How to Make an RV Awning

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Updating your awning is one of the easiest ways to customize the appearance of your RV. Make a statement with a bold stripe or keep it simple with a solid from top brands like Sattler®, Parasol™ and Stamoid™. This video tutorial will teach you how to sew and install a custom RV awning. The techniques we use for our awning easily adapt to different styles of RVs or campers.

Video Chapters:

Disassembly of Awning — 0:45 min.
Measuring Awning & Removing Fabric — 6:57 min.
Measuring & Sewing Fabric Panels Together — 9:29 min.
Sewing Hems — 19:12 min.
Adding Awning Sleeve, Valance & Bottom Hem — 30:55 min.
Inserting Spline Cord — 41:46 min.
Creating Webbing Strap — 44:03 min.
Making Double Cord Awning Rope — 51:07 min.
Installing Awning — 1:00:29 min.
Materials & Tools List — 1:13:26 min.

Materials List:

Awning Fabric from Sailrite^® — we used Sunbrella^® Awning Stripe Cooper Navy 46" Fabric — #4987-0000
Seamstick 3/8" Basting Tape for Canvas (50 yds.) — #129
Tex 90 Black UV Bonded Polyester Thread 4 oz. (1,350 yds.) — #100071
Awning & Sling Chair Spline Cording 5/32" — #122590
2" Seat Belt Webbing
Top Notch^® 1S Charcoal 60" Fabric — #121813
Seamstick 1/4" Basting Tape for Canvas & Upholstery (36 yds.) — #122065
Awning & Sling Chair Spline Cording 1/4" — #103839

Tools List:

Magic Chalk Liner White — #122803
Tempered Cutting Glass for Hotknife — #121915
Sailrite^® Edge Cordless Hotknife 18V Package — #122177
Clear Acrylic Ruler 6" x 24" — #102400
Sailrite^® Canvas Patterning Ruler — #107040
Multiuse Pins 1‑1/2" (250 Pack) — #102985
Sailrite^® Ultrafeed^® LSZ Walking Foot Sewing Machine — #311602
Sailrite^® Ultrafeed^® Industrial Sewing Table — #120934
Soapstone Fabric Marking Pencil White — #102766
Deluxe 5 1/2" Magnetic Sewing Guide — #103597
Left Zipper Foot for Sailrite^® Ultrafeed^® LSZ Sewing Machine — #896
Seam Ripper Deluxe — #18104
Comfort Grip Rotary Cutter 60mm — #9655
Sailrite^® Self Healing Double-Sided Cutting Mat 24" x 36" — #123113
Scribe‑All^® Black Marking Pencil for Vinyl — #121977
Professional Rivet Tool — #103520
Tape Measure, Drill, Hammer, Screwdriver, Vice Grips, Box Cutter

Depending on the style of your awning, it may be beneficial to have an extra set of hands to help with the disassembly of the old awning. Your disassembly process may look slightly different from ours, but the principles will be the same.

When it comes to selecting an awning fabric, Sailrite carries several great options. We chose a Sunbrella^® Awning fabric because the solution-dyed acrylic fibers are highly resistant to wear, water and fading. To help you pick the perfect fabric for your awning, our Outdoor Fabric Selection Guide compares all the outdoor fabric brands we offer based on six categories: breathability, UV resistance, water resistance, colorfastness, abrasion resistance and cleanability.

This video tutorial will walk you step-by-step through creating a custom awning. We used six panels of fabric to make up the width of our awning. If you’re using a striped fabric, we’ll show you how to measure the repeat of the stripe for a seamless transition between each of the panels. Basting tape will keep your hems securely in place while manipulating such a large amount of fabric.

Our finished awning has a sleeve for the hanging mechanism with an added valance. You can add a scalloped edge, keep it straight or leave the valance off altogether — it’s your choice!

Reinstalling the awning can be tricky, so be sure to recruit a friend to help. Once it’s installed, you’ll have a new, high-quality RV awning to keep you cool and shaded.

If you want to view more projects in our RV Renovation Series, click here!