Sealing urathine ripstop seems?

[Tom Holbrook]

I am making raingear using urathane coated nylon, and not sure what material to use to seal the seams.

Anyone know of a method?

Z.

[Roger Caffin]

Ordinary seam-seal tapes (glue or thermal), or a smear of diluted PU adhesive.

Cheers

[Tom Holbrook]

Roger,

I have not used seam tape before. Is it applied to the exterior of the fabric, which is visible? Or, over the interior seams? I have a pattern that calls for a 5/8" seam allowance, and would be difficult to tape.

As for the PU adhesive, does it dry clear?

First time user,

Z.

[Vick Hines]

ShoeGoo, Amazing Goop and McNett Seam Grip are the same plastic with different viscosity, listed from thicker to thinner.

In any case, thinner applications give better results – less likely to peel and much, much lighter. Popcicle sticks or tongue depressors are good for spreading the sealants and for scraping off any excess. You can also use plastic squeegees, but these adhesives will stick and ruin them.

If you use wooden sticks to spread, lean the sealant, viscosity is less critical. Goop and ShoeGoo are much cheaper than McNett's Seam Grip.

[Roger Caffin]

> Is it applied to the exterior of the fabric, which is visible? Or, over the interior seams?
A matter of taste.
Applied to the outside it is visible, and for commercial rain jackets that is obviously a real no-no. If you apply it over the lumpy bit of the seam (typically inside) you need to make sure it has enough span to handle the width of the seam fabric of course.

PU adhesive is usually clear.

There's also some Coghlans self-adhesive nylon fabric in a patch kit – that stuff bonds pretty well too.

Cheers

[Author]

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