AWNING REPAIR

Have you ever seen awning fabric flapping from a tear near the awning rail after a quick passing storm, well so have I and I didn’t want to experience the same thing. My rig is nearing 12 years on the road and awnings and other areas require a bit of care to keep them in shape. I’ve done the cleaning and lubing of all the mechanicals and kept it pretty good shape, but I’ve noticed that sun and weather have taken their toll on the exposed area of the awning, so much so that some of the pinholes I noticed a few years ago have greatly expanded.

Photo of side hem and worst of the pinholes

I spent some time researching the alternatives. I could purchase a precut replacement canopy for a reasonable cost then spend the time installing and adjusting the awning. The downside to this was the time to install and we are not sure how much longer we are keeping our faithful Dutchmen trailer. Our lifestyle has changed now that the youngest is in college and we’ve been eyeing some of the new trailers that offer us more space in a smaller package. So a repair was in order.

The product I chose was Awning Repair Tape by INCOM Manufacturing Group. Available at most RV stores for under $15.00 a roll. Each roll is 15 feet by 3 inches. In addition I picked up a tent repair kit with a sturdy needle and thread included. Manufactured by Coughlan’s it retails for under $6.00 and is a handy kit to keep in the RV for quick repairs to canvas & screens.

After closely examining the canopy I noticed many potential weak spots in the first few inches of the material next to the railing. I decided that I should tape the entire length so I purchased 2 rolls of the Awning Repair Tape to complete the job on my 18 foot awning.

I can’t emphasize strongly enough how important it is to clean the area well. Over the years all sorts of material builds up on your canopy from exposure to the elements and cleaning and polishing. Follow the directions on the tape kit and you will have a successful repair.

The stitching on the first few inches of the side hems of my canopy had deteriorated due to the weather exposure so I decided that a short overlap would be appropriate. I pulled the awning out about a foot and started the application at the rear so the overlap would be covered from the front (windy side when traveling). I slowly rolled out the tape and allowed an overlap. I trimmed the overlap to 2 inches and then tucked it to the underside of the canopy. Rolling the tape was easy and compressing with one hand under the awning and one above worked fine. I finished the front with an equal amount of overlap.

I cleaned the deteriorated stitching from the hem and double stitched with the sturdy needle and heavy thread. I overstitched about 1 inch into the “good” area so the total stitch repair was only about 6 inches on each hem. The overlapped tape makes the stitching a bit difficult and leaves a residue on the needle which can be cleaned off with solvents when complete, but I feel that the added strength of the tape would help the repair.

The entire repair with stitching took less than 1 hour. It’s a quick and inexpensive way to help prevent serious damage to your canopy and even your rig during an unexpected storm.

I inspected the repair after 2 months and I’m very pleased with the results. The tape does not show any sign of lifting or edge peel and the stitching has prevented any further fraying along the sides. I’ll update the review next year when I take the rig out of seasonal storage.

The tape is clear and flexible with some built in stretch. I’m keeping the rest of the roll in the trailer for unexpect repairs.