Recreational vehicle awnings are a great convenience to have. You can park anywhere, and extend your awning for instant shade. But constant extending and retracting can cause wear and tear on the awning fabric. That wear and tear frequently shows up as small holes. The holes may seem minor, but if they are not fixed, they could end up snagging in the extension and retraction process and the awning fabric would be ruined. Thankfully, fixing them takes only a matter of minutes.
Items you will need
Clear silicone caulk
White silicone caulk
Tear-aid awning repair strips (see Resources)
Alcohol
Crank, or roll, the awning out to its fully extended position. The awning fabric must be dry in order to perform the repairs. If it is wet, leave it extended until it is dry.
Check the awning fabric for holes. If it is a light-colored fabric, use the white silicone caulk for the repair. If it is a darker fabric, use the clear silicone caulk. Make sure the awning fabric is clean and free of mildew before repairing the holes.
Put a dab of the silicone caulk on your finger. Smear it lightly on the hole, on the bottom side of the awning. Smooth it out with your finger. Repeat for all the holes that can be seen. Let the silicone caulk dry.
Repeat the process from the top side of the awning. Using the silicone caulk, cover the holes again from the top side of the awning.
Use awning repair tape as an alternative to using the silicone caulk. Awning repair tape comes in two styles, one for canvas fabric and one for vinyl fabric. They are both clear and can be used on any color fabric. When using awning repair tape, clean the fabric first with alcohol. Let the alcohol dry, then peel off the awning repair tape backing and apply the patch.
Warnings
- Do not retract the awning until all of the silicone caulk is completely dry.
References
- The Use of Awnings on Historic Buildings
- Laurie Brady; Indian River Canvas, Inc.; Merritt Island, Florida
Warnings
- Do not retract the awning until all of the silicone caulk is completely dry.
Writer Bio
Drue Tibbits is a writer based in Central Florida, where she attended Florida Southern College. Her articles have appeared in Entrepreneur and Your Home magazines. She has also been profiled in the Florida Today newspaper and the Writer's Digest magazine. In addition to writing brochure copy for local businesses, she helps new start-up companies develop a local image presence.
