Working with tyvek

[Guy Incognito]

I've seen a lot of people on here talking about how great (or awful) Tyvek is, but nobody actually tells the ins and outs of making stuff out of it. Glue or tape? If tape, do you tape both sides of a seam or just one? What about closures? I used water proof velcro for this project, but on a tent, a zipper seems much more appropriate. There are probably a bunch more questions that I should ask, but it's late and I am getting tired.

[Tim Marshall]

you can sew it just fine (the soft structure 1443r anyway)

-Tim

[Guy Incognito]

What about homewrap? I have a big roll with almost 150 feet left. Also, I have a friend in construction, so homewrap leftovers will probably be free in the future. It's hard to say no to freebies when the 1443 costs a few dollars a yard.

[Tim Marshall]

i have no experience with it.

-Tim

[Jolly Green Giant]

I believe Joe Valesko (zpacks.com) made a jacket out of Tyvek for his CDT hike this summer and quickly sent it home due to what I assume to be poor breathability and function. So, consider what you'll be using it for with some caution.

[Guy Incognito]

That's sound advice. I plan to test everything I make by car camping with commercially made equipment for backup before I ever rely on it out on the trail.

[Nia Schmald]

Tim, what needle and stitch length do you use for 1443r? The seams I sewed ripped out very quickly.

[Tim Marshall]

well, i don't work with it. i did once but found it to be hand tearable, which doesn't work for me.

I would think size 12 and medium length stitches would be ok.

-Tim

[Franco Darioli]

Keep in mind that home wrap and 1443r are very different materials. Same brand different applications.

Franco

[Tim Marshall]

truth!

-Tim

[Guy Incognito]

If anyone is interested, I found this article. It doesn't tell me everything that I would like to know, but it is a good starting point.
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=525

[ben wood]

guy, i made a tarp out of the homewrap and it works just fine. i tried many different glues on sample pieces and found that contact cement worked the best for me. it is not the best stuff in the world but it keeps the rain out. i probably wouldn't use it for garments of any kind, but as a tarp it worked quite well.

just my .02

[bj bretzke]

What is the best tape for waterproof, strength, durable?

[elbert chu]

i have made two smallish backpacks out of some fedex tyvek and tried various tapes since i have no sewing machine [yet — i'm working on that]. My current version weighs-in at 5oz. [incidently, how do i measure capacity for liters/cu.in.?]

Duct tape: holds well, but heavy.

Low Density Polyethylene Film: holds well and stiffer, but heavy as well.

Tyvek tape: aggressive adhesive, thinner and lighter, more pliable. hard to work with because of strong adhesive. adhesive seems to attract dirt around the edges after use, which is unsightly, but does not affect performance.

I tape both sides of a seam since these were my first projects, but not sure if it is necessary.

I've read that sewing compromises the integrity of the tyvek, so taping the seams helps spread the tension, but have not tried it…yet.

Glue: i've read that others have had good success with 3M super 77, which i have but haven't tried yet.

I've used my bags quite extensively over the past couple months and have been very pleased with their performance in rain, snow and carrying loads up to 20 lbs. The only wear I see is on the straps which have fibers sort of fraying.

for closures, i have been using elastic drawstring up-cycled from an old jacket with it's plastic toggles.

hope this helps you.

[Lawson Kline]

Get yourself some seam stick and tape the Tyvek together. If you really want to add "peal strength" because it seems to delaminate before ripping, tape it then sew it with a longer stitch (6-8 per inch).

Good Luck

[elbert chu]

Hi Lawson, thanks for the tips. What is "seam stick" do you have a brand name and method?

what kind of thread is best with tyvek?

thanks.

[Lawson Kline]

Hey Elbert,

Seam Stick is a super strong acrylic double sided adhesive transfer tape that sail maker's use to reinforce seams. With some materials and certain applications the bond is so strong that sewing is not needed and actually makes the seam weaker. This is true with Tyvek. A taped Tyvek seam will actually delaminate before the tape peals. If you decide to sew in addition to taping I strongly recommend using a small needle #70 and very thin thread V30 Polyester. Make sure you sew with a longer stitch (6 per inch)

Side Note: The adhesive used in Tyvek envelop flaps is the same as used in seam stick.

Some seam stick products that come to mind:

3M 9485
C3 Sailtape

[elbert chu]

Thanks Lawson, that is really helpful. I have been wondering what that adhesive was since I found it to be remarkably strong and much lighter than single-sided tape.

Can you recommend a good source?

[Roger Caffin]

Yellow pages, yachting supplies or sailmakers.
I endorse the 3M9485 too.

Cheers

[Lawson Kline]

I am not sure who sells it retail because I usually purchase it wholesale. Maybe I should start selling it? I don't have many rolls left or else I would send you some. Most wholesalers make you buy it by the case which can be up to 96 rolls depending on the width so I would try a sail maker retailer. Try Google and type in keyword "Seam Stick". The C3 sailtape in my opinion is a much better product than the 3M seam stick.

Good Luck

[Jose Juanero]

anybody have some tyvek they want to sell me?

[Erick Panger]

Look on ebay. There is a bunch on ebay for sale. I bought 2 9×9 foot sheets recently for ground cloths it was 39 bucks for both of them.

[BlackHatGuy]

Antigravity Gear will sell Tyvek in 9' long sheets by the foot width for $2 per foot. So a 3'x9' sheet would cost $6. They'll even cut it for free (I bought a 6×9 piece and had it cut into two 3×9 pieces for ground cloths).

[Paul Gibson]

We have it for sale at Arrowhead Equipment as well 3' wide by any length you want.
Arrowhead Equipment

[Seth Anderson]

I do have a tarp made of tyvek I believe it is 11×9 I use it for hammock camping.

I kept it really simple; no seams. Tie outs are connected by sheet bends. I through it in the washing machine to soften the material. This is supposed to get rid of the noise issue.

It works fine and was very cheap. Weighs in at around 19 oz.

[Author]

Posts