How To Make a Camping Tent From Scratch

We humans have been building and inventing things since the beginning of time. From the first lit fire to the creation of artificially intelligent robots. We have seen things that have been either beneficial for our kind or horribly destructive.

Most people assume that building your own camping tent is an uphill task. I was a slacker. I loved procrastination and always neglected time-consuming activities.

Once I went on a picnic with friends, everyone was busy and I was asked to help a friend building a tent. Trust me, it seemed to be a daunting task at first but it was not really difficult.

Although it was time-consuming and a tiring activity but when I finally built it, it increased my morale. I felt accomplished and thought I can help others.

If I could try changing other people’s perspectives about building something on their own it could bring a positive change in our community. People would be motivated and will build more amazing things in the future.

I have divided the entire process into stages. It would help you in understanding it easily. I built a robust and secure by following these steps:

Materials Needed

For building a camping tent you will need the following things (if you click on the links below you will find today’s prices on Amazon).*

1. Long Paracord Rope (x1)
2. Wooden Sticks or Poles(x4)
3. Waterproof Tarp sheets(x2)

Make sure you have all of these building materials. I will discuss their applications later. Keep reading.

Find the Perfect Camping Spot

Look for a spot near a tree. Camping near a tree will give you natural shade. Make sure you build your tent at a lower altitude. Setting it up at a higher altitude would increase the tent’s overall exposure, resulting in a colder atmosphere at night time.

Don’t camp at higher grounds close to the hills or mountains because during rainfall, there will be higher chances of water pouring heavily from the upper areas. Don’t build a camping tent near a dead tree with weak branches because during a storm, they’ll be prone to break and fall on your tent.

Look for a camping spot near a river or lake. You could catch fishes in the morning or evening and cook them at night.

Prepare a Flat Surface

It’s really important to find a flat surface. Generally, it will make your stay worthwhile. You don’t want to sleep on the uneven ground with uncomfortable bumps. They could ruin your body posture. Find a ground that is moderately damp. It will help the tarp stick to the ground more nicely.

Remove objects scattered all over the ground. Remove leaves, twigs and big stones from the ground before you spread the tarp. Flatten the ground. Make sure your bottom tarp stays relatively smooth on the ground.

Put Your Materials In Order

1. The wooden sticks or poles would be used for forming the walls and to hold the tent.
2. The rope would be used to tie the ends of poles.
3. Two tarp sheets are required for building the bottom and upper layer of the tent. One for laying on the ground and the other one for the roof.

Steps To Build a Tent From Scratch

 Step 1: Setting up the Tarp Sheet

1. Spread the first tarp on a flat surface. This will be your tent footprint.
2. Now, measure the diameter of every pole.
3. Make small holes on each end of the tarp. I use my outdoor knife for making holes. You could also use a multi-tool (a must-have for every camper). I made these holes for the poles. Keep in mind, the holes need to be smaller than the pole’s diameter.
4. After making these holes, cut the rope into four equal pieces. Now pass the rope through the holes, I did this so that I could tie it with the ends of the tarp and the poles later on.

 Step 2: Securing the tent

1. Use the rope and wrap it around the tree a couple of times.
2. Make multiple knots so that the rope doesn’t open.
3. Here you have to worry about the elevation angle. If you tie the rope too high, the walls of the tarp wouldn’t even reach the ground. Tie it too low and the rope would be loose, making them prone to fall during strong winds. You need to tie the rope at a moderate height not too high and not too low
4. Now place the second tarp over the rope you tied to the tree earlier.

Step 3:  Building formidable walls

1. Once you have made the holes, now grab a hammer and pound the poles in the holes slightly. If you do not have a hammer, you could also use a rock.
2. Remove the poles one by one.
3. Align the holes of both tarps and pound the poles back in the holes. Repeat this step for all the sides.

Step 4: Tying the knots

1. Double-check the knots on the tree and on the poles.
2. Check whether the tent is strong or not. If it feels lighter on the sides, put a few large stones to increase the weight on sides and level the balance.

In Conclusion

1. Put all your necessary gear around the inner sides of the tent. Remember to keep your gear covered or inside enclosed bags.
2. You should insulate your tent by reducing free space. If your friend is staying with you in the same tent. Place his/her sleeping bag close to yours. Body-body warming is super effective in cold-weather conditions and helps in preventing heat loss.
3. Once you’re out of the tent, invert it and let the sunshine dry out the wet areas. Sunlight eliminates the bacteria in the tent.

Do not be disheartened if you fail once or twice, keep trying until you have built something. You would feel highly motivated once you succeed, so just try building a camping tent once.

After following all of these steps, you will be able to build your own camping tent. Happy camping! Let us know how it went after returning to the comments below.