Canvas preservation - what product can I use?

Claudio · Post by **Claudio** » Tue Jul 27, 2010 7:52 pm

Hey Canvas specialists!

The canvas top of my M38 is start loosing its original impregnation, so asking your help to inform me what impregnation product should I use, preferably to recover its sticky and dense texture?
(no moisture prevention sprays please).
Thanks

dpizz · Post by **dpizz** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 5:35 am

CANVAK is the best product available. Unfortunately, it can't be mailed (flamable liquid).

As moisture in cotton duck leads to mildew, you also need to add a fungicide along with the water repellant treatment. CANVAK uses zinc napthanate as a fungicide. Copper 8 quinolinolate is another fungicide that is used in mil spec duck. The fungicide gives that wonderfull canvas smell.

You might be able to homebrew your own preservative. Canvak is 70+% mineral spirits which carries the fungicide and emulsified parrafin for water repellance.

Post by **wesk** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 8:08 am

Thanks Dave.

Claudio,
Cabella's carry's it on the shelf. I am not sure of they have any outlets in SA.

http://www.cabelas.com/p-0005871513996a.shtml

I googled it asking for SA outlets and this popped up:

http://www.visitperu.net/company/santia ... k-98c.html

Claudio · Post by **Claudio** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 9:55 am

Thanks!
Since I am far away from most of american store's shelves, are you guys able to check on the reverse side of the Canvak can which chemical composition is the product made of?
Claudio

Post by **wesk** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 6:53 pm

Dave described it reasonably well above:

You might be able to homebrew your own preservative. Canvak is 70+% mineral spirits which carries the fungicide and emulsified parrafin for water repellance.

Have you googled Canvak and canvas preservative in Brasil?

Claudio · Post by **Claudio** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 9:26 pm

Wes and Dave,
I've been googling since early in the morning, nothing similar to Canvak canvas protectives, but only references of certain industrial filters or so. I've also searched for mineral spirits (found thousands of references for "mineral oils", "emulsified paraffin", "subproducts of gasoline refinement"...etc.), but nothing consistent about canvas protectives/tarpaulin, etc, etc.
No problem guys, from my internet search I wrote down a couple of phone numbers to make calls tomorrow, get the product and start making experiments...and...again having fun remembering high school chemistry classes at the laboratory

Thanks guys!
PS - but please: more hints from hidden members are more than welcome!!!

Post by **wesk** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 11:11 pm

Recreational and camping vehicle dealers and service facilities is a good place to start.

Claudio · Post by **Claudio** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 9:31 am

Very correct! these sellers have the mineral spirits. I am also thinking about mixing natual bee wax to the solution, to see what happens to the result. Basically I still need to find the fungicides that Dave meant.
He is right about the attractive smell of the fresh cotton duck, so this will be my target.
Still uncertain for me are the opinions from other guys down here about mixing line oil, asphalt compounds to the solution or whatever that may gather dust or dirt. Does this deserve any comment?
Dave, what products are basically used at canvas manufacturers to impregnate the cotton duck?
Claudio

Cacti_Ken · Post by **Cacti_Ken** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 12:12 pm

Canvak ingredients:

Mineral Spirits....85%
inactive ingrediants..... 12.5%
Zinc Naphthenate.....2.5%

The zinc naphthenate may be an anti fungal agent.

If I couldn't find the canvak then I might I try to make something, I would use linseed oil, mineral spirits and a product, whose name I can't recall at the moment but is used in paint to retard mildew growth. Oh! it just came to me, it's called mildewcide. it can be bought at the hardware store or where paint is sold I presume.

Or another product for sealing water here in the states is Thompson's Water Seal. something like that may be available in Brazil.

I have bought it before to add to paint on the outside of the house. Mildew has not been a problem since.
Most exterior paint comes with some added per Government specs, I'm sure it's minimal since I had to add some more to do the job after some experiance with mildew growth.

I also read that salt water will kill mold. Salt an water mixed applied with a sponge. I haven't tried this yet.

I'll say this in respect to Canvak. Mold growth is not effected when it's applied.
I am thinking of adding some mildewcide to the Canvak since I still have mold growth on the canvas. At the present my seats have mold growing on them. Over that past three years I have treated it with canvak a few times hoping mold would not grow.

Claudio · Post by **Claudio** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 6:56 am

Thanks Ken,

The problem to get zink naphthenate is the minimum amount to buy, normally employed for industrial applications. In fact, according to Dave Pizzoferato and to my web research, this product kills molds, mildews and gungii in general.
It remains only the explanation about "inactive ingredients" from the formula of Canvak.
Claudio
PS - Attention to all brazilian wm-jeep members: mineral spirits has a different commercial name over here (= aguarras). It is largely used on paints in general, so every paint store has a profusion of manufacturers and the price is same as a kg of bananas!!!