How to Recanvas a Canoe

Canvas liners are popular in older wooden canoes. While the wood may last for decades, though, the canvas will not, and over time it can wear away. A modern fabric like Dacron can restore your canoe for years to come and will keep mildew and mold away from the wood while costing a lot less than a new canoe.

Things You'll Need

  • Dacron
  • Screwdriver
  • Shears
  • Steam iron
  • Tape measure
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure the width of your hull amidships using the tape measure. If it's more than 6 feet, you'll need to run a seam in the middle to connect two pieces (Dacron comes at a maximum of 6-feet wide).

    • 2

      Turn on your steam iron and set it to around 225 degrees Fahrenheit (if your iron has a degrees readout). If not, and most don't, notice where the Dacron starts to soften without shrinking or steaming and use a Sharpie to mark that setting for future use.

    • 3

      Turn your canoe upside down and place the tape that came with the Dacron along the gunwale plank edge, at the stem and around the stern. With the iron at 225 degrees, press the tape every couple of inches and push inward with the tip. This will activate the tape so you can apply the Dacron.

    • 4

      Lay the Dacron across the hull, lining it up in the center so that it distributes evenly. You want at least 3 inches of overlap at all edges. Turn it so that it sits diagonally, and stretch the fabric from stem to stern (you may need a partner here). Pull down on the sides and attach it to the tape on the gunwales. Then, iron the Dacron onto the tape. Hold the iron in one place for a couple of seconds until the tape beneath feels waxy. Pull down with the iron, toward the edge, to stretch the fabric. Stop ironing about 6 inches from the ends.

    • 5

      Apply the glue provided with the Dacron to attach the last 6 inches of canvas on both ends. Make sure that the glue makes a border that won't allow water beneath it.

    • 6

      Run the iron at one setting higher than 225 degrees to seal the Dacron. Always move downward from the center with each stroke.

    • 7

      Seal the Dacron by painting over it with an acrylic latex paint, and wait at least seven days for the sealant to dry. Then sand with a brillo pad or household scrubber. If you want an even tougher surface, add a couple coats of exterior water-based varnish. Then, add three coats of aluminum-filled paint to guard against ultraviolet damage to the Dacron.