zack0109
Newport dunes
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The tent is nice and big, kids camped out last night to try out but they had to wake up with rain in the tent this morning. The tent is leaking on the sides (the fabric is old, so it has weak spots). We wants to get a new tent but I wanted to know if we can use some kind of tarp to salvage this tent.
Thank you in advance for your advice. 
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gbopp
The Keystone State
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Did you try any of the Waterrproof Sprays?
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Merrykalia
Appalachian (apple at chun) Mountains in SW VA
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Like the above poster, I would go to Walmart and purchase a can of waterproofing (should be in the camping section) on one of the sides or the roof or wherever. Let dry well, then check to see if it works by pouring a small amount of water on it. If it works, wonderful. If not, you aren't out but about $4.00. I think most of the standard tents suggest this be done once a year, anyway.
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catdaddyxx
Dumas, TX
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What is the tent made of? Is it an older canvas tent? That could change what you put on it to refresh it's waterproofing. I'm also going to state the obvious in that you used the rain fly didn't you?
It can be revitalized. I brought a 40 year old pop-up camper back to life a couple years ago and it weathered a couple good storms before we decided to buy the TT. It has the original canvas tenting.
Pretty much the first steps would just be to spray it and reseal the seams. What you use depends on what it's made of.
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SWD
Land of Living Skies
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Eternabond.
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PapPappy
Wilmington, NC
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When I was with Boy Scouts, and we weren't hiking with our gear (brought it in with the trailer), I'd bring extra tarps...one for under the tent, and one to put over the top as a fly. This was helpful for rain, but also to keep the sun off the tent, to help keep things a bit cooler, if we weren't under trees.
I agree that the spray waterproofing is a good option to try and repair what you have now...
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Eyegor
NY
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I would suggest Camp-Dry as an aerosol sealant for nylon or taffeta tents. If you have an older canvas the Camp-Dry will also work but I would be willing to experiment with applying either linseed oil or waxing. I've never oiled or waxed a canvas tent but it should be an interesting project. YMMV.
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tplife
SoCal
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Sprays are only for use in repairing the coating on canvas duck tents, whose coatings are broken down over time by the sun. Nylon/polyester tents are waterproof by nature, and only need annual seam sealing, which is done with a small paintbrush and the liquid seam sealer. Using sprays on nylon/polyester tents will only soon result in delaminating (think small snowstorm and ugly appearance afterward)due to UV exposure. Factory coatings on outer tent flys (the inner tent body is breathable and should never be treated) stay on because they're bonded directly to the material itself in the factory, which the sprays don't do. If you have a non-canvas tent that needs more than seam sealing, throw it away and buy a new (and if possible better quality) tent.
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zack0109
Newport dunes
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catdaddyxx wrote:What is the tent made of? Is it an older canvas tent? That could change what you put on it to refresh it's waterproofing. I'm also going to state the obvious in that you used the rain fly didn't you?
It can be revitalized. I brought a 40 year old pop-up camper back to life a couple years ago and it weathered a couple good storms before we decided to buy the TT. It has the original canvas tenting.
Pretty much the first steps would just be to spray it and reseal the seams. What you use depends on what it's made of.
Thanks for above advices. Mine is made of polyester.
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Eyegor
NY
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tplife wrote: Using sprays on nylon/polyester tents will only soon result in delaminating (think small snowstorm and ugly appearance afterward)due to UV exposure.
I've seen this happen on older sun-damaged tents but have never equated it with the use of Camp-Dry; but this is the only aerosol product I have used. I have sprayed the seams and floor of my Timberline (nylon)for years with no problems. Haven't had a need to spray the fly or other areas. So far, no snow storm for me.
According to the packaging it should be OK but when someone else has had a bad experience that needs to be taken into account as well. Perhaps I've just been lucky. I guess the standard YMMV applies here.
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