Anyway to dye white canvas tan?

[tenngun]

Around 1980 the museum of the fur trade quarterly ran an article on tents. Full of paintings and ledgers and drawings. Along with written accounts.
At the end it said to make sure it was white as color wasn’t invented until 1840

 

[sheriff john]

My daughter is doing this very thing as I write to a similar-sized canvas tent. She's boiled whole black walnuts for about a day and a half to make her dye. As folks know very well, black walnuts have the ability to instantly stain hands and the result so far on the canvas is similar. Tent is now drying outside.

She also added goldenrod to the "stew" yesterday. Remains to be seen whether or not the canvas will "take" the dye permanently. Only ingredients are black walnuts, goldenrod, and water. She's used the black walnut to dye many cotton clothing articles as well as thicker (boiled longer) to make ink for calligraphy.

Her project was to mitigate mold spots. Used a small plastic kid's swimming pool so as to reduce waste and get a better overall coverage.

 

[Codger Craig Wilcox]

If the tea color is too light, try coffee.

 

[galoot]

Coffee and tea will wash out when rained out, and gets bleached out in the sun. If you want a natural dye, walnuts have an oily base that is much longer lasting. With walnuts (or butternuts!), a light dose that can be repeated until you get the shade of light brown you want, is IMO, a better way to go.

If you're up for something other than brown, good old George clay rubbed into cloth is a tough rust colored stain to get out.

 

[sheriff john]

Walnut/Goldenrod stain has dried in the sun. So far, so good. This first "coat/wash/whatever" is not exactly uniform. Kinda splotchy where the cloth had folds due to it's design that would not lie completely flat. Hindsight tells me she should've set it up and allowed it to dry. But it did turn out a very pleasant light tan color.

Wear rubber gloves unless you wish to look like you stuck your hands inside a tanning booth.

 

[dragnetbill]

I don't wish to alarm you, because I really don't know, but I am curious if anyone has ever had a problem with rodent damage to a walnut dyed tent or garment?
I noticed that there have been several lawsuits against car manufactures that went to wiring with soy based insulation; apparently the mice, etc. loved to chew on the wiring.
That reminded me that my brother had told me about a car that he had stored outside while doing a no hurry restoration; the next spring the hood insulation was almost completely gone. He talked with a friend that worked for the manufacturer who told him that that was a common problem with the models in question (I think it was an 80s Caddy) and the best that they had determined is that the insulation that they had used had some type of walnut based ingredient in it.?????????
I hope you don't have a problem with your tent.

 

[Lawdawg98]

I’ve used loose black tea to dye canvas with great success.

 

[tenngun]

I don't wish to alarm you, because I really don't know, but I am curious if anyone has ever had a problem with rodent damage to a walnut dyed tent or garment?
I noticed that there have been several lawsuits against car manufactures that went to wiring with soy based insulation; apparently the mice, etc. loved to chew on the wiring.
That reminded me that my brother had told me about a car that he had stored outside while doing a no hurry restoration; the next spring the hood insulation was almost completely gone. He talked with a friend that worked for the manufacturer who told him that that was a common problem with the models in question (I think it was an 80s Caddy) and the best that they had determined is that the insulation that they had used had some type of walnut based ingredient in it.?????????
I hope you don't have a problem with your tent.

Ive had mouse chews on plain canvas.

 

[oreclan]

For a few years now I've thought about trying to dye (or stain, I don't know..) my 12'x12' pyramid tent a tan or soft brown. I'm just wanting it to blend in a bit with surroundings instead of being stark white. Curious if anyone has done this type of thing or if it's just better left as is.
View attachment 24773

You could paint it. Check with a hardware or paint store as to what is best.
I've painted knapsacks successfully.

 

[springfield art]

Tea will turn it into a tan color and tea is pretty cheap BUT, what is historically correct? You might want to leave it as is. I think that is the color Miller painted at the Rendezvous, etc.

I agree.

 

[J. Paul]

Probably best to leave as-is and let nature take it's course; over time it'll dull out. Nice tent!

Our Boy Scout Troop had a lodge that we set up and built a fire inside of then fed the fire with green willow branches for a few hours. It was pleasantly discolored and was more water resistant than previous

 

[Turtle2]

Thank You All!! I apologize for my absence and I won't bore you with that. Life in general has kept me away from several things including the task of trying to dye it. With getting caught up reading all your input/suggestions I think I might be leaving it and see if father time can help with it.
We just got back from another year of muzzleloader hunting and one night after supper we were discussing this very thing. The stark white seems to be "taming down" on it's own with use a bit but we'll see.
One of the main reasons for this was recently renewed when a fellow walked into our camp last fall and said "I saw your tipi from way over there and thought I'd come say hi." Nice of him to be friendly and all but I thought we were back in the trees far enough not to be seen but obviously not. And obviously this is not a tipi but a simple 12x12 pyramid. From where he said he saw it from was over a quarter mile away so white in the forest sure stands out as we know.

 

[Kansas Jake]

A positive and a negative with being able to be seen. The negative is you can be seen when you want you or your stuff left alone. The positive is by being seen someone is less likely to lob a shot in your direction.

 

[TheBoat]

I ould go to your local Esquatarian Supply Chanderly ( At least thas what us nautical tyoes cann the store ) and get some t=of that coloured rubber tape that they put on hourse anckles so that when they reak them they can keep winning the Kentucy Derby. You could make all kinds of designs and stripes on your tent and its great for splinting broken bones or plugging leaks when used with a tampon if you shoot yurself. However,
Every once in a while, a product comes along that is so amazing, so revolutionary, so beyond the wildest fathomings of the human imagination, that we dedicate our spare time, creativity, and meme-making skills to making fun of it. For the last couple years, the winner of the "most fun to make fun of" product has been Flex Tape.

Make your Tent Crystal Clear like this Boat and you will be popular with the other Campers. maybe in Lost Angelous or San Fransisco anyway.

PS as shown in the Ad, Flex tape Can Not stop a Bullett more powerful than a NERF. So do be careful.

 

[Quicksilver]

Wonder what effect tannin from oak leaves would have on the canvas, if any. I have thought about using it on my Montana Range Tent a time or two.

Over the years the white canvas has became easier on the eyes. I still think about darling it to make it harder to see, but have yet to get up the nerve to try it.

 

[Brazos John]

I have thought about using it on my Montana Range Tent a time or two.

I set up my Range Tent in my wooded back yard after the Goliad reenactment, and have had it up since the Springtime. It gets dirty, then rain washes it off, but a bit of color remains. A little mildew, too, but I won't go crazy over it. I've also noticed how it stretches and shrinks with the changes in weather.

But I sure wish that my yard looked like your yard! Beautiful place, and a great photo!

 

[Lawdawg98]

Wonder what effect tannin from oak leaves would have on the canvas, if any. I have thought about using it on my Montana Range Tent a time or two.

View attachment 182173

Over the years the white canvas has became easier on the eyes. I still think about darling it to make it harder to see, but have yet to get up the nerve to try it.

I’ve used loose black tea with great success.

 

[hunter thompson]

A pump up bug sprayer and thompson water seal or minwax

 

[Red Owl]

If you look at Miller's Paintings, there were also some striped tents.

 

[Lawdawg98]

Coffee and tea will wash out when rained out, and gets bleached out in the sun. If you want a natural dye, walnuts have an oily base that is much longer lasting. With walnuts (or butternuts!), a light dose that can be repeated until you get the shade of light brown you want, is IMO, a better way to go.

If you're up for something other than brown, good old George clay rubbed into cloth is a tough rust colored stain to get out.

When I’ve used tea, I seal it with a combination of paraffin and bees wax. Nothing has faded more than normal. No bleaching has occurred.