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I am camping this weekend and my new tent just arrived today. I want to put it up and waterproof it now with a spray-on silicone waterproofer and a seam sealer.
It's evening right now and very bright/sunny/hot but we're expecting a short storm late this night. If I waterproof the tent now, will the rain nullify the waterproofing?
Most products require 24-48 hours of dry time. Some also recommend multiple coats, with some time (i.e. 4 hours) between coats.
Allow article to dry for 24-48 hours Source
We often spray waterproofing on our fabrics in the garage. This keeps them out of the rain while drying and allows for ventilation, while drying.
If one were to discover a leaking section of fabric during a rainstorm, a highly effective solution is to rub wax (candle, ski wax, paraffin, etc.) on the fabric. No need to heat it: rubbing cold works fine. It is better to apply from the outside, but it works okay from the (more comfortable and convenient) inside too. One rubbing generally lasts for several days.
