NEED TARP SIZE RECOMMENDATION!

[JL81]

We have a 2002 Salem by Forest River 27'bh. I believe the actual length is closer to 28'. The width is 8'2". We need to order a heavy duty tarp before it starts snowing, but I don't know what size to get (first year tarping)! I need to account for the air conditioner, etc on top of the trailer & we only want it to overhang each side a bit (maybe up to a foot on each side?). What size do you think I'll be safe with? (I am the wife trying to do this on my own! hehe!) Does anyone have any quality tarp recommendations for a tight budget? Thanks!

[dadmomh]

Well, that is a bummer and can see why you don't want to invest in a cover - likely around $300. So given those circumstances, one suggestion would be to go ahead and get a tarp but add some reasonable weights full length across the roof and secure it as best you can. You may find that if we end up with another winter like last year, you could have to replace it part way through, which would put you in the price range of the cover. If you have time before the snow flies, etc you might take it to a couple of dealers and ask for a quote to fix the roof and tell them they can have it all winter as long as it's either indoors or covered. You may get lucky with a decent price and accomplishing getting the roof fixed for a good price. Couldn't hurt. So sorry about this mess. Hoping you can get it resolved.

[beemerphile1]

The typical poly tarp probably will only last half the winter.

We had some roof leaks and I bought the best reinforced poly tarp I could find. I secured it at every eyelet with bungee cords. By February it was in shreds.

I have to buy a new tarp for my firewood pile every year for the same reason, they don't last long.

If you want it to last through the winter, get canvas, not poly.

[bid_time]

Dang - hit the wrong button

[bid_time]

Sorry about your situation. I did see a while back a product for RV's (I think it was a new on the market product) that was basically "painted" on. I am not sure what it was called but maybe you can try to do some google searches and come up with something. As with just about anything, I am sure success is going to be wholly dependent on surface preparation.

I feel your pain but don't give up, sometimes the best memories can be priceless, despite the road you traveled to get there.

[JL81]

We did have someone clean it and recaulk it around the edges in the past month (before he found a tear that he also filled in - this WHOLE process has been a big pain in our behinds. Bought trailer from someone we trusted last fall & parked it for winter. Didn't use tarp or cover bc we were following what local rv retailer told us to do. Found damage this spring when we opened it up. Brought trailer to a local rv retailer asap & they didn't even look at the outer roof - they just told us it was totaled. We had put a claim in on our insurance in the spring when we found the damage - they wouldn't cover it. We used it as is this past summer & figured we'd reseal/recaulk it & brought it to a buddy that worked in the service dept at another local rv retailer & he DID find a tear that had probably been there the whole time, so we put in a new claim on our insurance & they still wouldn't cover anything. So now we're stuck with this thing & we just bought it last fall & have no clue what to do with it bc we're first timers. The outside & inside of this trailer is beautiful, but we can't afford to fix it). Isn't there some type of sealing that you can "paint" on basically? (Excuse my ignorance - we don't know a lot about big trailers yet). I would be willing to do that to it, but I didn't know if that would be wasting our money, too since there is already the existing damage. UGH! hehe. Trying to create family memories bit me in the butt big-time 😉

[spoon059]

A tarp will likely cause more damage.. The wind and chafing of the tarp will wear through the rubber and cause issues. Sharp corners like your gutters will tear holes in the tarp, which will widen with wind. Any moisture that gets underneath won't escape and will cause bigger problems.

Get it fixed now, pay $300 for an actual RV cover that won't tear as easily and will breath or pay the premium to store it indoors over the snow season.

[bid_time]

JL81 wrote:
Ok - yes - that is what I was guessing & researching, too - a 15x30. And yes - I actually do mean a tarp 😞 I know tarping isn't recommended, but we bought our first big travel trailer last fall & it was a dud. There is water damage that spread the length of the trailer (because we called a local retailer & were told NOT to tarp, so we left it out in the elements thinking we were doing the right thing - what did we know - we jumped into this way too fast!). We cannot afford to fix, so we are just trying to baby it through the winter & then decide what to do with it. So for now we are just putting a tarp over the roof to try to get it through the snow because we also can't afford inside storage & winters here are rough. I don't want to spend a ton of money on an rv cover if we may get rid of camper if it gets tons worse over the winter. Thanks for all your recommendations so far!!!

You are far better off taking it in and getting the roof cleaned and re-sealed. That will cost about $500 but will add years of life and prevent further damage. I don't put any cover over mine, had it for 12 years now. But I do make sure the roof is perfectly sealed. In my opinion, you'll waste your money buying tarp and it may not even make it through the winter.

[JL81]

Ok - yes - that is what I was guessing & researching, too - a 15x30. And yes - I actually do mean a tarp 😞 I know tarping isn't recommended, but we bought our first big travel trailer last fall & it was a dud. There is water damage that spread the length of the trailer (because we called a local retailer & were told NOT to tarp, so we left it out in the elements thinking we were doing the right thing - what did we know - we jumped into this way too fast!). We cannot afford to fix, so we are just trying to baby it through the winter & then decide what to do with it. So for now we are just putting a tarp over the roof to try to get it through the snow because we also can't afford inside storage & winters here are rough. I don't want to spend a ton of money on an rv cover if we may get rid of camper if it gets tons worse over the winter. Thanks for all your recommendations so far!!!

[Dick_B]

Sunshield tarp. I used to buy them from West Marine but got the latest one from ecanopy.com. They have one 15 x 30 for $104 that should last several seasons. I used to hold it down with bottles of antifreeze but not use boat fenders half filled with sand.

[dadmomh]

Hoping you actually mean an RV Cover vs a plastic tarp. Tarps are not breathable, can scuff the finish on your trailer and are generally not recommended. This time of the year CW usually has the covers on sale with free wheel covers. Give them the year, make and model and they'll get you set up.

[Kennedy64]

I don't know how close you are to Flint but my dad got his at Richfield Trailer, he said that was the best price he found. When I called about getting mine, they needed exact measurements from front to back and side to side..it's not a actual tarp that you'd buy at Home Depot, it covers the entire TT front to back, top to tires. Super duper easy to cover (easier then using a tarp), but they are about $150+ depending on size