Your yurt’s canvas is exposed to the anger of the elements 365 days a year. This makes it more susceptible to wear down over time. There are ways to extend its life but ultimately, there will come a time when it needs to be replaced. When this time comes, you are eligible for a 30% discount on a replacement canvas for the first 10 years from the time of purchase. 

The best way to extend the life of your canvas is through proper maintenance. Regular cleaning can help deter the growth of fungi & mildew. You can add cleaning vinegar to the reservoir of your power washer to do so. This should clean and disinfect the canvas of any buildup of mildew. Just be careful when using high pressure so that you don’t tear the canvas - refrain from washing too close. 

Often, the fee to waterproof an entire canvas costs more than the cost of the canvas. It is our mission to find a supplier that can provide us with a magical, cost-effective, eco-friendly, breathable & waterproof canvas. And when we find this supplier, we will be sure to inform our Groovy community. 

In the meantime, a happy medium is to add a layer of vapor barrier or “house wrap” under the canvas layer. When this waterproof membrane is installed beneath the canvas, it adds a layer of protection to help prevent leaks inside the yurt.

Should you still want to try your hand at waterproofing the canvas, we recommend that you start by treating the seams only.

It is important to source natural products like beeswax for this purpose, as chemical alternatives will inevitably end up in the surrounding ecosystem. Natural waxes are also absorbed into the pores of the fiber it is applied to, allowing the treated material to breathe. We recommend testing the products on a small sample first to see if it has the desired effect.

On request, we can outsource the fire-proofing of our canvases to a local company called RnR Staging. We recommend treating the interior covers as opposed to the exterior ones because of the water-soluable nature of the treatments. Upon special request, we do outsource canvas treatments to meet the following requirements: