Seam Seal Job

[Daniel D]

I cut up an old cotton/nylon sock and impregnated it in the thinning liquid, then wrung it out so it was wet enough to remove the excess as I wiped over it.

[DGoggins]

OK, I seam sealed a brown supermid and a green equinox 8×10 tarp yesterday using the tarptent method. Used diluted silnet, a 2" foam brush and a cut up old cotton tshirt square.

I'll never use undiluted seam sealer again. I hated the feel of super thick seam sealer plus how horrendous it looked. And….the added weight of all of that seam sealer.

With the foam brush, I would dip it in the solution, then massage it a bit into the seams, then vigorously wipe off with the towel. I was worried b/c it still went on the seam messy, or I would have a accidental "brush off" by about an inch or two, but wiping fixed it. There is still a "band" about …maybe 1/2" off each seam where the excess seam sealer gets onto the fabric after wiping. It can't be helped. I think the process is just naturally messy. But…fortunately, since you wipe it only a tiny bit remains on the tarp and it dries clear. However, I did have a bit of discoloration (just a slightly darker color) and a bit shinier where it dried….but you still have to look at it in the right light/angle to see it.

I was also initially having a hard time brushing the corner seams of the supermid…since when its under tension I had a hard time staying on the seam without slipping to either side of the seam. However, I learned that if I pushed on one side of the seam with my wrist, my free hand could then grab and pinch loose material on the other side of the seam. Then…with that pinch it made the seam itself be flat, so I could brush on the sealer, then just let it go and move down the seam.

Also….my big question with this method..is how much weight should have been gained. With the old method, you are directly applying thick seam sealer so if you have a 1 oz tube, and use it all, then you are roughly gaining an oz of weight. With this method….and maybe I used the towel too vigorously, I think I gained only .1-.2 oz…for a supermid size job….I guess I can always do the sprinkler test.

[Glenn S]

I guess I do it a little different. Same mineral spirit dilution to pancake syrup consistancy, but I use a half inch, disposable acrylics brush to really work the mixture deep into the seams and corners. Brushing along the seams with the brush held sideways seams to push it into the holes better than just laying it on top with a sponge and relying on the threads capillary action to suck in the sealer. Spreading out the seams as I go, it only leaves maybe a half inch wide stripe, with no wipe-off required. Well, except for drips and slips of course…

Not sure it's really doing any better of a job than a sponge, but as long as I "feel" like it is, then I sleep better I guess. Unfortunately, in the grand scheme of things, I think condensation trumps seam sealing anyway, so even a poor seal job is probably plenty adequate for the single wall situations most of us encounter.

[DGoggins]

I am also using the foam sideways..but I do like the idea of using an acrylic brush next…though with a foam brush (especially 2" version), it can hold quite a bit more sealant so I can do 1/3 of a long seam in one go, then brush off, then dip the foam brush again.

The main problem I had was with staying directly in line with a hard seam like the long corners of a pyramid. The straight seams at the top of the mid were pretty easy. It doesn't help doing the long corners half leaning into a mid the size of a supermid.

I also think that having a gray color would have hide the seam seal job more than a dark brown/green too, but I do like the olive brown color of MLD's mid.

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