DIY sil coating for tarp ??

So whats the best method ??
Have read 4:1 mineral spirits to 100% clear Silicone.

Reason being is I have about 35' of 68" wide 1oz ripstop in dark green.
Right color, right weight and wide.

I think this is actually the same ripstop that is used by the army for poncho liners and CW jacket liners etc. At least it looks the same.

I am building a one piece narrow cat tarp so I want the widest material I can find. If I work the corners I should be able to end up at 5'-6" wide.

I found the big post multi page thread on the DIY method but was wondering if there was a consensus on the best method. Also what temp is the lowest this will work and how long to dry ??

Thanks

I guess this is a :confused: ?, but why does the tarp need to be waterproof?
The times I've been in the rain I never had a waterproof tarp. The water jest runs off and I've never had an issue with getting wet, so :confused:

There's a lot of good info in that very long thread. There isn't a consensus on method. Dry times should be according to caulk label. When I tried it I went with the soaking in a bucket method, but still had to do some sponge/squeegee apllication to fix some thin spots. The bucket method needs extra liquid to coat the fabric thoroughly. Have your hanging spot ready to go, and the floor protected from drips.

In the end, the tarp turned out heavier than factory sil, was messy to apply, and the mineral spirits left an oily residue on the tarp. It does repel water.

There's nothing wrong with a seam to join to halves. Check around for the color you looking for. DIY gear supply, Quest Outfitters, and OWF Inc all have stealthy colors of silnylon. Get swatch samples. You'll end up with a better quality, easier, neater tarp. IMO, it's better to compromise the color you want, than the end results.

I have this desire to build a one piece tarp and I probably wont get it out of my system until I do.

Still a couple of inches does not matter so I might look around a bit at wide sil.
I found some a while back that was 66".

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ibgary

I guess this is a :confused: ?, but why does the tarp need to be waterproof?
The times I've been in the rain I never had a waterproof tarp. The water jest runs off and I've never had an issue with getting wet, so :confused:

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A DWR cloth will wet through after a while.
This particular fabric is not even DWR though. Just plain nylon and
I had that wet experience way back.

IMO Waterproofing is a good thing when it comes to Tarps.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tammons

...Still a couple of inches does not matter so I might look around a bit at wide sil. I found some a while back that was 66".

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66" Sil? Here's some incentive to continue.:D

Be sure to tuck you shoes a little farther under the hammock than usual.

Is that tarp cat cut ??

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tammons

Is that tarp cat cut ??

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Very slightly...about 2 1/2" if memory serves. I didn't want to lose any more width than necessary.