A Simple DIY Way to Waterproof Anything

Tess Panzer
Updated

As spring starts to roll around, with bulbs blooming and buds popping, you’re probably itching to get outside. As much as we are starting to see the back-end of winter, spring showers and temperamental weather still taunt us on a daily basis. So before you bring out the furniture, throw on the canvas shoes and get that backpack ready for a weekend in the outdoors, you’ll want to make sure everything is waterproofed! Here at Yahoo Makers, we have a DIY waterproofing solution for all your water repellant needs!

You could buy a waterproofing spray, but a small bottle will cost you $15 for a reasonable brand, and significantly more for a higher end product. For the same price, you can make a large container’s worth yourself, using products you’ll find at your local hardware store.

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Materials:

  • 1 quart Mineral Spirits

  • ½ of a 2.8oz tube 100% Clear Silicone Caulking

  • Container with lid, 2 quart capacity

Tools:

  • Paint stick or dowel

  • Paint brush

Instructions:

1. Pour 1 quart of mineral spirits into your container.

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2. Add half a tube of 100% clear silicone caulking.

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3. Stir the caulking into the mineral spirits to break it up. Then fit the lid on tightly and shake the contents until completely incorporated.

4. Paint the solution onto your chosen object, covering it completely in the solution.

5. Allow the object to cure for 24 hours before exposing it to water.

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Related on Yahoo Makers: Never Strike Out Again: How to Waterproof Matches

A quart of mineral spirits will set you back $8.98 at Home Depot and a tube of silicone caulking comes in at $3.98, meaning you get all the waterproofing solution you’ll need, for the same price as a pre-made bottle half the size.

We waterproofed a backpack, but you can do shoes, furniture and pretty much anything you can think of getting wet.

For those worried about the fumes - once your object has cured for 24 hours, the fumes will have evaporated and there’ll be no need to worry.

Hint: Be sure to purchase clear silicone. It comes in white and almond as well, but you probably don’t want to change the color of what you’re waterproofing!

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