How to Make an All-Weather Tent

Camping out in the open is an adventure in and of itself without the hassle of dealing with the elements. Having a tent that is able to withstand any weather, especially rain and snow, is a necessary detail for an enjoyable experience. Most commercial tents are made with weather-resistant material, but there are tips and tricks for ensuring that your wilderness night's sleep is as dry as possible.

Things You'll Need

  • Tent seam cleaner
  • Tent seam sealer
  • Isopropyl alcohol
  • Silicone waterproofing
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Instructions

    • 1

      Clean the inside seams of the tent. Although many tents are now made with water-resistant materials, the seams are still liable to leak in rain or snow. Use isopropyl alcohol or a commercial tent seam cleaner to make sure there is no dirt or debris along the seams of the tent.

    • 2

      Draw a thin line of tent seam sealer along all of the seams on the inside of the tent. If applied to the outside of the tent, the sealer will simply wash away in the weather, so make sure this is applied on the inside seams. Make sure that the area around the zipper or Velcro flaps of the tent are sealed, and let all of the sealer dry for 24 hours for proper adhesion.

    • 3

      Apply silicone waterproofing to all of the main surface areas of the tent. This is most often sold as a spray. Follow the directions for proper application and spray all of the inside areas of the tent. This can prevent water from seeping through the walls or the floor of the tent.

    • 4

      Use a rain fly and stake it tautly to repel water during a storm. Having both your tent and the rain fly staked into the ground very tautly will allow rain to flow off of them instead of pooling or flowing into your tent.