Bushwalk Australia

Hi folks,

Ive read and been told about using silicone to reproof and seam seal. I know about commercial products, like SeamSeal, seam proof etc but the following is what I have been told can be used as an alternative and something that is a bit cheaper and more versatile.

Get some silicone based sealant -could be for kitchens, bathrooms, or anything really. Dilute with either kero, or shellite to a thin paint-able consistency. This is then 'painted' onto the seam, or surface to be waterproofed.

Does anyone have experience with this method, or the preferred solvent? I would think Shellite or paint thinner would be better than kero. Can it be used to reproof a fly? Or a tent floor? Its also suggested as a way to give some grip to your tent floor to stop sleeping mats etc sliding around.

Any help welcome as I have an older tent that could do with a little reproofing on the fly, and another tent to seam seal. Could it also work, if mixed a little thicker, to reproof the inner of cordura type packs - -thinking day packs here.

PGS

If you have a siliconised nylon fly (silnylon) than you use 100% silicone (not the generic tile/windows whatever version , it must state 100% silicone on the label)
Tip, you can buy for about the same price a 310g tube as you can the 90/100g version in blister pack.
I use Mineral Turpentine but you can also use Shellite .

If your fly isn't siliconised , than use a PU (polyurethane ) sealer. like Seam Grip.Apparently that is the same as Tarzan glue.
I only used Seam Grip on tents that are not siliconised so I am not aware of alternatives.
Franco

i also use turps, i would not use kero, for the smell alone...

Franco, when using a PU sealer, do you thin it down with turps still, or do you use something else? i need to do my floor, but have not gotten around to testing a PU sealer with a thinner...

I only used Seam Grip straight from the tube (applied with a syringe) not diluted. I do not know if you can do that or not.
Franco

I found some more info.
Of all people this comes from Roger Caffin :

"I am not sure whether SeamGrip thins all that well with mineral spirits - you would have to try it out with whatever passes for mineral spirits where you live. I believe it thins very well with Xylene, but try buying that at your local hardware store!"

Another suggestion in that thread was to use (for silnylon only) Permatex Flowable 100% Silicone Windshield Sealant. That is about the same cost as 100% silicone but comes already diluted ready to be applied. Roger mentioned that for striping (or dotting in my case) the floor , to avoid slippage, the Permantex does not work as well as the standard 100% silicone.
(BTW, use a lower dilution , like 1:1, for floor applications. With seams it is meant to penetrate , but you coat the floor)
Franco