RV Awnings Age, Are Known to Rip, and Even Break
RV awnings can (and do) age, rip, and even break. And when that happens, you are left without no choice but to repair it or find a replacement RV awning.
An RV awning is a fantastic thing. It offers shade when your campsite doesn’t have any, and it can help keep the interior of your camper cool. The only problem? In this article, we will talk a bit about repairing your existing awning, finding a replacement, and some alternative options.
Repairing an RV Awning
Before you go out and buy a replacement camper awning, the first question you’ll want to ask yourself is whether you might be able to fix your current awning and avoid the large camper awning replacement cost. Here are some tips for doing that.
Cleaning Your RV Canopy
Some people seem to think that just because their RV fabric is stinky or stained, they will need to replace it. This isn’t the case at all. It’s possible to clean your RV awning, and in many cases, you’ll even be able to remove those pesky mildew spots that tend to show up on awning fabric over time.
To do this, unroll your awning, spray the underside with Camco Pro Strength Awning Cleaner, roll the awning back up, and let it sit for an hour. Once an hour has passed, unroll the awning, rinse both sides, and let the whole thing dry well before rolling it back up.
How to Repair RV Awning Fabric
Another awning fabric issue you might run into is a rip or a hole. In this case, you can usually make a repair rather than replace the entire piece of RV awning fabric.
You can do this using awning repair tape on both sides of the tear. In many cases, this tape will hold up for years, preventing the need for a replacement anytime soon—not to mention saving you some money.
RV Canopy Replacement
If cleaning your awning or repairing a rip in the fabric isn’t enough, the next step is to consider a replacement awning. In this case, you may wonder, “How much does it cost to replace an RV awning?”
It depends on the following:
- The part of the awning you need to replace.
- The size of your awning.
- What kind of material your awning uses.
Awning Fabric Replacement
If your fabric is beyond cleaning and the tears in it are far from repairable, you will need to replace the fabric. Fortunately, replacing awning fabric is easier than replacing an entire awning unit.
Additionally, the typical awning fabric replacement cost is much lower than the average cost of an entire replacement awning. How much should you expect to spend? RV awning fabric will probably cost around $200–$300.
This video will help you understand what goes into replacing awning fabric:
Replacing Other RV Awning Parts
If your RV awning fabric is fine, but other parts of the awning unit are broken, it’s always cheaper to order a replacement part. Unfortunately, this isn’t always possible, in which case a whole replacement unit will be necessary.
Installing a Motorhome or Trailer Awning Replacement
If you need to replace your entire RV awning, you can expect to spend between $200 and $4000, with most people paying around $1,500–$2,000 for a large patio awning.
The figures above don’t include the cost of labor to have the awning installed. You can save on those labor costs by installing your awning yourself. The replacement process is simple enough that most fairly handy people can handle it, but we recommend roping in a buddy to help, if possible.
This video may help you get through the process:
Alternatives to a Traditional RV Awning
Need a replacement awning for travel trailer or motorhome use but don’t have the funds or skills to install a traditional RV awning on the side of your rig? There are plenty of RV awning alternatives out there that might help.
Here are a couple of our favorites:
MoonShade
A MoonShade is a super cool awning alternative that temporarily attaches to the top of your van, truck, or vehicle of similar height. It is then held up by legs and creates a lovely little outdoor living space without the need to install a permanent awning on your rig.
Clam Shelter
Unfortunately, the Moonshade really only works on small rigs. If you have a bigger rig—or if you prefer your outdoor living space to be detached from the RV—the Clam Quick-Set Shelter might be the best option for you. These tents are set up quickly and easily, tall enough to stand in, and can be used as screen tents or have covered sides.
Many RVers use one as an office space, and some families even use theirs as a play space!
Conclusion
To recap. If your RV awning is just in need of a quick patch, fixing it may only cost about $10. However, if you need to replace your awning material, a ballpark estimate of around $250 is common, depending on the size and material type. The most expensive route to take would be replacing the entire awning apparatus which can run you around $400 for a smaller manual awning to upwards of $4000 for larger and fancier ones.
