How to Set Up a Wall Tent in 7 Steps
Considering a canvas wall tent for your trips but nervous about how hard the setup will be? Well, there’s no need to be nervous. It’s actually fairly easy to set up a wall tent. Yes – even in the backcountry!
Come along as we take you step-by-step on setting up a wall tent.
Wall Tent Frames:
Poles, Angle Kits, and More
Before we break down the steps for setting up your wall tent, it’s important to understand the components you’ll be dealing with. Just like any instruction manual, here’s a list of the parts we’ll be referring to.
The Frame Poles
Wall tent poles should be made out of a sturdy material that can hold up your tent while withstanding wind and heavy snow.
Also, the type of frame and poles you choose might come down to transportation. Obviously you’ll need to choose a lighter frame material with shorter sections if you're packing and your horse does the heavy lifting. If you’re hauling by truck or overlander, you have more flexibility. Then there’s always the option of locally cut poles or timber.
All Beckel wall tents frames and angle fittings are an optional add-on. This allows you to choose your frame material and how it connects. However, Beckel tents do come with a Pole System Cut Sheet that you can then take to your local hardware store to have 1” EMT conduit poles cut to size or take home and do it yourself.
Also, Beckel does offer the option to purchase a cut pole set, which we help to source for you. Just reach out and ask!
Either way, for brevity and easy-to-follow setup instructions, assume your poles (that includes the legs, ridge, and rafters) are EMT conduits already cut to their proper length, prepared, and ready to assemble. Locally cut poles follow many of the same steps, but have the additional steps of cutting down and stripping the wood too.
Frame Angle Kits
This angle kit is made up of rafter pole fittings that connect and assemble your ridge, eave, and leg poles to construct the wall tent frame. Each angle fitting is made of 1 - ⅜” galvanized steel tubing (proprietary to Beckel wall tents are likely compatible with other wall tent brands).
Most of our customers purchase the angle kit that goes with the size of their wall tent.
The standard number of pieces in a frame angle kit will vary, depending on the size of the wall tent and the expected snow load that may be encountered . Below is an example of the angle kits used on a smaller sized wall tent.
Also, take a look at the image above. Pay attention to the 2 types of fittings:
End Angle Fittings (3-way angles) that connect the ridge and eaves
Middle Fittings (4-way angles) for in-between the ends
The Canvas
This part of your wall tent is obvious, but deserves some attention. That’s because there are a few things you should know and expect when setting up a wall tent for the first time.
It’s important to know that when your new wall tent gets wet, it may leak and shrink. Instead of testing this in the wilderness, we highly recommend setting up your tent for the first time at home a time or two, hosing it down, and allowing it to dry. This helps to give the canvas time to swell and close all those needle holes and the natural woven material, thereby practically eliminating the chance for leaks.
Also, once the canvas is “seasoned”, it likely will shrink. This may require that your frame poles to trimmed in a few places (if you have already cut them).
Pegs
Like the poles of your wall tent frame, pegs can be made out of various different materials, so long as it holds down your tent during strong winds and does the job.
Like any tent, it’s important to know what kind of ground you’re setting up on. Sand, snow, frozen ground, dirt, and rocks all have different holds, and you need to understand the best peg suited for the situation.
For example, plastic pegs are fine for normal ground, but can break the instant a strong storm rolls in or it’s up against freezing weather and solid earth.
That’s why metal steel pegs make a good investment for wall tents. Like large nails, steel pegs can stake into the harder ground. The only true disadvantage is their weight and bulk when hauling into a site.
And then, loose sand and snow may require a different set of pegs entirely. Unlike standard pegs or stakes, snow and sand stakes are either wide and thin with holes along the shaft to lock and grip into the sand or snow better, or grip with a corkscrew design. You may even choose to bury your rope with a rock, and skip the peg.
All EENA Wall Tents come standard with a dual pegging system integrated with grommets & webbing loops around the floor.
Guy Ropes & Line Tensioners
Since your wall tent ropes will help to hold your tent securely to the ground during wind stores, make sure the rope material you choose for your guy lines are strong and durable.
Nylon parachute cord is a great option. It’s strong enough to hold down a tent and the nylon material can last many seasons under the UV rays and icy winters. Plus, parachute cord has elasticity that allows the tent to shrink without damage.
For your rope, you’ll also need adjustable line tighteners. You can find or make line tighteners out of wooden dowels, electrical conduits or a flat metal bar.
Beckel offers a reflective Guy-Line Rope Set with aluminum tensioners as a customization option.
7 Steps for Setting Up a Wall Tent
For the sake of an easy tutorial, we’re going to provide the steps assuming you brought your own frame and poles.
Here are 7 steps to setting up your wall tent.
Step 1: Lay Out and Arrange the Wall Tent Parts
The very first step you’ll want to take is to lay out and arrange all parts of the wall tent. This will help ensure that all parts are there and organized to where they need to be. It also helps to make them easily reachable once you’re in the thick of setting up your wall tent.
Take the tent out of the bag and unroll it too. If you are using a ground tarp, which will be added later in addition to your detached or loose tent flooring, you could use that to lay your tent on, keeping it clean and off the dirt until the roof is up.
Lay out the frame and joints along the ground too. The ridge joints should be in the center.
Typically, wall tent manufacturers will mark and indicate the ridge joints. Beckel marks the ridge joints with yellow tape.
Step 2: Build the Roof Section
Now that you have everything laid out, you’ll begin setting up your wall tent, starting with the roof section.
Laid out, you should have tent ridge length pieces in between the angle pieces. Attach the angles to create a roof section, leaving the legs poles next to the eave angle pieces (we’ll show what to do with legs in Step 4). The remaining poles are the rafter sections, which you now attach to the roof section also.
Step 3: Slip the Canvas Tent Over the Roof
Once you have built the roof frame, it’s time to slip on the canvas tent.
There are a few ways you can go about this.
Option A: One way is to lay your canvas upside down next to the roof, grabbing the farthest outer corners, and then fold the canvas toward the frame to slide it completely over.
Option B: Another way is to center the tent directly over the ridge (easily located by finding the canvas’ ridge hole) and then unfold one side at a time. The latter method is ideal if the ground is muddy and you don’t want your tent to drag.
Whatever method you choose, make sure the canvas tent is nice and straight against the frame.
An Important Note: Locally cut poles require the peak to be left open. The wood pole sticks through and overhangs. However, if you are using pre-cut poles, you can cover this open space with a ridge hole cover, an additional accessory. Just another example of the customization options Beckel offers for the EENA Wall Tents.
Step 4: Lift the Roof (One Side at a Time)
Now that your canvas tent is secured on the frame, it’s time for a tent raising! Now, this step is totally doable with one person, but if you brought company, have them lend a hand – it’ll just go a bit faster.
To lift the roof, raise one side of the roof and slip the legs into their respective joints. Once that side is standing on its own, loosen and unbundle the gathered canvas, allowing your tent wall to fall into position. Now, head to the other side and repeat the same steps – pretty simple, right?
A Note About Stove Jacks
If your wall tent has a stove jack on its roof, and you’re using a wood stove this trip, roll up the weather flap. Otherwise, it’ll be hard to reach once the wall tent is fully standing. If you have a stove jack on the side, you will need to raise the tent first, then roll up the weather flap. Either way, make sure to roll the weather flap tight and secure, so there’s no chance of it touching a hot stove pipe.
Here at Beckel, we offer the option of adding a stove jack to your wall tent. Since each tent is made to order, you can request a stove jack to be sewn in with a 4”, 5”, or 6” circle with heat-resistant fiberglass. However, we recommend placing a stove jack on the wall. Why? Because this limits your wall tent’s exposure to any sparks or burns (the most common repair need).
Step 5: Adjust Your Wall Tent
Adjust your wall tent and frame as needed.
It is very common to have to trim down your frame a bit here and there with a new tent that hasn’t been seasoned, as Beckel frame sizes are based on averages and each tent is different due to shrinkage after the first exposure to water.
It’s a good time to level your tent too. If you have uneven ground, adjust your legs to be more upright. You can either drop a side by digging a hole for a few legs, or raise a side by adding a rock beneath the legs.
Are your leg poles sinking in the snow? Throw something flat under the legs like a frisbee or even a piece of cardboard.
After your wall tent is even, you can at least stake down each of the four corners of the tent. This will prevent it from shifting around as you make these last-minute adjustments. You can also stake one side of each door, making sure they’re zippered closed.
Step 6: Fold the Sod Cloth and Lay Flooring
Most wall tents are made without floors and with a sewn-in sod cloth (Beckel is no exception). We won’t go into all the nitty-gritty details on a sod cloth’s purpose (head to that link to learn more), but we should at least talk about what to do with it once your wall tent is mostly set up.
Once your tent is up, but before you add your stove, cots, and fill it with gear, you’ll need to lay down any flooring. And the sod cloth is part of this step.
Fold the sod cloth inside the wall tent. If you brought detached/loose-style flooring, now is the time to roll it out over the sod cloth. Lastly, secure both your detached floor and sod cloth with the tent poles.
Extra Tip: Place rubber caps on the wall poles to protect your sod cloth and detached flooring.
Don’t have a ground tarp or detached floor? That’s okay too. Secure the sod cloth with the tent legs where you can, and weigh down the rest of the tent perimeter with firewood logs or other camp supplies. Just use what you have.
Step 7: Stake Down Your Wall Tent
Last but certainly not least, stake down your wall tent. While you may think this step isn’t necessary, you never know when a gust of wind could take your shelter down. So we always recommend tying off your tent.
Following the angle of your roof, stretch out the line tied off from each eave and stake the pegs into the ground. Leave some slack – you’ll want to do this step for each line, and then tighten.
And remember: Due to any high winds or heavy snow, more pegs and ropes on the eaves may be necessary.
Go around and stake in each peg and line. And then circle the tent, adding tension to the lines to make it steady.
Set Up Your Wall Tent At Home First
As you can see, setting up a wall tent is fairly simple. The frame is the brunt work, and if it’s larger, it will take a few extra hands and some extra muscle, but the steps are actually pretty easy.
As with any camping tent, we suggest setting your wall tent up once or twice before heading on that trip. It will give the canvas time to shrink a bit, reducing the chance of leaks. While you’re at it, if you purchased a stove, go ahead and cure that too, burning off any smells that could otherwise linger in your new canvas wall tent.
There you have it! Now you know the proper steps for setting up a wall tent.