0 Comments

Waterproof Water Repellent or Water Resistant?

Rain is part and parcel of living in England, yet we are in a constant battle to control its effects. As much as we appreciate the rain we do have to protect ourselves and our property against it. From a flurry of pleasant summer rain to storms that destroy coastal homes, there is a fabric available to match every kind if rain. This blog is here to help you find that match, and will hopefully clear up the differences between waterproof, water repellent and find you the right fabric to suit your needs.

Talk About The Weather

Water proofing is a way of life here, luckily there is an abundance of fabrics and available to help us. Types of rain are a rough guideline, we all know the difference between fine drizzle a steady shower and a torrential downpour, but wind factor and even the angle of the rain can effect the water proofing of a fabric and very importantly, the length of time a fabric has to endure the rain.

Right Fabric for the Job

When dealing with rain, there are a large number of factors to consider that determine the level of water proofing. Unfortunately controlling the weather is still out of our hands so manufacturers of waterproof fabric evaluate with testing of the fabric with various jets of water in controlled conditions.

Water repellent fabrics can vary considerably with how much water they can withstand and one of the main considerations is whether the fabric is breathable or not. Water proofing fabrics come in a range of strengths yet finding the right one for the job at hand can be slightly confusing as times. There are generally three categories a fabric will fall into when dealing with water, below is a guide to help your decision out.

100% Waterproof Fabric

The intention of a water proof fabric is to simply not let any water through the fabric. It can rest in puddles or roll off the fabric but it won’t soak through. There are plenty of materials available which are made from purely plastic and are inherently waterproof such as transparent PVC, KISS Laminate PVC .

These materials are ideal for certain jobs but the addition of woven fabric adds an extra dimension of strength, flexibility and durability. Completely waterproof fabric does not necessarily have to be thick or heavy to do the job, there is a range in fabric to match the toughness of the job at hand, from very thin lightweight rip stop fabric used for shower proof macs to very heavy duty 610grm PVC used for protecting lorries, boats or even building sites.

Water Repellent Fabric

This category consists of fabric designed to repel water but not at a 100% rate. For instance there may be a coating on the fabric to help dispel water from the surface but only for a limited time. As mentioned, the level of water proofing ability depends on time spent in the water as well as the fabric coating.

Fabric such as Teflon coated and neoprene are designed to withstand a certain amount before the fabric will become soaked . Water repellent fabrics can vary considerably with how much water they can withstand and one of the main considerations is whether the fabric is breathable or not. A breathable fabric means it will allow water vapour from our bodies out through the fabric through microscopic holes in the fabric.

Time Will Tell

The coating on the surface of the fabric will repel rain for a limited amount of time only, and this still depends on how heavy the rain is and how long the downpour will last. For example, a lightweight breathable fabric can with stand bursts of short showers or drizzle, but prolonged heavy rain would soak the fabric after a while.

Clever Neoprene Fabric

Neoprene is another fabric that can get confused with being waterproof. Standard 2 -3 mm thick neoprene with fabric coated both sides should be water repellent. Neoprene has a very clever tick up its sleeve, when the water eventually soaks through tho the skin a layer of warm air is created directly between the skin and the fabric. This warming quality is why its so widely used for outdoor water sports, you can splash about in water for some time before it soaks through, yet when it does, you are protected from the cold! To learn more about Neoprene, check out our Useful Neoprene blog here.

Water Resistant (weather proof)

There is a smaller amount of water resistant fabric available than water proof or water repellant. This category is made up of fabrics that may be designed to be weather proof but are not completely water proof. Unlike water repellent fabric, they either have no coating or a minimal level of water proof coating on the surface of the fabric.

Some of these fabrics are actually more natural in composition, traditional fabrics such as canvas and wool. Very thick heavy weight tarpaulin canvas has been used for camping tents for centuries, the cotton canvas allows some air in and some body heat out so the interior stays at a moderate temperature. Wool can also be relatively weatherproof when woven and formed into a very dense cloth, hence its popularity as an outdoor coat fabric.

Awning, a Great All Rounder

Acrylic awning fabric is the ideal choice for outdoor canopies and shading. Designed to withstand a very wide range of weather changes from blazing heat to bitter frost. This ability to tolerate a wider range of weather is why is always seen to be used outside shop windows and doorways, shading umbrellas for cafe’s and pubs, and garden furniture. You can simply leave it outside and it will handle whatever the weather wants to at it, whist doing a great job at shading and protecting. If you want to know more about awning fabric we have several blogs to look through, just click here for more Awning info.

I hope this blog clears up any questions you have about waterproof, water repellent and water resistant fabric. If, however you do need to know more, just give us a call on 0121 3597784 and we will be happy to help you out with any projects you have planned.

Please follow and like us: