TENTS:
The tents come complete with the appropriate canopies, side-walls, metal poles, guy ropes, stakes, wooden finials, steel pegs and storage bags for the canvas. It may be necessary to purchase a mallet to put up the tents.
The side-walls are attached to the canopy by hooks and the panels are laced together and secured with brass eyelets.
All our tents are made from the finest materials with the outer 15 oz marquee polyester mix canvas being treated to ensure that is both waterproof, rot proof and also fire retardant comply to Flame-resistance in accordance with BS 7837:1996, BS 5867 part 2 type B, CPAI 84:1995 Sec 6 and NFPA 701, Water-resistance in accordance with BS 3408:1992, Rot-resistance in accordance with BS 2087:1992.
The cotton lining is treated with a flame retardant during production. However, if you machine-wash the cotton lining then you will need to re-apply the flame retardant. Please note, we can also supply the inner- linings in Trevira, which is made from flame-retardant polyester and is inherently Flame Retardant. Please ask our advice.
The block printing process is done by hand. The maximum size of the block is roughly 5″ square and many of the motifs employ 2 or 3 blocks to make up the print. The colors used are fixed and are machine washable.
CANVAS CARE AND CLEANING:
Because the canvas is treated with water and fire repellents, hot water or detergents are not recommended for cleaning. The best way to clean the tent is to put it up on a sunny day and use a hose-pipe with a spray attachment, or mini pressure washer on the lowest setting. A little Ecover washing liquid can be used for stubborn stains.
SHRINKAGE:
All tents made from natural fibers, like cotton, will shrink slightly and this will affect the "finished size" measurements of the tent. The exact amount of shrinkage is impossible to predict.
MILDEW:
A common problem that occurs in canvas is mildew. Our tents are made of a fabric that is mildew resistant; however, it may mildew if left damp. This is very destructive to cotton fabrics and usually forms when tents are put in storage when damp. If mildew has started to grow, it can be stopped from spreading by thoroughly drying the tent, preferably in the hot sun and applying Lysol and water. To one gallon of water, add half a cup of Lysol. If you do not have Lysol on hand, you can try substituting 1 cup of lemon juice and 1 cup of salt into one gallon of water. Be sure to wash the affected area thoroughly, and rinse thoroughly. After any treatment has been applied, make sure the tent dries completely before putting into storage.
- It is important to always store canvas away dry and in dry conditions -
Keeping grass and weeds trimmed around the bottom of the tent is also important since dampness clings to foliage and does not allow air to get to the fabric. Do not delay in drying your tent!!!
WINDS:
Our tents, if erected correctly are designed to be very stable, however, intense winds can cause extensive damage to your tent and frames. Be sure to set your tent up using all the stakes and ropes provided.
Even when using a freestanding frame it will be necessary to also guy the tent out front and back using the grommets provided in the ends of the ridge if used in windy conditions.
Frequently checking the stakes and tightening the guy ropes if they loosen during periods of high winds will keep things together.
If the tent is left alone for periods of time in windy conditions we advise that all the panels are attached. This makes it harder for the wind to blow underneath the tent with the risk of blowing it away.