tent quality cloth

[skel]

i dont think this has been covered in an y of the other threads...

do any of you guys know of a place where i can buy some thick, heavy, tent quality cloth? stuff thick and good enough to withstand rain and or other elemtents? i plan on making a viking A frame tent for geddon and all i need is cloth but dont know where to look.

[Plithut]

Canvas, any large fabric chain should have some, and if they dont they can get it...

[Beorn Tordensjold]

I think that you would be suprised at how much of this sort of thing retailers such as Wal-Mart or Hancock actually carry. Most of our pavillion was made from fabrics from Wal-Mart, and it is pretty keen.

[Winfang]

I've found Duck (or Duct) cloth, which I'm guessing is a type of canvas, at Wal-Mart. Is that what you used Beorn?

[Alrick the Grey]

The stuff that companies like Panther Primitives and Tentsmiths use is Sunforager Canvas. It 's cotton so it looks good but it's treated to make it waterproof and rot resistant. You can also get it flame retardent, which is a * good idea if alcohol and bonfires are nearby. The stuff is expensive, like about $10-12 a yard retail, but you can get it from these guys http://www.astrup.com/ for under four a yard IF you have a resale license.

[Beorn Tordensjold]

Duck is canvas. Trigger, while durable, is not. DON'T MAKE A TENT OF IT.

That's a good link, Alrick, I'll have to look into that.

[Eoric of the Riddermark]

Many reenactors who make their own tents/getelds/pavilions swear by Sunforger tent canvas. This stuff is water repellent, mildew resistant, and can be bought with flame retardant treatment as well.

This is reputed to be one of the best (i.e. cheapest) places to buy it: http://www.periodfabric.com/Sunforger.htm

They also sell remnants: http://www.periodfabric.com/Remnants.htm

[Winfang]

Awesome link Eoric, thanks! I've been having a difficult time trying to find a good source of wool and linen.

[Eoric of the Riddermark]

Glad I can help.

BTW, here's another place to shop if you're looking for linen: Fabrics-store.com. They are well-known in the reenactment community for being a great source for good, inexpensive linen.

And while I'm at it, here are other places that are regularly recommended for wool and/or linen:

http://store.yahoo.com/phoenixtextiles/
http://www.denverfabrics.com/
http://www.fashionfabricsclub.com/

[Shino]

Kurgan just used plain canvas for his A-frame. It looks cool and worked well. But is isn't waterproof and is very heavy.

[Kurgan]

Well, I got my canvas from Hancock Fabrics. It was the only canvas they had available but it held up fine at Chaos Wars. One side is white and one side is red and when it rained, the red side would be moist on the inside but it never actually started dripping or anything inside the tent. The white side held up nicely and has very little condensation on the inside, even when it was pouring rain outside.

[Orion Nomad]

Best place to find cotton canvas is a painters supply or boating supply. The painters drop cloth works great for just about anything. And its Cheep If you find one with grommets and are woried about "The period correctness" DONT grommets go back to the Roman Legions. This or Duct Cloth can be Oiled with linseed oil to water proff or for somthing realy flamable try thompsons water sealer.
A safer way to go is to paint your cloth. Yes paint one of the original paints was ironoxide mixed with linseed oil. It came out a rusty brown, dont go to to the bother of making your own go down to ace hardware and find a suitable redbrown. Thin it with a 3 parts paint to 1 part thiner apply with brush streach out and hang. Summer is the time to do this as you need to be able to hang it out long enough to dry. If you thined it well it will still fold and last along time. This is the best thing for your ground cloth.
As for ther rest of your Tent if you can get a small fire inside (Carfeully)by lifting up the sides but allowing the smoke to fill the top that will close the matierial to moisture. This is how canvas Teepees are water proffed.
Also a dew liner (asecond layer of canvas at the bottom third of the tent) will help in the misty morings.

I have spent more than a few nights under a ten by ten painters cloth hung between trees with a couple of branches to make a high spot in the middle to let the rain run off . This is called a" Fly " in my previous hobby (as a Buck skinner) we were required to spend as much time on the ground (camping primitive) every year as our job and wives would allow.
A fly and a wool blanket were pretty much all we took summer and autum. Come winter we took more blankets. and spring we took more canvas. I live in Oregon where its wet eight months out of twelve. We made our fire by flint and steel and packed or shot with muskets what we ate.

Theres a lot more so please ASK ME specifics
I have a lot of know how and reference matieral
but please forgive the spellin