DIY: Camper Awning

If you are the type of person who loves to do things yourself, a do-it-yourself camper awning may be just up your alley. There are some guidelines you'll want to follow while making your awning to prevent the project from being stressful and time-consuming. Material, size and appearance are also factors that need to be taken into considerations when trying to make your own camper awning.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

8-foot tarp 3 8-foot fiberglass rods (1/4 inch in diameter) 12-foot rod (1/4 inch in diameter) 2 tent poles 2 clamps 4 PVC corners (1/2 inch with three holes) Scissors Pencil or marker Large needle and thread or fishing line
8-foot tarp
3 8-foot fiberglass rods (1/4 inch in diameter)
12-foot rod (1/4 inch in diameter)
2 tent poles
2 clamps
4 PVC corners (1/2 inch with three holes)
Scissors
Pencil or marker
Large needle and thread or fishing line

Step 1

Select the tarp. One of the best parts of creating your own camper awning is that you can control the look, style and color choices. Go down to your local home improvement or camping store and choose the color tarp you are interested in. You may want to choose a color that goes well with your camper.

Step 2

Prepare the tarp. Lay the tarp flat on the ground or a flat surface where you will be working. Smooth out the tarp so that it lying completely flat and smooth --- without any wrinkles or air pockets.

Step 3

Cut off the grommets. Most standard tarps come equipped with grommets. Use a pair of scissors to cut the grommets from the corners of the tarp.

Step 4

Measure and mark. Next, use your ruler to measure 1 inch from the edge of your tarp toward the center of your tarp. Mark this with a pencil or marker. This will represent a fold line.

Step 5

Fold. Using the lines as your guideline, fold the tarp sides so that the outer edges of the tarp are on the fold line.

Step 6

Sew a seam. Using a large needle threaded with twine, fishing line or a strong thread, sew a seam along the fold line where the outer edge of the tarp now lies. Be sure to sew the seam as straight as you can on the line and make sure to do this on all the sides of the tarp. This should create a "pocket" where you can insert the rods through to attach them to the tarp.

Step 7

Insert the rods into the pockets you created by sewing the seams. The longest rod goes into the seam on the side that will be attached to the side of the camper.

Step 8

Attach the PVC corners to each corner of the tarp. Do this by sewing or gluing them over each of the four corners of the tarp. The PVC corners help prevent rips in the corners of the tarp.

Step 9

Attach clamps. The clamps are used to attach the awning to the camper. You can attach the clamps to the camper by bolting them on or by gluing them on to the side of the camper that you want the awning to attach to (usually the same side as the door to the camper). Align the clamps with approximately 11 feet in between (or the appropriate width of the awning). The clamps should be straight across from each other so that it holds the tarp in a straight line when you attach it to the camper.

Step 10

Clamp the awning into position. If you chose to glue the PVC corners on, wait for the glue to dry. Once the glue is dry, use the clamps to attach the awning into position on the side of your camper. Use the tent poles to support the other side of the awning by insert them the ground or dirt.

Article Written By Kristie Lorette

Kristie Lorette started writing professionally in 1996. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in marketing and multinational business from Florida State University and a Master of Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University. Her work has appeared online at Bill Savings, Money Smart Life and Mortgage Loan.

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