Canvas Water Proofing Advice

midexp

midexp

Active Member
Oct 5, 2016
423
Harrison Township, Michigan Lake St.Clair
Boat Info
1999 40' Sundancer
Engines
454 merc
This spring I plan on giving my camper top canvas a good cleaning. I was planning on applying Sunbrella water proofing after the wash. Has anyone found anything better to use? And I was planning on using a foam paint roller to apply it. Has anyone use this method and is there a better way? The boat is a 40 dancer and I can't reach the middle with the spay bottle that the water proofing comes in.
 
303 Marine Fabric Guard is Sunbrella's recommended treatment - but that should be of no surprise since they are both owned by Glen Raven. I have also used Starbrite Waterproofing w/PTFE with good luck.

As far as application I have used a small pressured hand sprayer. These are pumped by hand and will apply an even spray. Use on a day without wind to get a nice even coat. Also they recommend not getting these treatments on your eisenglass. I tried the roller and found it was messy and applied to much in certain situations.

I always have applied mine off the boat where I can work the canvas in controlled sections. If you plan on doing it on the boat you might want to try a larger garden sprayer with a wand.

-Kevin
 
Ditto the 303. It lasts me 6 months to a year. I also apply it with a “bug” sprayer off the boat. If you get that stuff on the boat it’s harder then tree sap once it dries. It works really well.
 
Usually cheaper to buy it by the gallon. Shop prices online. I have seen them vary quite a bit.

-Kevin
 
I do all the canvas. You can use cheap masking paper to tape off the eisenglass. I even do the floor runner inside the boat, if someone spills something the liquid just sits on top until you clean it up with a towel.
 
For big square areas of vinyl I block it off with a piece of cardboard tucked right up to the edge as I spray the area with my hand held sprayer.

-Kevin
 
KevinC said:
303 Marine Fabric Guard is Sunbrella's recommended treatment - but that should be of no surprise since they are both owned by Glen Raven. I have also used Starbrite Waterproofing w/PTFE with good luck.

As far as application I have used a small pressured hand sprayer. These are pumped by hand and will apply an even spray. Use on a day without wind to get a nice even coat. Also they recommend not getting these treatments on your eisenglass. I tried the roller and found it was messy and applied to much in certain situations.

I always have applied mine off the boat where I can work the canvas in controlled sections. If you plan on doing it on the boat you might want to try a larger garden sprayer with a wand.

-Kevin
Click to expand...

I do the same thing every year after I wash it in a machine.
Pick a nice dry sunny day, put it in the washing machine, hang it out in the sun to dry, apply the waterproofing to it with the hand pump sprayer, and put it back on the boat.
Hmmm.....reminds me....I’ve got to get to the boat this week, crawl in the shrinkwrap door to retrieve the runners on the carpet in the cabin and give them the wash and re-coat treatment.
 
JVM225 said:
I do the same thing every year after I wash it in a machine.
Pick a nice dry sunny day, put it in the washing machine, hang it out in the sun to dry, apply the waterproofing to it with the hand pump sprayer, and put it back on the boat.
Hmmm.....reminds me....I’ve got to get to the boat this week, crawl in the shrinkwrap door to retrieve the runners on the carpet in the cabin and give them the wash and re-coat treatment.
Click to expand...

I was hoping to pull the wrap off this weekend with the warm February we had. With all the storms I had to delay. Now watching the long range and maybe next weekend.

-Kevin
 
Where are you on LI?
My dock is in southwest Suffolk.
I’m shooting for the week after next. Going away 3/27-4/8 and I’d really like to get the bottom done and a good wash in before I leave so I can take care of a few loose ends when I get back and hopefully splash in mid April.
The weather Gods don’t seem to want to cooperate though.
 
I have used both 303 and the Starbrite. 303 lasts longer. Starbrite seems to soften the fabric more. Probably the teflon part of the mixture. I do NOT recommend using the Starbrite on the sunbrella carpet runners. It makes them VERY slippery (especially on the stairs down to the cabin).
 
Creekwood said:
I have used both 303 and the Starbrite. 303 lasts longer. Starbrite seems to soften the fabric more. Probably the teflon part of the mixture. I do NOT recommend using the Starbrite on the sunbrella carpet runners. It makes them VERY slippery (especially on the stairs down to the cabin).
Click to expand...
My stairs are a hard surface and don’t have runners. I’ve used Scotchgard In spray cans from Home Depot on runners in a pinch. I wouldn’t use it on exterior canvas, but for runners inside the cabin it works well and is cheap. Liquid beads up on it and it resists stains.
 
Thanks for all the advise. So I think I'll use the Sunbrella 303. I'll look it up online and get the cheapest price, then take it to my local West Marine to buy (side note, they are now are matching all online prices, even AMAZON and Walmart).

And I'll looking into the "weed sprayer" wand to apply (not the paint roller). Someone mentioned they place their canvas in the washing machine. Mine is a camper so it won't fit. I plan on cleaning with Wolite and a brush with extended handle, let dry and apply the 303. I know it's got to be a calm day.

Thanks!!
 
You can wash it in a commercial laundromat that has oversized machine. Keeps the admiral happy too.
 
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