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  1. #1
    Senior Member DivaB's Avatar
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    My Guide Gear Tarp Now Sucks! How do I reseal the entire thing?

    We were supposed to be at a hang this weekend at Mohican Park and pack, but we had to come back home. It's just been a rainy mess and here goes the story.

    Gutter and I got there and were sat up by 4pm. At 8pm we were packing back up to leave. We laid in our hammocks with the steady rain coming down for 4 hours and at the 3 hour mark the rain just sort of started seeping into and through the tarp....every where. The tarp was a Gear Guide 12x12 and we sat up in a triangle configuration under one tarp. We've had these tarps in down pours, in lightening and thunder storms and have never experienced a problem; but we've never been in a steady rain fall for hours on end. I just got the tarps this past spring and have been thrilled.....until now. (and I have 2 of these large ones and 2 of the smaller ones )

    To take this a step further, when I got home, I sat up my other large Gear Guide out back of the house to see how it would do (thinking I could head back out to Mohican later today). I was also thinking perhaps my pole mod on the other tarp stretched it out wrong and maybe that's why the leaks. This tarp isn't modded for a pole. I checked this tarp at the 4 hour mark and all was dry. Went back out at the 7 hour mark and it was wet....it also was seeping in through the entire thing...so it is in fact the tarps and not from me modding the other for a pole.

    I am so disappointed

    How the heck do I reseal the entire tarp? All of them will obviously need it. They are not sil, so what are my affordable options that will adhere to them?

    Thanks gang

  2. #2
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    I'm so glad I gave up on them and sent mine back. Nice example of false economy.

    Now that I got that out of my system...considering how minimal the "PU coating" is on these, I would try the silicone/mineral spirits solution on a small test area. If it soaks in vs. laying on the surface, it should do the job.

    Edit...try applying it on the "outside" of the tarp since PU tarps normally orient the coating to the "inside".
    Last edited by gmcttr; 10-20-2012 at 09:53.

  3. #3
    Senior Member oldgringo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gmcttr View Post
    I'm so glad I gave up on them and sent mine back. Nice example of false economy.

    Now that I got that out of my system...considering how minimal the "PU coating" is on these, I would try the silicone/mineral spirits solution on a small test area. If it soaks in vs. laying on the surface, it should do the job.

    Edit...try applying it on the "outside" of the tarp since PU tarps normally orient the coating to the "inside".
    This sounds logical, and cheap. I like.
    Dave

    "Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self."~~~May Sarton

  4. #4
    Senior Member DivaB's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gmcttr View Post
    I'm so glad I gave up on them and sent mine back. Nice example of false economy.

    Now that I got that out of my system...considering how minimal the "PU coating" is on these, I would try the silicone/mineral spirits solution on a small test area. If it soaks in vs. laying on the surface, it should do the job.

    Edit...try applying it on the "outside" of the tarp since PU tarps normally orient the coating to the "inside".
    OK, so now I'm thinking I'll nix the nikax gear and tent solution and I'm revisiting the mineral spirits/silicone option. Since the one side is PU, and it wouldn't be a good idea to just throw the entire mass of material into a bucket with the solution....would I just sponge it on? Or paint it on? I'm assuming once it's mixed that it would be too thick to spray on? (yes, I'll mix a small batch to test an area first)

    Also, what is the mixture ratio again between the silicone and mineral spirits?

    Thanks gang, once this is answered, I'll know what I'll be doing this week, hopefully it won't be too cold I already have the silicone tube (had it for a different project) and just need to get the mineral spirits.

    I just want to fix these, so that I have them for anything right now.....and then I'll work on making a sil nylon tarp as my next big project. What a PITA!

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by DivaB View Post
    OK, so now I'm thinking I'll nix the nikax gear and tent solution and I'm revisiting the mineral spirits/silicone option. Since the one side is PU, and it wouldn't be a good idea to just throw the entire mass of material into a bucket with the solution....would I just sponge it on? Or paint it on? I'm assuming once it's mixed that it would be too thick to spray on? (yes, I'll mix a small batch to test an area first)

    Also, what is the mixture ratio again between the silicone and mineral spirits?

    Thanks gang, once this is answered, I'll know what I'll be doing this week, hopefully it won't be too cold I already have the silicone tube (had it for a different project) and just need to get the mineral spirits.

    I just want to fix these, so that I have them for anything right now.....and then I'll work on making a sil nylon tarp as my next big project. What a PITA!
    This is a good tutorial on how to re-coat your shelter.

  6. #6
    Member I hear banjos's Avatar
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    I do not have that much experience with Hammock tarps as I am a noob..But I have used many tent flies, tarps and single wall tents over the past 40 years... Have always found that using a good water proofing, water based spray on with an ultra violet protection additive has worked great.. Although I do re seal my gear every year it's a small price to pay for performance. Years ago I used silicone based products but found that they leave a good layer but it also deteriorates and cracks over time..

    I have used all of the below products and have had great success..

    http://www.nikwax.se/


    http://www.trek7.com/products/aqua-a...-tent-and-gear

    http://www.mcnett.com/SilNet-Silicon...aler-P143.aspx

    http://www.grangers.co.uk/product.cf...7&productid=41

  7. #7
    Senior Member BrianWillan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DivaB View Post

    How the heck do I reseal the entire tarp? All of them will obviously need it. They are not sil, so what are my affordable options that will adhere to them?

    Thanks gang
    I don't know if one can reseal a polyurethane coated tarp. If you're going to go to the trouble to do that on 4 tarps, I might suggest that you pick up some 1.1oz ripstop nylon and make some tarps then do the DIY silnylon treatment that many have had success with.

    I know this more work for you to make the 4 tarps, but at the end of the day you'll end up with tarps that are lighter and less bulky when packed.

    Cheers

    Brian
    Good judgment comes from experience, and often experience comes from bad judgment. - Unknown

  8. #8
    Senior Member DivaB's Avatar
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    gmcttr you did good

    I Hear Banjos Ok...so will the Nikax Tent & Gear SolarProof and waterproofing stuff work on polyurethane material? I'm intrigued with this option. If I go this route, I'm guessing I should use the spray while my pole mod is spreading the tarp out, correct?

    BrianWillan that will certainly be next on my DIY list as funds dictate, but for now I want to get these things working as they should be, if there is any way that I can. Big ole "IF" on that one.

  9. #9
    Senior Member BrianWillan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DivaB View Post
    BrianWillan that will certainly be next on my DIY list as funds dictate, but for now I want to get these things working as they should be, if there is any way that I can. Big ole "IF" on that one.
    If it turns out to be a lost cause in coating your tarps, you can salvage all the tie out loops from the existing tarps and just have to buy material to make new ones.

    Good luck on your project and let us know how it turns out for you.

    Cheers

    Brian
    Good judgment comes from experience, and often experience comes from bad judgment. - Unknown

  10. #10
    Member I hear banjos's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DivaB View Post
    gmcttr you did good

    I Hear Banjos Ok...so will the Nikax Tent & Gear SolarProof and waterproofing stuff work on polyurethane material? I'm intrigued with this option. If I go this route, I'm guessing I should use the spray while my pole mod is spreading the tarp out, correct?

    BrianWillan that will certainly be next on my DIY list as funds dictate, but for now I want to get these things working as they should be, if there is any way that I can. Big ole "IF" on that one.
    The PU coating is usually only on the inside of the material... you can spray the outside of the material... I have found that the Nikwax works well to bead water and since it is waterborne it works best when you soak the material so it can absorb into the material..

    good luck hope it works out for you...

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