Waterproofing Pop-Up canvas?

[WelshGas]

Should you apply a waterproofing agent to the canvas part of the Pop-Up roof on a regular basis or is the canvas inherently waterproof?

 

[bvirc]

VW strongly discourages costumers not to apply any additional waterproofing to pop-up canvas.
Original pop-up canvas is waterproof enough for most situations, however using an extra roof topper or a foil is recommended and widely used among Cali owners in prolonged rain or wind.

There were some discussions here on materials for pop-up roof. It is not a problem to make it waterproof with a simple PU material, but you want to have a good indoor climate too. It's too often underrated. So using a canvas instead of plastics is the best known compromise found even in the most expensive tents like Scandinavian Tentipi tents.
Forget about Goretex, it is simply not enough breathable for this application - anyone claiming opposite, please test one of the single wall tents and I am wishing you a good luck with tons of condensation or frost. :crazy

A waterproof solution handling condensation good enough is a double wall construction applied in most tents. And using a roof topper or additional foil on the top of a pop-up roof make a double wall construction, keeping condensation on the inner side of the outside layer (topper or foil) and keeping inside canvas dry. Tested in many winter situations including the one from my profile picture.

Our pop-up roofs are basically tents (with a hard top roof of course) so it is essential to understand how tents work before applying any add-ons to it.

Best,
Bostjan

 

[DM]

This is a super-old post but I can’t find anything more recent. Our T6 is 10 years old now and has been much used. The T6 pop-top canvas is fantastic and we have never found the need for a topper. However we are now starting to experience some leakage in persistent wind blown rain. This is not wicking - it came through the front the other night with a light wind bowing the rain onto it over a few hours. I’m reluctant to faff around with a topper (especially as I have roof bars) so my preference would be to re-waterproof the canvas. Has anyone done this - successfully or otherwise? Any suggestions? TIA

 

[JohnCalifornia]

Hi my T6 is coming up to 8 years old and this week we were in the Lake District and the rain and wind were almost biblical. Rain was hitting the side of my pop top at right angles . After an hour or so the rain started seeping through. It really was quite bad and had to use towels and t shirts to try and stop the rain tracking through the van to the other side as we weren’t quite level. I’d didnt work and now there are water marks on the ceiling and in the cloth bits above the drivers and passenger seat. I posted on here a couple of days ago about this and Aquatex has been recommended so I’ve ordered some and going to do mine ASAP .

 

[DM]

Hi my T6 is coming up to 8 years old and this week we were in the Lake District and the rain and wind were almost biblical. Rain was hitting the side of my pop top at right angles . After an hour or so the rain started seeping through. It really was quite bad and had to use towels and t shirts to try and stop the rain tracking through the van to the other side as we weren’t quite level. I’d didnt work and now there are water marks on the ceiling and in the cloth bits above the drivers and passenger seat. I posted on here a couple of days ago about this and Aquatex has been recommended so I’ve ordered some and going to do mine ASAP .

I’ve got the same problem with the ceiling - water tracked about 1/3 of the way across and has left a stain - any idea about how to tackle that? Luckily I got away without the area above the front seats getting wet - it’s just the base of the lifting bed.

 

[WelshGas]

I’ve got the same problem with the ceiling - water tracked about 1/3 of the way across and has left a stain - any idea about how to tackle that? Luckily I got away without the area above the front seats getting wet - it’s just the base of the lifting bed.

I would try Autoglym Interior Shampoo/Cleaner. Certainly works on water stains on the cloth seats.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

This is a super-old post but I can’t find anything more recent. Our T6 is 10 years old now and has been much used. The T6 pop-top canvas is fantastic and we have never found the need for a topper. However we are now starting to experience some leakage in persistent wind blown rain. This is not wicking - it came through the front the other night with a light wind bowing the rain onto it over a few hours. I’m reluctant to faff around with a topper (especially as I have roof bars) so my preference would be to re-waterproof the canvas. Has anyone done this - successfully or otherwise? Any suggestions? TIA

My van is 2008. I have used a giant can of Fabsil from Amazon twice. Works v well. Seams first and then rest on the front and sides.

 

[JohnCalifornia]

I’ve got the same problem with the ceiling - water tracked about 1/3 of the way across and has left a stain - any idea about how to tackle that? Luckily I got away without the area above the front seats getting wet - it’s just the base of the lifting bed.

The material on the underside of the upper bed and the material in other areas of the Cali are the same as the parcel shelf that sits on the metal section behind the rear seats. I’ve left that outside in the rain before and that suffered from water stains. I tried just wiping the stains but it didn’t look any different so I ended up soaking and washing the whole parcel shelf and letting it dry. That did the trick. I’m going to try cleaning the water stains with warm water and washing up liquid but wash a much larger area around the water mark stains.

 

[JohnCalifornia]

Also to add insult o injury , the morning after the biblical rain and one of the worst nights sleeps night ever we decided to batten down the hatches and close the roof even though the bellows were soaking wet, as my other half started the engine to put the roof down she knocked the wipers on but the outside windscreen cover was still on so it broke one of the wipers. Had to make an emergency repair with a tyrap . Another issue is it’s MOT day tomorrow afternoon so I now have to go and buy a new wiper blade first thing in the morning and fit it.