New tarp. Seam seal questions

[SADLK]

My two new Old man winter tarps from Wilderness Logic arrived today!! I must say, these things are SWEET!! I can't wait to get the whole family out for a hang in the near future... The seams on these tarps don't appear to have any seam seal on them. The last time I did this was many years ago when I was a ground dweller. Can someone explain the best approach to take to complete the task of seam sealing my new tarps?

Thanks,

SADLK

[Boothill]

sil net is the kind of sealant i use to do mine, after the sil net has cured i take a tiny bit of talcum powder and dust the sealant so it doesn't stick to itself

boot

[Bubba]

I and many others have had good success with Pematex flowable silicone availabale at auto parts stores. It gets into the seams really well and the applicator is nice and small.

[bigbamaguy]

I use the clear Permatex window sealer to seal my ridgelines. You can purchase a tube of the stuff at any automotive store and it will do approximately four tarps. I string the tarp up good and tight, allows the sealer to get into the thread holes. I place a small amount on the tip of my index finger of one hand and run it along the ridgeline, the other hand is underneath helping to guide my other hand. My fingers act like a squeegee on top and bottom. This has made a very neat sealed seam in the past. Good luck in your project.

[SADLK]

Thanks for the info guys...

[oldgringo]

This may be hard to come by in Wisconsin in February, but you need at least 60*f for silicone to cure properly.

[SADLK]

I think I can wait for some better weather.... There is no way that I will be able to wait to use these tarps though.... I'll be watching the forecast for clear weekends and take a chance on not getting wet!

[DemostiX]

This may be hard to come by in Wisconsin in February, but you need at least 60*f for silicone to cure properly.

Good point, but the layer will be thin. So do it in parts, and mist the seam a few minutes after application. Humidity is as essential. Charts I read would have it (<1mm layer) skinned over in minutes and fully cured in less than an hour.

[Delboy]

I always set up the tarp so the seam is stretched/ under tension before sealing. I know someone that just laid the tarp on a table and sealed it under no tension. It leaked like a sieve when set up as it stretched the seam.

[Acer]

I seam sealed mine,,however,,a few of the guys said you didn't have to do it to the OMW as the way it was sewed,,you might check with a few before seam sealing if you want.