing outside is not correct. you can also seam seal from inside. important is that you get in contact with the stich holes nicely. it depends on the seams. sometimes you get closer to the stiches from the inside than from the outside because at the outside the seams are pretty much ‘hidden’ for the looks
All off? do you have any idea in how much sealant tape is flaking of the tent I took 3.5 hours cleaning with alcohol and then the tent has another sealant on and I was taking it off by rubbing so much trying to remove all the tape, some of it it’s impossible to remove as it is not fully dry so now I have to seal in the outside,put a spray coating and go over the inside hopefully removing the tape and then retapping the hole tent lots of work and lots of patients.
Im so dumb… I accidentally applied waterproofing silicone spray to the inside seams of the tent and not the outside. I didn’t use much at all though, I did such a light spray. Will I be ok? I also only left it to dry for 5-10 min and packed it back up? any advice or recommendations? I’m camping next week and am so scared that I ruined my brand new tent 🙁