Metal Awning Covers

If just concerned about protection while sitting between trips - buy one or two PVC rain gutter sections and lay on top. Some even get fancy and add gutter end caps with notch for shaft.

I looked into this extensively a while back and never found a retro fit product available like the OP describes. Seems like they only come with the awnings as an option, or they're on the higher grade awnings. I also checked out the round plastic awning cover posted in a link above, but at a 100 bucks, it's a bit pricey.

The most practical solution I found is the white pvc rain gutter sections a member posted here:

AWNING SUN SHIELD

I'll be doing this mod soon with my new trailer.

A friend of the family had a similar issue with an older awning on a used RV, I do too, that's what peaked my interest in the first place.

The existing awning was, as mentioned above, sun-faded and rotted from years of exposure. Mine is not far behind.

When he got the replacement fabric but before he installed it he took it to a place that does canvas work and boat tops and had a strip of high-quality canvass sewn along the top edge such that when rolled up nothing but boat top material is visible. The logic being when it deteriorates just it needs to be replaced not the entire awning.

It wasn't much money so I'm tempted to try it myself.

powderman426 wrote:

downtheroad wrote:
Francesca,
You are correct about UV protection. I forgot to mention that benefit in my post above.

I don't think you can install them after the fact. All of ours came as a package when we ordered the awnings...not sure if you can retro-fit them, but I could be wrong.

I don't believe it's a matter of retrofitting but being able to buy them. I have looked and only see them as complete units. If someone knows where they can be bought seperate I would be interested in knowing about it.

You can buy them for at least some companies. A&E do have a part number and sell just the metal cover part.

That said it isn't cheap - the replacement one for ours (21') is about $320 plus shipping of $200 (because of the length, needs to be shipped as oversized freight). Also retro-fitting on a model that isn't designed for it is probably not trivial as they attach on to piping on the awning material - if you're awning doesn't have that, I'm not sure what you could do to attach it.

I'm not positive as I don't have one on my RV now, but my other RV had an awning with the metal cover. I'm pretty sure it was integrated with the awning material. There is a second bead in the awning to attach the cover to when it rolls that last roll. When you unroll the awning all the way, the metal cover is attached to the coach on one side and the other side is attached to the awning, about 12" from where the cloth part attaches to the coach. There are two beads on the awning, one for whre it attaches to the coach and one where it attaches to the awning.

Out of curiosity, I looked at amazon.com and they sell an RV awning cover this is basically looks like a more flexible type of PVC pipe with a slit down one side to pop it over the whole barrel. Great idea but seems like a PITA to do put on and take off each trip. Check it out. Type in RV awning covers.

I'm thinking retrofit, so for me that rain gutter cap idea's a good one... I wonder if there'd be a way to sort of hinge it so it'd be permanently mounted and just flip up when closing/opening the awning.

Gonna have to give this some serious thought!

downtheroad wrote:
Francesca,
You are correct about UV protection. I forgot to mention that benefit in my post above.

I don't think you can install them after the fact. All of ours came as a package when we ordered the awnings...not sure if you can retro-fit them, but I could be wrong.

I don't believe it's a matter of retrofitting but being able to buy them. I have looked and only see them as complete units. If someone knows where they can be bought seperate I would be interested in knowing about it.

Great for protection from the sun, but will not stop the awning from getting wet which causes the mold/mildew. :)