Waterproofing the canvas bag

CEBU, Philippines - The canvas bag is no longer purely a utility bag for personal essentials. It has since smoothly evolved into a fashion accessory. There are now various stylish designs and colors of canvas bags.

But this handy thing encounters a problem in the rain. Its fabric easily gets soaked in the showers, which are supposed to be more frequent these days. And, as everybody knows, a canvas bag that frequently gets wet means not only damaged contents but the bag itself gets quickly worn out too.

There is, fortunately, a way around the problem - waterproofing the canvas bag. It only requires little wax. And it can be done the do-it-yourself way.   

The job is pretty easy to do, and quite simple. Udi Tirosh, writing at www.diyphotography.net, tells how:

Materials:

• Your bag (obviously)

• A double boiler. It is advisable not to use one intended for kitchen use as it can be a mess to clean. Instead, old pans, coffee cans, or whatever iron or steel-based can may be used - even two old, aluminum camping pots will do.

• Wax, preferably paraffin (available in hardware or drug stores) 

• Bristle brush with size between half-inch and one-and-a-half inch.

Procedure:

1. Put some water in the bottom portion of your double boiler and place it on the stove on high fire to get it boiling faster. As the water boils, add a bar or two of wax to the upper portion of your double boiler, and allow it to melt.

2. Once the wax has started to melt, dip your brush into it, and begin painting all surfaces of your bag, paying special attention to the seams and the bottom part. Maybe coat the bottom a little extra well as this is the area that will be taking the brunt of the wear. Then allow it to cool till the wax hardens.

3. Put your canvas bag into an old pillow case, and tie off the end. This keeps the wax from getting all over the place. Then, put it in the dryer on high for about 15 to 30 minutes. This allows the wax to be evenly melted into the fabric. You can also use a hair dryer (much more of a pain with this amount of wax, but possible) or a heat gun.

With such minor effort the life of one's favorite canvas bag may be prolonged way beyond the rainy days. And a lot of gadgets and dear knickknacks inside may be saved.