New Awning Fabric

[wrenchbender]

Need new awning fabric.Is there one to avoid?, or are they all the same

[rockhillmanor]

Thank you for explaining the difference.

[BarneyS]

I believe there are two popular fabrics used in RV awnings. The less expensive one is made of Vinyl. There are several different grades of awning material made of this material and they are usually at least two ply thick and are waterproof. Some have a tendency to delaminate after several years of service.

The second type is made of an acrylic material. This material is more expensive, is a woven material and seems softer and quieter to the touch. It is most often found on more expensive motorhomes. I don't know how waterproof it is but it seems to work very well and lasts a long time. Awnings made of this material are usually all one color and not shaded like many of the vinyl ones are.

That is about all I know about awnings. I have an acrylic one on my home and a vinyl one on my trailer. Both have been in service for quite a few years but the one on my trailer is about ready to be replaced (11 years old)due to cracking and delamination in a couple of places. The one at home is still in excellent shape but the color has faded just a bit over the years.

Hope this helps. 🙂
Barney

[rockhillmanor]

I was not at the RV when the guy replaced the fabric. All I CAN tell you is you can feel the difference right away. I felt stiffer and more plastic like than fabric like. Didn't feel at all like the one that came with the RV.

So if in doubt which one to buy make sure you get to feel it first. You WILL know if it is not the same as your original one. Of course that depends if had the better material on yours to begin with though.

How old was yours when it failed?

The RV I replaced the fabric on due to a storm was 10 years old and the awning fabric was in EXCELLENT condition, prior to the tornado that is.

And like I said the new replacement started bubbling within a couple months down in the Florida sun. 😞

[GrandpaKip]

I replaced ours with the factory replacement from Dometic. I looked around and saw that there are several suppliers that have Chinese made fabric replacements that were not as well made.

[4X4Dodger]

The absolute BEST fabric you can buy is SUNBRELLA it is used mostly for outdoor commercial awnings and especially Sailboat Covers.

It is guaranteed for 10 years not to fade or be affected by UV, it wont rust or mildew.

It is available in most larger cities, but it is expensive. When I bought it for my Sailboat about ten years ago it was between $15 and $20 per yard.

It also takes a commercial or very tough sewing machine to sew it. But it will be the last awning you ever buy.

[TheBreu]

Following as I need new fabric myself. I would think, that while getting the better fabric will last longer, figuring out a way to keep the rolled cover covered while in storage will help drastically.

[rockhillmanor]

wrenchbender wrote:
Need new awning fabric.Is there one to avoid?, or are they all the same

There ARE 2 different types of awning fabric. I wish "I" had know that.
I had to replace my awning fabric due to storm damage and the cheap junk the repair shop replaced it with bubbled and cracked within 2 months.

I was later told there are 2 different fabrics. You can feel the difference. I ended up having the cheap one installed.:(

I can't remember the names of them, hopefully someone will chime in to help you. DO make sure you get the better one. Costs more but it is better quality and it will last.