Canvas canopy re-proofing

alt

alt

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Can anyone recommend a product for re-proofing canvas canopy? There was left-over of a product when I bought the boat. I used it and it worked well. But of course I didn't think to take a note of the product before throwing it in the bin.

I remember with that product I brushed it on with a paint-brush (it was water-like liquid)
 
alt said:
Can anyone recommend a product for re-proofing canvas canopy? There was left-over of a product when I bought the boat. I used it and it worked well. But of course I didn't think to take a note of the product before throwing it in the bin.

I remember with that product I brushed it on with a paint-brush (it was water-like liquid)
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Fabsil. You can get from Amazon. Easy to use and very effective.
 
Not wanting to disagree, as i initially thought Fabsil aswell, but i'm sure i've read previously that for sunbrella type acrylic covers, they say to re-proof using a fluorocarbon such as 303 high tech fabric guard, and not to use silicon based agent such as fabsil as it will cause the canopy to leak. Is this true in peoples experience, or falsely founded and you've had no issues with using Fabsil on acrylic type canopies?
 
Marine and Industrial Covers made our new hoods and recommended Fabsil.

We use it and it works great, no leaks from the hoods at all.
 
CX54WEK said:
Marine and Industrial Covers made our new hoods and recommended Fabsil.

We use it and it works great, no leaks from the hoods at all.
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i used Fabsil last year and it worked ok for a bit but then when I lay below the canopy and looked skyward , I could see why it wasnt doing the job. There were gaps between the threads of the fabric and you could see daylight and nothing is going to sort that other than a new cover ( which is now ordered).

Might be worth checking it out before pouring money onto a hopeless case
 
Silicone retreats tend to clash with the original finish applied to Sunbrella fabrics, and in some cases, makes the fabric less water repellant. We've found silicone retreats are okay to use on fabrics that have been exposed for an extended period of time (7 years or longer). However, applying a silicone retreat to fabrics prior to this may produce undesirable results. For best results, we would suggest retreating with 303 HighTech Fabric Guard, the recommended retreatment for Sunbrella fabrics.
 
Careful with fabsil - I used some I found lying around the garage, and it melted my plastic windows. Luckily the local canopy people replaced them cheaply, but I only use the starbrite stuff now. Buy it in 3.75l bottle, not the 1l bottles.
 
rosssavage said:
Careful with fabsil - I used some I found lying around the garage, and it melted my plastic windows. Luckily the local canopy people replaced them cheaply, but I only use the starbrite stuff now. Buy it in 3.75l bottle, not the 1l bottles.
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It is not meant for the windows, however, it has never damaged mine, as I wipe any Fabsil off the windows.
 
Hope this helps - I emailed Fabsil about suitability for Sunbrella and had this reply:

Fabsil is suitable for Sunbrella fabrics. The product sunbrella recommend has the same base (solvent) as Fabsil gold. If the fabric you have has a PVC backing, then ensure that you apply to the outside of the material, and remove any excess or pooling after it is applied.

Fabsil is not recommend for use on plastics and PVC as it will leave smudge marks and not proof correctly. If you only proof the fabric side then there will be no problems.
 
It was not applied to the windows per se, just overspray on the windows from the fabric. I clean the windows after application of a re proofer, but the damage was already done by the time I put the canopies back on and went to clean the windows.

I think it was probably as the fabsil was old, as the local chandler also said he didn't know of anyone one having a similar problem, but it cost me £120 for new windows so it's starbrite from now on :)
 
I have used fabsil and found it really does what it says on the tin! Additionally as others have said JB recommended Fabil Gold for use on the new canopies he made for us.

A couple of words of warning, keep it off the plastic windows, either apply it with the canopies in-situ or refit them ASAP after application as after jet washing and liberally apply Fabil to my canopies on a previous boat getting them back on was a real pain as they had shrunk! They did stretch back with some warmth and pulling and were then lovely and waterproof and taught.
 
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