Most People Do This the HARD Way - Seam Seal a Tent or Tarp and Make Repairs - Seam Sealing Guide
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- Опубліковано 22 сер 2022
- 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 at some point and time.
A lot of people really hate the process and in fact, there are web sites, videos, reddit pages dedicated to just how terrible the process is.
Why do so many people hate it so much?
Simple answer - it takes time, it can be insanely messy if you do it incorrectly or if you use one of those brush attachments that are often included….and once you have it on your hands, it can be difficult to remove.
In other words, if you don’t know what you are doing, it SUCKS! If you know what you are doing, it can actually be fun.
What I’m going to show you today is a method that I’ve developed over the years and it works incredibly well. Anytime that I have to seam seal a tent either because it didn’t come seam taped from the company or because it has developed a leak this is the process that I use.
It is the simplest, least messy, and does an excellent job of making the shelter waterproof once again.
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What You Will Need :
Seam Sealer -
Tip : Depending on the material that you are seam sealing, you will need different types of Sealer - In this case, the tent features SilNylon so a Silicone seam sealer is required
Tip : Some sealer’s can be diluted but I tend not to do this as I have personally had better experiences with nondiluted applications. To each their own….
Acid Brush - some seam sealers that you can buy will come with one of these, they are safe to use. Other kits involve a brush head….those are complete pieces of crap and will make the biggest mess. Do not use them! Acid brushes are also called Flux brushes.
Syringes with Curved Tip - often referred to as a dental Irrigation syringe - These run about $4 for one, or $5 for 4 or 5 of them.
Tip : These have a rather small tip opening - if you feel that not enough is coming out, you can use a pair of scissors or your knife to cut the tip to make it larger.
Optional : Latex or Vinyl Gloves
Tip : Latex gloves have superior resistance to tear, puncture and are also more waterproof because it is easier to control the level of microholes, therefore safer for risk jobs eg with biological material. Vinyl gloves, being devoid of natural proteins, can also be used by people allergic to latex proteins but can’t be used in all medical situations.
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Seam Sealing Instructions :
It is vital that you do this on a beautiful day in dry calm conditions. If you are going to do this outside, make sure there isn’t a chance of rain or you can really mess this up.
If there is a chance of wind, DO NOT DO IT! You don’t want the sealer moving when you are doing this - any sort of major Fluctuations could cause issues with the curing in the way that it adheres to the materials.
remember, seam tape goes on the inside of a tarp or tent, seam sealing goes on the outside. It’s never the other way around.
Only seam seal in temps above 60F or the sealer may not cure correctly.
Steps :
Clean surface and dry if need be.
Apply a thin bead over the seams on the outside of the tent or tarp
Use the acid brush to spread sealer over the stitching making sure to provide complete coverage.
Once you have completed the sealing, you will need 3 - 6 hours depending on the conditions for it to cure. Do not do anything to the shelter until it is completely dry…..when you think it's dry, wait another hour or two…the longer that it can sit and cure, the better the application will be. If you don’t wait long enough and if it doesn’t cure properly, you can have issues with stickiness, degradation of the sealer and so on.
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One great tip I've learned is that when you set your tent up for seam sealing, make sure to get it as taut as possible. This allows the sealant to penetrate deep within the stitching and cover any spots that were obscured from the tent being too loose.
@NC Grayman Taut = high tension, stretched
@NC Grayman well, not exactly. you can tighten a knot, but you can't make it taut, that only makes sense for a length of rope
Ideally you don't want to coat your tent seams in temperatures under 60F or over 80f.don't put down a heavy coating because you will get dripping which is messy and very sticky.
@NC Grayman this got me wondering too, so I looked up the history of the words. Tight comes from a word meaning thick or dense-think “tightly packed”. So when you tighten a knot or bolt you’re making it “denser”, thickening it and leaving no space. Taut originally meant “distended”and is thought to come from the same origin as “tough” so in a sense maybe also “made firm”.
Agree tight is better than loose.
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.
It shouldn't be tacky at all though, when you put it away should it? I think if you find it still tacky and needing the powder trick, is due to impatience. ;) You could just wait a couple days and ensure it's fully cured with your left out, that's all.
Alot of sealers do appear to be tacky..just because it's new...but your correct about the powder...just need such a little bit to take the tackyness away....good advice Jim 😀
The best video I have seen on seam sealing a tent flysheet.
Thank you....that took some of the fear out of doing it myself. Was going to try brush on bottle before I watched this video. Will try your way now. Thanks Luke.
It's easy the way he showed. Once you start doing it, you will wonder why you were so afraid to in the first place.
Great video, but one remark. The official instructions on the website say to seal the round guy line points from the inside as well.
"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 video 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!
Excellent process! Thanks for the demo!
When sealing my tents, I thinned out the first sealant application for penetration.
Then applied a second thicker coat.
I did this on warm sunny days on the lawn. Let it sit for a few hours to cure.
Mr. Luke hope the day finds you well, great video, I would love to see more videos on tent/tarp maintenance or how to get the most out of your tent/tarp. Thank you for the videos, I look forward to your next video.
Excellent tutorial, Luke. Thanks.
Always thank you for your intelligent information on all that you do
Awesome Luke, thanks for sharing !⛺️
Thanks, Luke! Very straightforward process.
Excellent Luke, one of the best seam sealing videos I've seen!
Thanks for the tutorial! Never thought about this before, but makes complete and total sense.
Such great content Luke!
Great video and thanks for sharing the technique.
Thanks for the video pal. I’m going to do mine that way now. What a great idea.
Well hey! That looks very efficient and simple to do, just a little time consuming. Thank you very much for the guide, Luke! 👍
Great demonstration! Thanks for sharing! I feel that I could confidently apply seam sealer to a tent now.
Luke, this was an excellent lecture and demonstration. Thank you sooo much. Kentucky
This was the seam sealing vid I was looking for! I’ll be doing my skytrekker this weekend!
Great tips!!! Thank you!!! Look forward to your videos.
Once again...good stuff for all to learn, beginners and experienced.
Great info Luke. Thanks.
Excellent tips. Thanks!
Thanks for this. I got one of those defective stove hut 70s. I’m gonna try this.
Thanks Luke! I didn’t ever think of doing this before, now i will do my new tent and tarp.
Thanks! Just did my first seam seal on a Silnylon tarp. This was helpful.
Thanks Luke!! Im going to do this to my brand new backpacking tent. Thanks!!
That was super helpful brother. Thank you!
I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge and experience 😊 THANK YOU!
Great stuff. Thanks for the tips!
Thanks, as always great info and lessons.
Great instructional video! Thanks!
This was SUPER helpful Luke! Thanks for pointing out the exact syringe and brush you use! Much better than the way i struggled to do it last time!
Bravo. I always thought this sealing is done from the inside :) Secret revealed lesson learned, another pleasant to watch video from you. Thanks Luke.
Great job on the tent ! Love the music !!
Your process is systematic and fool proof well done . Thank you Luke
Cool video. Useful tip, too. Thanks Luke!
Thanks Luke for this informative video, Have not had to seal a tent but this will come in handy when I do . Ontario
Have never had to do,but you make it possible now,if need be.Thanks!
Wow, nicely done. Best way I've ever seen to do that. Thank Luke!!! Take care, till next time.
Luke
Excellent tutorial
well done
This is genius. Thank you for this practical tip.
Excellent tutorial on seam sealing. Thank you so much. I think I can approach this task with a different mindset thanks to your demonstration. Greatly appreciated. S&H.
This was fantastic you have shown how easy seam sealing can be using the right equipment and materials
Good video, good tips, good that you showed some of the squirrelly spots that need sealing also. This is going to be my goto vid recommendation to anyone with seam sealing questions/struggles.
I'll be doing it this way. Thanks for another Great tip
Thanks Luke for this great video 👍👏
Luke, one of your best mate. I've seen a few videos on how to do this, but your video is by far the easiest and most efficient way to go. I'm now off to seam seal my tent. Thanks for the video.
thanks so much for this vid, it helped A LOT when i seam sealed my new lanshan 1 pro yesterday!
Thanks for this information. This definitely helps a lot👍
Just purchased this tent and this vid was perfect for helping me get this job done efficiently! Thank you 🙏🏽
Thanks very much Luke, appreciate the video and tips. I have a new tent that I need to seal.👍⛺
Great video Luke. Painstaking work but definitely worth making the effort.👍
Thanks for all the great info Luke. I just bought a new 4 person tipi and once the weather here in Norway is right I'm gonna treat it with Nikwax and the exact same seam sealer you have in this video 😀
It does help to stretch out the material to be sealed. That also helps you to see any damaged areas that may need to be repaired, which is as good a time as any to do so, so you know you've taken care of any issues.
Nice and comprehensible. Thank you for making this guide.
Hi Luke, great video I learned a lot. You stated that different materials need a different type of sealant. My question is how do I know what I need for my tent? My tent under the description for material it just says synthetic.
Thank you for the great video, you took the mystery out of the process and gave great tips.
The syringe is a real time saver!
The middle of the tieoff too. Separate the loop and seam seal. This is a very handy procedure. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks. Love getting practical knowledge. Could you post which sealants are used with which tent materials?
THANK YOU!!!
This greatly helped
Thanks for the tips. If this tent fairs well it would certainly be a really good cost-effective UL option.
Sounds great and looks good .
Hi Luke. I just wanted to say the way you did that makes more sense than the kit's. The next time I have to do it I am going use your method. Thank you so much. Love your channel strength and honor from Michigan Snowman
Thank you for the information. My first attempt at seam sealing did not go as well as I had hoped. I think this process will make my next effort a greater success.
Very helpful. Thank you very much!!! 🙂
One of the most informative post on one of the most underrated must do's. Thanks for vary important information..well Done Sir...
I've used similar methods, but I thin the silicone with mineral spirits. A giant tube of silicone sealant from the big box store costs less than the little tubes. The thinned mixture spreads more evenly and cures faster allowing a thinner and neater coat to be applied.
If I do this, do I really need a syringe? Can’t I just brush it?
@@Ira88881 It's thin enough to use a small brush. Since it's thinner, it also soaks in better.
Luke, thanks for the video. I have never had to reseal a tent other than my canvas hunting tents (after years of use), I learned something today. Thanks again
Awesome videos Luke
Thank you for teaching us all .
Very useful post!
Good demo as well as info.
Thanks Luke. The process makes much more sense after watching your video.
Kudos on your music choices lately👍👍 I know some have
been a tad critical & can also see you care. You’ve stepped up your game. 🎊
Great tutorial! Hope the tent proves storm-worthy!
It is that time! Thank you for the video!
I've always purchased tents already seam sealed, thanks
Completely digging the color of that tent
Just got a new tent...SOOO glad I saw your video before appling the seam sealer...the curved syringe was a key factor...more precise less mess and waste...BIG Thanks 🙂
Haven't needed to seam seal yet but when I do I know the best way now. Thank you sir
The beast outdoor gear review channel ever, thaks👍.
Thanks for the info Luke. Always enjoy and learn from your videos. I did notice you didn't seam seal the stake out loops or maybe you did but I missed it. Thanks again Luke.
This video came at the right time. I walked past that exact same brush top seam sealer at my local Walmart yesterday, and was reminded that I needed to do this. I'm glad I didn't pick that one up.
Thank you... i am now not affraid to seam seal! makes me want to go back and re-do!
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! 😃
Great tutorial, S & H
Thanks for this great info.
A company not willing to seal as part of their products manufacturing is really sad. To me, they are not putting out the best product they can and this is the proof.
Aside from that, video well done. Thanks for showing what these tent companies wont do for their customers
Totally agree with you . We might as well make the whole tent ourselves .
@@davidyendoll5903 lol Right!
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 video demo. Enjoy!
Thank you Luke for showing me how to seam seal a tent I always learn a lot from the outdoors gear review thank you again for sharing this to me
Thank you Luke. I didn't realize I needed to seam my tent after buying it new. Having seen this video makes it clear on how to seam seal and what to use. I watch all your vids. Thanks very much! 🌞
Most tents you don't.
Thanks so much for this video! 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 video, 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 videos man! I learn so much, and you always seem like you're having a good time! Keep it up!! You're doing good things!!! 🙂
Good know-how video. Thank-you
Our (cheap !) rooftop tent leaks like a sieve. Bet it needs this. Thanks for another fantastic video! ,💥
My next seam-sealing job will now go a whole lot better. Thanks
Thank you for the video! Just finished waterproofing my new coleman tent, and really appreciate the tips. I seem to be a rain magnet every time i go camping lol.
Thanks that’s a really good tip, I’ve used the others and they are a pain.
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 videos 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. Big ask, I know, but a man can dream, lol.
I’ve been following a guy on YT whose doing the entire AT right now using the Gatewood Cape. If you check his channel he may have a review on it. (Toby in Transit)
I can totally agree with you on your comment about moving back to Texas. I ended up moving to Texas because the programs I was a manager for.
Went into full product mode and because of that I had to move to Texas.
In order to both keep my job and manage my programs. I used to live in a city called Simi Valley California.
So of course there are plenty of places to go camping and hiking. But when I moved to Texas I couldn't find any places that were not a few hours drive.
To get to and enjoy the great outdoors like I could in California. Though as soon as Christmas and new years is over with.
I plan on going down to the Big Bend National Park and check it out. Even though I have heard there is not much to do and or explore in that area of Texas.
Do you have any suggestions on a good place to go camping and hiking in the Texas area?
I’ve definitely made a big mess using those darn brushes. Then I came upon an earlier video of yours, which really helped me. Cheers dude.🤙