Caravan Awnings
Awnings are a great addition to any caravan, motorhome or other RV setup, which is why you will see so many people with one. A caravan awning provides you with additional living space as well as shade, protection from the elements and some added privacy when used in conjunction with privacy side walls and screens. Many people will use their awning space to hang their washing, add lighting, sit and enjoy a cold one, or to simply sit and read a book during the hot hours of the day.
Though contrary to popular belief, setting up a caravan awning is relatively simple and it can be done by one person. If you have never set up or packed down an awning before, we suggest getting the sales person or installer to show you. Once you have been shown correctly, it is easy.
Awning Tips
- Like a lot of your camping gear, it is a good idea to practice setting up and packing down before you hit the road to build up your confidence. However, if you do get stuck while on the road, as awnings are so common, don’t be afraid to ask your neighbour for some help.
- If your van is going to be in storage for a while, it is a good idea to regularly setup and pack down the awning to ensure that none of the moving parts seize up. It may seem like a pain, but you will thank yourself for doing so.
- Regularly clean your awning skin. This may seem a little OCD but it is very easy to get mould and mildew build up on the fabric which is unsightly yes, but also not good for your health. If your van is in storage, by regularly setting your awning up as per our point above, will ensure that you can see if there is a build up of mould or mildew, allowing you to clean it before it becomes too big of a job to tackle.
- During windy or stormy conditions, it is best to pack up your awning to prevent damage to the awning. You may be surprised at just how easily they can become a projectile causing damage to more than the awning itself; we are talking about you yourself, your van and your car.
Caravan & Motorhome Awning FAQ
We hope to answer some common questions regarding awnings. Should you have questions specific to your setup, please get in contact with us to discuss.
Take a measurement from the centre of leg, to centre of leg. This will give you the correct length. Do not measure the fabric, this is will not give you the correct measurement.
Yes you can.
While different brands and models have different features, there is a number of aftermarket accessories available. The most common accessories to use with a caravan awning include:
- Roof Rafters– help prevent water pooling when it rains and can also help reduce flapping, especially when used in conjunction with an anti-flap kit.
- Anti flap kits– reduce the flapping of your awning fabric
- Clothesline– Many people will run a line or rope along the length of the awning to hand washing from. One of the popular options is the pegless clothesline.
- LED lighting-There are a number of awning models available with built in lighting. There are also after market options available while some people choose to hang ambient lighting such as string lights or fairy lights. There are hooks available to assist with this so that they are easy to hang.
We have a small range of awning accessories available. We do generally keep the Aussie Traveller anti flap kits in stock, size Medium and Long. Most people require the Medium. There are some awnings such as the Aussie Traveller that do have a greater extension which would then require the Long. We also carry a variety of other awning accessories for Carefree, Dometic and Fiamma.
A box awning is where the fabric is enclosed in a box or a cassette.
A roll out awning is where the fabric is attached to a roller tube that simply rolls out from the wall. They are generally lighter weight than a box awning.
As the name suggests, a roof awning is installed on the roof, while the wall awnings are installed on the side wall of your vehicle. The more popular mounting option is wall awnings. Depending on your vehicle, there are instances where it may not be suitable to install an awning on your wall, such as the shape (especially for some campervans) or due to where other accessories have been installed there may not be a clear space available for installation. This is when you can look at using a roof mounted awning.
Yes. Inflatable awnings are becoming more popular with a lot more options available on the market.
We generally order awnings in as needed due to the wide variety in size and fabric colour. Therefore, we can generally order in any brand required. However, the most common brands include: Fiamma, Carefree, Dometic, Aussie Traveller and Thule. If you would like more information regarding a specific awning and its suitability for your setup, please get in touch with us.
Yes, our expert team can install 12v awnings.
Yes, our team can replace a manual awning with an electric 12v awning and vice versa.
Unfortunately, due to the sheer size of awnings, and the multiple variations in sizes and models, we do not keep awnings in stock. We do have some swatch samples available and as we do a lot of awning replacements, we often have awnings on site that we can show you, but cannot guarantee the exact model, colour and size you may be interested in.