?DIY Silpoly Tarp...Did Anyone Try It?

[Equalizer]

This is a Question about successful applications of 100% silicone, Nikwax, or whatever that you've tested on an UNtreated Polyester fabric and has proven itself a Good Tarp. Please include details and if you have before/after weights.

I have an excellent, tight weave, low stretch ripstop polyester that I'd like to turn into a hammock tarp. I have read everything that I can find on the silicone/odorless mineral spirit recipes on Nylon. Unfortunately, I've Not found much convincing feedback on its effectiveness in the field.

I checked into water REPELLANTS like Nikwax, etc and customer service thinks it would work. Allthesame, I'd like to be able to make an offset Asym 9.75' x 80", 15.5 oz waterPROOF. I don't have scraps to sacrifice for testing or I'd do that. I suppose if something was considered only repellant, but held up against misting in a Thunderstorm, that would be plenty "water proof" for me. It really doesn't need to breath though.
I was told that some tent makers use Silicone on the underside and Nikwax (NO Teflon polymer based) on the exterior.
However, the Sil solutions I've read about sound more effective using the dip method rather than the paint on method.

What's been your experience?
How much weight did it add?
Maybe there's a backpacking site that I missed, that addressed this. Feel free to link.

Thanks

[Smckinney0031]

Just an idea

https://www.hunker.com/13419791/home...ent-for-fabric

[Smckinney0031]

Also found this but I cant see it to read it!

http://jwbasecamp.com/Articles/Silnylon1/index.html

[Equalizer]

Thanks for the articles!


That fine print article on the silnylon sounds like he did some homework. I came across that one too when researching and think its the best we've found so far. When I went to the feedback link for comment on the article unfortunately it was dead, so no responses on that method. If it worked for him on nylon, im hopeful that itll work the same on polyester. One of the sources, not sure if that one or another said that the silicone sticks well to nylon but rubs off of other fabrics. Unfortunately, I don't want to risk the special piece that I want use for the tarp.

On the soybean oil, thats the first ive heard that being used. Ive tried different recipes of wax and oil on cotton to make good duck cloth rain coats, but theyve turned out heavy. I've always considered them for organics like cotton as they absorb into the fibers and make them swell.

Interesting

[Equalizer]

I'm surprised that nobody here has reported excellent results after reading most of the 52 pages in the "Stickies" potion of this forum "DIY Sil." That's a short book with many contributors. Hopefully, there's some success stories since then considering that polyester is now an acceptable textile for lightweight tarps in the backpacking community.
One more benefit I see is that the finish is not required to s t r e t c h as much as it does for nylon. I think this will allow less mechanical stress to be required.

I'd like to come to a DIY solution besides, "Just give up and buy it already made silpoly from xyz vendor."
There's qualities to some fabrics that common vendors don't or won't provide. Plus, if we learn how to DIY ourselves, we can reapply failing silpoly tarp treatments without needing to start over (time), and buy more ($).
We can also apply it to other gear (ie. Packs) that we never considered outside of buying big $ Dyneema/Cuben fiber.

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