Lowes painters tarp to shelter/ tent conversion

[ArmorerRoy]

I started with a painters tarp from lowes. 8x12 and the thickest one they had. I washed it in hot water and dried it on high to induce shrinkage. I then cut it to 8x8 and hand sewed the new seam. I soaked it in 50/50 boiled linseed oil and low odor paint thinner. I hung it up for a month to dry. Using 45 caliber balls on all corners and tie downs I added hemp cord. I can use this as a lean to shelter, bed roll, or tent as seen in the picture. Total weight rolled up in a tump line with a blanket is 10 pounds. Two people plus gear easily fit inside the tent.

 

[FishDFly]

A winner for sure.

 

[Ranger94]

Brother you put alot of work into that. Please keep us posted!

 

[HighUintas]

Very neat!

How water resistant is canvas treated with BLO like you've done?

 

[Little Brother]

I started with a painters tarp from lowes. 8x12 and the thickest one they had. I washed it in hot water and dried it on high to induce shrinkage. I then cut it to 8x8 and hand sewed the new seam. I soaked it in 50/50 boiled linseed oil and low odor paint thinner. I hung it up for a month to dry. Using 45 caliber balls on all corners and tie downs I added hemp cord. I can use this as a lean to shelter, bed roll, or tent as seen in the picture. Total weight rolled up in a tump line with a blanket is 10 pounds. Two people plus gear easily fit inside the tent. View attachment 182535

I used these until a buddy sold me his diamond fly. I love these tarps for ground cover etc.

 

[ArmorerRoy]

100% waterproof

 

[duca]

Always said I would do this one day, now you have set a fire under me. Nice job!

 

[Jaeger]

Cheap painters' tarps or drop cloths are the reenactor's friend. You can waterproof them like you did or just use them when winter camping to keep snow off of things (has to be cold enough, though). We use them extensively for de-farbing our campsite. And.....they are already the right oatmeal white color!

 

[Woodwright]

I believe this kind of waterproofing will leave the fabric very flammable.

 

[appalichian hunter]

The one I made I used the spray on water proofing, took a few cans but has held up well, It's called camp dry.

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

Inventive!

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Dang I went to Seattle Tent & Awning and bought duct sail cloth, cost way more.
Also made my outfit out of it. Never been water proofed and have stood out in the rain for days and not gotten soaked.

 

[BackDraft]

I believe this kind of waterproofing will leave the fabric very flammable.

While I don’t disagree, I think there are misconceptions on the phrase, “very flammable“. It’s been my experience that most folks equate ’very flammable’ with ‘burst into flame’. I’ve seen some properly dried/weathered cloths have sparks land on them without ‘bursting’ into flame. I do think that it would ‘take a flame’ directly quite well. Key thing is “properly dried/weathered”.

 

[kid_couteau]

Very nice job
KC

 

[Phil Coffins]

Dandy shelter. You might replace them expensive round ball with pebbles though, that’s what wild Indians and frontiersmen would of used.

 

[Quicksilver]

Very nice.

 

[sleepingbulldog]

Great job! I thought about doing the same thing but my wife insists she wants a wall tent or she won’t go with me

 

[BillinOregon]

Roy, you pitched your tent cloth perfectly in that photo. Having been treated, is the fabric at all breathable or does it get plenty hot in there on a warm day? I remember as a kid pitching a surplus olive drab canvas "pup tent" (Dad, infantry, always referred to it as "shelter halves"). We kids piled in there and thought it was so cool ... but it wasn't and we were generally steamed out of there in 10 minutes. This was in the torrid tropical heat of a summer in Tacoma, Washington.

 

[Timber Wolf]

Dandy shelter. You might replace them expensive round ball with pebbles though, that’s what wild Indians and frontiersmen would of used.

I have thought that the balls are heavy and might corrode over time. My idea would be to use marbles or maybe part of small chunks of wood dowel rod.

 

[smo]

Lowes heavy weight drop cloth/ canvas tarp..



This one I’ve used for 6 years now..
I reenforced the corners & middle and added grommets..

It is treated with 1 tube of 100 % silicone caulking mixed into 1 gallon of low Oder mineral sprites..
Applied with a 9” paint roller while the tarp was hanging.

If it rains really hard, you will still feel a mist underneath it..
But it’s better than being stranded in the tent..
2018 Friendship In. 6 1/2 “ of rain the first 2 days…
And least I got the awning frame up before the deluge…