An update on my canvas - I pressure washed the underside whilst it was laid out on the ground on a dry day in the Summer - the mould came off easily and has not yet come back. I didn't use any cleaner or anti-mould agent, just plain water.

When I got it, the canvas was very stiff, and certainly would not take Fabsil, but I did treat all the straps and binding tapes. It has now softened up, and I have treated the back flap, but not the rest of it - that is slated for next year on a dry day, when I am not too busy with other jobs! The windows were sealed with a tent seam sealer.

Less than 10 years, with periodic treatment with Fabsil is not good enough, 3-4 years is unacceptable in my opinion, even when a vehicle lives outside!

The current canvas has shrunk on the back flap, so that it barely reaches the cappings now, and needs treating and stretching. The canvas I bought in ca 1994 cost around £100, and lasted 12 years. It was tatty, but still functional at the end, and it was passed on to someone who just wanted an old canvas. I did regularly treat it with Fabsil, which undoubtedly kept it going longer.

You can buy anti-mould additives for paint - it would be interesting to see if it can be added to the likes of fabsil, or made into a pre-treatment? Pressure wash the canvas, treat it with an anti mould agent, followed by Fabsil. Otherwise we could try wood preserver. We use Ronseel at the Railway, as it is still spirit based.

Sunny Jim

Quote from: Sunny Jim on Dec 12, 2024, 12:43 AMAn update on my canvas - I pressure washed the underside whilst it was laid out on the ground on a dry day in the Summer - the mould came off easily and has not yet come back. I didn't use any cleaner or anti-mould agent, just plain water.

When I got it, the canvas was very stiff, and certainly would not take Fabsil, but I did treat all the straps and binding tapes. It has now softened up, and I have treated the back flap, but not the rest of it - that is slated for next year on a dry day, when I am not too busy with other jobs! The windows were sealed with a tent seam sealer.

Less than 10 years, with periodic treatment with Fabsil is not good enough, 3-4 years is unacceptable in my opinion, even when a vehicle lives outside!

The current canvas has shrunk on the back flap, so that it barely reaches the cappings now, and needs treating and stretching. The canvas I bought in ca 1994 cost around £100, and lasted 12 years. It was tatty, but still functional at the end, and it was passed on to someone who just wanted an old canvas. I did regularly treat it with Fabsil, which undoubtedly kept it going longer.

You can buy anti-mould additives for paint - it would be interesting to see if it can be added to the likes of fabsil, or made into a pre-treatment? Pressure wash the canvas, treat it with an anti mould agent, followed by Fabsil. Otherwise we could try wood preserver. We use Ronseel at the Railway, as it is still spirit based.

Sunny Jim

I read somewhere that pressure washing canvas wasn't great for it

I got a cover from Undercover Covers that was made of a ripstop material that they used on the military contracts they do.  They were selling it off cheap at a show as they weren't popular as they aren't original material (£200 in 2015).
Once it weathers down it looks the same as a canvas tilt.
It's been on 9 years living outside and the material is still good (but faded).  There is one hole due to bird droppings burning it and the seam edging is rotting (cotton I think), but still structurally sound.
I'll ask them to make one from this material next time I need a cover.
Picture below is from 2023.
Cheers,
Chris

QuoteI read somewhere that pressure washing canvas wasn't great for it

Leaving it covered in mould is certainly not good for it, nor good for the lungs, with all the spores it will release! The mould will rot the canvas fibres, and make it fall apart.

You can read anything somewhere, it doesn't make it true! Pressure washers have different settings, and unless you are going to blow holes in it, it will remove any dirt.

Having lived inside all its life, I haven't re-waterproofed the top of the canvas yet - that will be a job for next year now that it has softened up a bit. It was a regular job with previous canvas roofs, when the old heap used to live outside all the time!

My last Exmoor canvas is actually still in the garage, and has not rotted, but it used to leak no matter what I tried to stop it, and the side tapes had chafed badly. My current roof is the sixth in 46 years, although I did use a concocted cab roof for a while whilst at College and University (a cut down Series I cab roof, with home made back and sides, and a rear window from a scrap van of some description).

Sunny Jim

Undercover Covers sell their own reproofing fluid. It also refreshes the colour and hence comes in different colours according to your canvass.

I might try it, so far I can't complain about Fabsil though, which also does its job.

When I read this post initially, I was wondering if you could wax the canvass like a Barbour jacket? When I was young my mum and dad would wax our hiking gear, trousers, jackets, bag packs with a block of wax and a flatiron.

.........Don't get me started on Barbour jackets either!! They are not a patch on what they once were.

I got bought a new one last year, and already the pockets have disintegrated.

Barbours have a repair service, but to be honest it costs almost as much as just buying another one.

Mine is forty years old and just settling in nicely.

QuoteI can't complain about Fabsil though, which also does its job

Fabsil works well on the canvas itself, but doesn't seal the seams round the windows very well. I bought a separate sealer for these, which has worked OK so far, but does leave visible deposits.

Sunny Jim