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What Kind of Paint Do You Use to Dope Fabric to Make it Waterproof?

Waterproofing fabric through-and-through involves more than doping the fabric, and can include taping and sealing off inside seams. However, you can make fabric water-resistant or water-repellent with sprays, paints and coatings. These paints aren't like art paints but rather dry clear, add glossiness and are referred to as "dope." Choose a type of dope that is suited for the purpose and object you need to be waterproofed.

Clothing
- Water-repellent coatings are available commercially for clothing, including Grangers® G-Line Waterproofing for Outerwear, Nikwax® TX-Direc, McNett® Revivex® Water Repellent and Blue Magic® Tectron®. All of these may be recommended by outerwear manufacturers for restoring water-repellent coatings on existing jackets or fabrics. Follow manufacturers directions for application and regular cleaning and restoring.
Aviation
- Waterproof fabric dope for airplane wings such as ultralights and antique planes is another possibility. While mostly now replaced by polyester and other synthetic fabrics that do not need waterproofing, the painted-on coatings used to waterproof fabric airplane wings included nitrate or butyrate dope. Note that aircraft covering material must meet Federal Aviation Administration standards.
Outdoors
- Other fabrics have their own waterproof coatings. Outdoor furniture is sometimes treated with clear spray-on dope, while boat fabrics can benefit from added waterproofing with acrylic or other marine sealant. Aircraft models or other models using fabric can be treated with clear shrinking dope for a waterproofing finish. This kind of dope is often made from cellulose, and is available at model stores. Outdoor fabrics such as those on tents or kayaks can be waterproofed further with applications of butyrate dope like that used in aviation.

Aviation