Caravan Awnings - A Guide
Caravan awnings are tent-like structures that allow users to temporarily or even permanently increase and improve the living quarters of their caravans with minimal fuss and expenditure. Aimed to be light-weight and easy to erect and dismantle, awnings are ideal for holidaymakers who appreciate having a larger dining space or who may need additional sleeping room for unexpected guests. Awnings are also fantastic for use in the hot summer weather for providing shade and in the wet winter months for giving shelter. In fact awnings essentially add an extra room onto the caravan, making it feel less like a compact vehicle and more like a home.
Features
Awnings come in four main designs with each type satisfying a specific purpose. Free-standing awnings complete with four covered walls, and leaning porch awnings with three covered walls, are by far the most popular. Both allow for complete privacy whilst remaining easy to maintain and assemble. The two recent additions to the awning family are the sun-canopy and annex designs. Sun-canopies are intended to be used solely for providing shade and do not greatly enhance the amount of usable 'indoor' space available. Annexes, however, are intended to be zipped or attached onto awnings or porches, further increasing the 'indoor' space.
With caravan awnings, as with caravans themselves, the emphasis is on usability and maximising comfort. While peoples' ideas of affordable, comfortable caravan holidays may vary wildly, it is safe to say that there are enough caravan and caravan awning makes and models out there to suit even the most discerning of holidaymakers.
Frequency Of Use
A variety of caravan awnings are available, ranging from very basic models intended for light or occasional use to more elaborate models intended for long-term use in a variety of weathers. Depending on the frequency of use of the awning and the time of year it is intended to be used, a variety of materials can be used in construction and a variety of features included with the awning: occasional models will have relatively light materials and few features while heavy-use models will have durable materials and a variety of features such as doors, windows and even carpets.
Before Buying
Before an awning is purchased it is wise to consider whether a new caravan or motorhome will be bought within the next few years: if so, and it is markedly different in size and configuration from the present caravan or RV, then it should be considered whether a less fully featured awning should be bought that can be sold when the new vehicle is bought, or a model is sought that can accommodate both vehicles. In addition, it should be considered what sites the caravan will be placed at and what caravan accessories will be used: both factors can affect the type of awning that will be needed.
After Buying
After awnings are purchased it is important to implement an effective maintenance regime – this will considerably extend the working life of the awning –and also to consider other factors that will affect use of the awning. How will the awning be stored? Will it be used in a range of environments? Anticipating the answers to such questions will considerably help awning maintenance and care.