Frequently Asked Questions
How does the awning attach to my trailer?
7.5mm Keder Welt is sewn onto the trailer side of the awning. This welt slides into the trailers awning c-rail channel. Keder Welt is flexible and incredibly durable and can bend with the curve of your trailer. It slides in to your channel smootly and replaces the old fashioned canvas wrapped piping.
What if my trailer doesn't have an awning c-rail?
You will need to have an awning c-rail channel installed onto your camper if you do not have one. The majority of trailers were manufactured with an awning c-rail, however if yours is a vintage, it may have been damaged and removed. Awning c-rail can be found at Vintage Trailer Supply, Keder Solutions, and Sailrite. Once your rail has been purchased and installed we will need to know the length you want your awning to be along the trailer.
What size of awning do I need?
Awnings are measured the same way you would measure your trailer. Front to back is length, side to side is width. Measure the length of your awning rail, front to back, to determine the length of awning you will need. It’s okay to go a little into the curves in canned ham-style trailers, just don’t go too far. The valance will hang down at least 7″ from the top of the canopy, so you don’t want to be running into it. It’s okay to not use the entire rail, but you don’t want the awning longer than the rail.
The industry standard width out from the trailer is 8 feet. We do not recommend going any wider than 8 feet without some sort of framework to support it. If you have a rounded trailer like an Airstream, we can go up to 9 feet wide out from the trailer to accomodate the 8-9″ needed to avoid the valance from laying against the trailer. too
How much will my awning cost?
The cost of an awning depends on the size you need, the fabric(s) you choose, and the style of valance you want, so we cannot give you an exact quote without these details. To give you a better idea of pricing, feel free to browse our Etsy Shop to view our Ready-to-Ship inventory.
All of our other items have a starting price listed in their respective pages if you go up to the Menu and select the item in the drop down menu below Products. The starting price is the minimum amount for these items, and will go increase depending on the embellishments you choose to add.
Do you offer flexible payment options?
Yes, so don’t be afraid to ask! In January and February only, we offer what we call our “Winter Blues Layaway”. Basically we get all the necessary information and invoice you via PayPal for 1/3 down at the time you place your order. In 30 days from the order date, a second invoice will be automatically sent for a second 1/3 payment. In 60 days from the order date, the last and final invoice for the remaining balance due will be sent automatically. Once we receive your final payment, your order will be shipped out to you. You are welcome to pay it off early, but understand the project may not be completed yet given we had planned to have 60 days to work on it. You just need to let us know you want to be invoiced earlier and we can send it immediately. We don’t charge any additional fees to do layaway and layaway is available for both custom orders and items listed in our Etsy Shop.
During the rest of the year (March through December), you may pay in full if you’d like, or you can put 1/2 down deposit. Once your project is complete and ready to ship, we will invoice you for the remaining balance. We will ship once the balance is paid.
No matter what payment option you choose, any payment will secure your position in our sewing line up. We work in the order of paid deposits. Paying off early or paying in full will not “bump you up” in our sewing line up.
What kind of fabric do I need?
The type of fabric you need will depend on how and where you camp. Are you wanting a waterproof awning to keep things dry underneath? Perhaps you are a fair-weather camper and are looking for more of a decorative awning just needed for shade? Waterproof fabrics basically come in solids and stripes, and a limited amount of prints. Water-resistant fabrics are screen printed on polyester, and come in hundreds of colors and patterns. Water-resistant fabrics are not waterproof and will not keep things dry underneath if it rains! Understanding the difference between the two types of fabrics is important!
What if I've already bought my fabric? Can I send it to you?
Yes, possibly…..
You can ship your fabric to us, but it must be outdoor grade fabric. For example, not all Sunbrella is meant for awnings or is waterproof. If it’s on a 54″ wide roll, it’s probably upholstery fabric, and not suited for awnings. True acrylic awning fabric will be 46-47″ wide or 60″ wide and it will be a solid color or a stripe. Outdoor-grade polyester will also be 54″ wide because it’s also considered upholstery fabric, but it has a UV coating baked on. We will charge you our standard labor fee plus whatever materials you haven’t provided.
2023 update: Paul & Julie are soon-to-be full time RVers beginning 1-May, and our location may change every few months. Our state-of-the-art mobile sewing studio will be in the back of our 5th wheel toy haulers garage. Our contracted seamstresses will be working from their own homes in Oregon . Please be sure to contact us prior to sending anything to us so it lands in arrives to the right person and location. Please don’t use any historical addresses for us on Google, our residency will still remain in Oregon, but we ourselves will not be there for long periods of time. You only live once, right?! Adventure awaits!
Where can I view fabric choices?
There are literally hundreds of outdoor waterproof and water-resistant fabrics to choose from and it can be overwhelming to see too many all at once. Once you determine the type of awning fabric you need and the colors you want your awning to have, we send you virtual swatches. If you want embellisments like bullion fringe, we can send you pictures of color options for that. If you have a theme, we’d love to help you play that up with your accessories.
How long will it take for my order to arrive?
If you see something you like in our Etsy Shop from our Ready-to-Ship Awning Collection, we can have it to you within a week in most cases if you are in the US.
Our goal to get your handmade custom order completed within 30 days of your order date, but sometimes it doesn’t always work out that way. We have been experiencing a large influx of custom orders. Other talented awning makers in our industry have changed their business models. They either no longer do custom work, they’ve reducing their offerings and inventory, and due to “real life” their availability is extremely limited. You can expect the wait time to increase from 30 days up to 8 weeks in the peak seasons between April-August.
We will not agree to rush orders, we work in the order of paid deposits, or paying in full. Paying in full or paying off early as stated in the Payment Plans above will not speed up the process or “bump you up” in our sewing line-up.
Beginning in August 2023, Julie will be retiring from her 34 year career at UPS, and will be making awnings full time. We also have 3 wonderful seamstress contractors working behind the scenes assembling our uniquely designed and handcrafted awnings and accessories.
What shipping service do you use?
We offer free shipping everywhere in the US. We use both UPS and USPS depending on price and distance. UPS Ground can take 1to 6 business days depending on where we’re shipping from and to, USPS Priority Mail takes 2-4. If you want to upgrade your shipping please let us know in advance. We will cover the first $25 dollars to upgrade shipping, and you will be invoiced for whatever costs exceed $25.
What forms of payment do you accept?
If you see something you like in our Etsy Shop, please do not check out through Etsy. They are now taking approximately 17% of our sales now for their “free marketing” and we really would appreciate the opportunity to unlist the item on Etsy and invoice you via PayPal to your email. Etsy does not offer buyer protection for orders over $250, so you don’t really benefit if anything should go wrong. We will be migrating the items in our Etsy Shop to our website over the next few months.
Our preferred method to receive your payment is to send you an invoice via PayPal to your preferred email address. You do not need to have a PayPal account to check out as a guest. If you would prefer to call us so we can run your card over the phone, that’s perfectly acceptable as well. Sorry, we no longer will be accepting any paper forms of payment. Period.
Do you make curtains and cushions?
At this time we currently do not do cushions or curtains. We have found it’s difficult to do these types of projects remotely when fitting and finish work are crucial. Shipping anything with foam is also ridiculously expensive and would put the project expenses out of reach. You are better off to find a local person in your area that specializes in upholstery, but if you need us to send some of your fabric to them we should be able to help you with this.
How do I keep my awning from sagging?
There are several methods of thought on this topic. Everyone seems to have their own preferred method, and it’s from trial and error. I’ve seen people use 2 ropes per pole, rope tighteners, weighted bags, and conduit framework.
This authors opinion: The secret is not only to get the ropes as tight as possible but to keep them that way and so they aren’t flexing and pulling out. My preferred method is to have a fixed length of rope and tie knotted loops on each end. Put one end loop over the tip of the pole AFTER is inserted into the grommet. While holding the rope, walk diagonally away from the trailer keeping the rope tight. Make sure the ground is hard and compact enough to hold the stake into the ground. Once you’ve determined where to stake in the ground at the end of the rope, stake the rope into the ground, driving the stake in diagonally toward the trailer. If your ropes are still loose you need to take the stake out and go out and inch or so further until they are tight. You can also try raising your poles up an inch or so. Good Luck!
How do I clean my awning?
Caring for you awning is really important to making it last for years, especially if you get stains, sap, or bird droppings on it. DO NOT MACHINE WASH OR DRY YOUR AWNINGS OR ACCESSORIES. The very best product we found is OxiClean Max force. It’s relatively inexpensive and easy to find anywhere you buy laundry detergent. Keep a bottle in your camper trailer.
How do I store my awning?
Your awning will come with a matching storage tote. Your awning is an investment, so make sure it gets stored properly when not in use. Always remove the awning before traveling. Make sure your awning is completely dry before storing or CAN GET MOLDY. If you can’t put it away dry, then remove any stains and hang it to dry out as soon as you get home. We will not be responsible for stains on your awning you can’t get off. We don’t recommend leaving the awning in your trailer in the winter due to potential moisture.
