Flaking seam tape

[yellowcanoe]

Our Marmot Limelight is now some eight years old and the interior seam where the floor meets the tent sides has tape that has horrible flaking. I could spend countless sleepless nights flaking all of it off ( I only got 3 inches done in an hour) and from what I read goo remains that prevents new tape from sticking well.. I could tape or seal the seam from the outside. The tent already has patched screens so beauty isn't important

Any other good ideas adhesiveologists?

 

[lowangle al]

If the tent has a bathtub floor and a rain fly why even worry about that seam?

 

[yellowcanoe]

It does not have a bathtub floor. The seam is at ground level

 

[Guest]

Our Marmot Limelight is now some eight years old and the interior seam where the floor meets the tent sides has tape that has horrible flaking. I could spend countless sleepless nights flaking all of it off ( I only got 3 inches done in an hour) and from what I read goo remains that prevents new tape from sticking well.. I could tape or seal the seam from the outside. The tent already has patched screens so beauty isn't important

Any other good ideas adhesiveologists?

If re-taping over the remaining flakey goo seems questionable maybe try this on the bottom of the seam. Or both sides if you can remove most of the flakey.

http://www.canoetripping.net/forums...0-silicone-mineral-spirits-mix-as-seam-sealer

That DIY process worked so well, easily and inexpensively that I sealed the seams on a lot of our older tents and tarps, and some newer ones on the side that was not taped.

As far as removing the remaining tape flakes maybe turn the tent inside out, zip it closed and give the flakey line a good scrubbing. I have heard of folks doing this in the washing machine, but would not want to expose the no-see-um mesh and zippers to that kind of agitation. Maybe gentle cycle.

 

[yellowcanoe]

I knew there was a thread somewhere..but couldn't find it! I have silicone coming and mineral spirits..downstairs. I don't want to scrub the flakey as I would also wind up scrubbing the coated floor.. I will grate flakey with a knife and try to remember its not parmesan.

 

[Guest]

As usual I discovered things I should have done from the start. Abso-freaking-lutely make a zip tie stirrer before you start mixing the silicone and mineral spirits.

P6230942 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

That simple stirrer, stuck in a drill, made a huge difference in time spent and the thoroughness of the mix. And re-mix, adding a little more mineral spirits to the existing jar of gone-gooey DIY sealant.

And you can probably skip all the powder dusting stuff, unless you make the mix very silicone thick I doubt the seams will stick together.