[MR] Fwd: [HF] Canvas Tent Upkeep

[Siegfried]

Ahh, welcome to a common discussion.  Others will disagree with me, but
I'll give you my own experiences/suggestions:

1) If the mold is still alive (IE, not dried up and flakey), or just to
'make sure', use white vinegar.  NOT BLEACH (bleach can break down the
canvas).   Putting it in a spray bottle works well.   lightly soak the
area of the canvas, and leave it laid out on a driveway/etc in the
bright sun to bake.

2) Now, to get rid of it, and remove 'some' of the stain, make a
solution of water & laundry detergent, get down and scrub it well.  You
won't really ever get all of it off, if it was bad, but you'll get close.

...

As far as 'treating', yes, you can buy canvas waterproofing spray (and
the anti-fire and anti-mold) ... But it's fairly expensive, and:

One of the benefits of a good canvas tent in the first place, is that
canvas is naturally water-resistant.  No, it doesn't bead up and run
down.  But you don't want it to, if it does, that means it's not
breathing either.

Instead during the first part of a shower, a light 'mist' will happen
inside of the tent, and then it will swell up and not let any more water
in.

(This does assume that you have good quality tight-woven tent canvas,
and not something more like a painters tarp)

...

So personally, I haven't found the need for ever re-treating.  Yes, you
can get the fire/mold resistance, but to REALLY get that stuff, the
fabric needs completely impregnated with it, not just a light coating on
the outside.  So a post-purchase treatment will never be as good as the
original anyway.

My 2 cents,
Siegfried


> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Andrew Ladner <andrew.ladner at gmail.com>
> Date: Wed, Jun 8, 2011 at 6:24 PM
> Subject: [HF] Canvas Tent Upkeep
> To: highland-foorde at atlantia.sca.org
> 
> 
> With Pennsic and other summer camping coming up I have some care a
> treatment of canvas questions.  I have a wall tent with some mold
> (tiny black dots, not too numerous) and a need of new waterproofing.
> I also have a wedge tent also in need of retreatment, but thankfully
> with out any mold.   Both were originally treated for waterproofing,
> fire-resistence, and mold-resistence.  I'm guessing all three could
> stand to be re-applied.
> 
> My real question is what products do people suggest using, and from
> where?  Also is pressure washing the wall tent and letting it dry in
> the sun likely to be sufficient for the removal of mold?
> 
> -Ludwig Burmser
> 
> (-Andrew Ladner)

-- 
Barun Siegfried Sebastian Faust - Barony of Highland Foorde - Atlantia
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