Recommendation for awning - Fiberglass RV
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Old 11-13-2019, 05:05 PM   #1
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Name: Jon
Trailer: Trillium
British Columbia
Posts: 5
Recommendation for awning

Well. I got my first Trillium. I just replaced all the electrical and fixed the windows. Cushions are on order and next up is solar install. I am looking for an awning for the side of the Trillium. For some reason when I search the forums I get a whole list of threads none of which contain my search words?? Can anyone make a recommendation for an awning for a Trillium trailer?
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Old 11-13-2019, 05:12 PM   #2
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Name: Gordon
Trailer: 2015 Scamp (16 Std Layout 4) with '15 Toyota Sienna LE Tug
North Carolina
Posts: 5,155
Try using google, either on this sites web page or better yet on the Google home page, with a site qualifier to limit to this forum.. or the web site of your choice...

i.e. Google search: Trillium awning site:fiberglassrv.com

That gets lots of promising leads.

But are you sure you really want an awning? Yes they are nice at times but IMHO usually more trouble than they are worth.
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Old 11-13-2019, 06:47 PM   #3
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Name: Jon
Trailer: Trillium
British Columbia
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I live in northern rainforest and the reason for an awning is so I can leave my muddy footwear/clothing outside and also have a place to sit outside but not in the rain.
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Old 11-13-2019, 09:45 PM   #4
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Name: bill
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
The Mountains of North Carolina
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Bag awnings are typical on these vintage trailers. You just need an awning rail on your trailer, it may already have one.

I am a big fan of an awning, if I am staying at a particular site for more than a day or two.

I have a more complicated Trans Awn 2000 by A & E on my 1977 Trillium, only because that was what was on the trailer when I bought it. Although they stopped making this model years ago, Eezi Awn licensed the design so it is still in production (and it means I can still get parts for it!)

I am reluctant to recommend it as it is cumbersome to put out and put away. I can do it myself without assistance, barely. The modern awning that came with my 2013 Escape is super easy to put out. But functionally, it is still working well, and for a 40 year old awning, that's pretty good.

1977 Trillium 1300 Mt Pisgah NP CG by wrk101, on Flickr
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Old 11-14-2019, 10:17 AM   #5
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Name: Greg
Trailer: 2008 Casita 17' SD
Washington
Posts: 1,996
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I had the original factory installed Fiamma 10 ft. awning when I bought my trailer. I didn't care for it one bit, so off it came and I resold it. I didn't like the way it wasn't sealed tightly to the side of the trailer shell, and I tried all the "Mickey Mouse" stop-gap measures to stuff something in the open space, but didn't like any of them. At best it became a catch basin for tree debris and water, eventually turning into a frog pond.
I just mounted a simple section of Keder rail to the side of the trailer and use a slide-in awning. It seals tightly to the trailer, easy to slide in and take out, and I think that it also looks better than the Fiamma awning, (which is actually designed to be mounted to a vertical sidewall, as is found on most "stick built" trailers.) It was never really meant for installation on a rounded fiberglass trailer. The mounting brackets they created were an absurd afterthought in a dismal attempt to make it work where it wasn't meant to be.

I really like my slide-in awning. When I'm done with it, I just slide it out of the track and fold it up, put it in the stuff sack, and it basically adds almost nothing as far as extra weight, (it only weighs a couple of Lbs, unlike the 80 Lb. Fiamma awning,) and it takes up no more room than a football in my closet. FWIW, if I'm going to be someplace for more than a few days, I will set up my Clam screen tent, but for overnighters or weekenders, my awning suits my needs just fine.
Incidentally, I would highly recommend Marti's Awnings. She will custom make one to any specification you desire, and she's very reasonably priced as well. Here's mine that I bought from her.

Marti's Vintage Trailer Awnings
Attached Thumbnails
20190428_201304_001.jpg   20190430_124553.jpg  

Keder Rail2.JPG  
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Old 11-14-2019, 12:49 PM   #6
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Name: Derek
Trailer: Bigfoot
British Columbia
Posts: 77
Good morning. Another rainforest dweller here. I've got a 17' Bigfoot without an awning and I'd love one too. In the meantime I made my own 'bag awning'. Found some two piece poles at Princess Auto https://www.princessauto.com/en/deta...le/A-p8577751e and then found some low budget waterproof awning material. Not keen to drill holes in the body so I bought a couple of 'sheet glass holders' - a suction cup with a big handle on the other side. https://www.princessauto.com/en/deta...ps/A-p8136608e All you do is clean the area where the cups goes in order to get a good hold. Attach the awning to the holders with rope or whatever. A couple of tent pegs, para line and bingo there you are.

Like you I 'm looking for a place to sit while I enjoy my early morning coffee and breakfast. I take this contraption down if it gets windy or torrential rain.
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Old 11-14-2019, 01:32 PM   #7
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Trailer: '79 Boler
on Ontario
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Before going out to buy and cut up some expensive materials I opted to used an 8 x 10 foot plastic tarp. I wanted to extend the extra out the back of the trailer to give some more room under the "awning." It does require an extra pole/strap to support that corner, but our first time out was great.
For poles we're using some inexpensive aluminum painters poles that extend up to 8 feet (very light). Some cheap paint rollers cut to leave a stub were screwed on to fit into the grommets.
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Old 11-20-2019, 11:41 AM   #8
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Name: Bryan
Trailer: Carefree
British Columbia
Posts: 94
Hey Steve,


Love your use of stuff meant for other uses - I think we may be the same on that point (I buy jetski parts at Home Depot in the plumbing aisle...hehe).


I've been thinking of a similar setup - is that tarp in some way attached to your trailer?


My trailer has 27" of ground clearance.....so I may have to attach the trailer side poles to the trailer frame for more height (have many ideas) - the roof is 8"4". The plus side is I can angle the tarp down to rest on top a pop-up canopy - that way water won't pool and we can walk out of the trailer into a large covered space when the weather sucks - which it can do on Vancouver Island...hehe. I guess if the painter poles are 8' - maybe I can extend them in some way.....I'm sure wander the aisle at the hardware store will sort that one out!


Cheers
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Old 11-20-2019, 12:08 PM   #9
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Name: Richard
Trailer: Trillium
Ontario
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Clips for awning at bottom front and back, better than having poles in the ground.
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Old 11-20-2019, 12:10 PM   #10
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Name: Richard
Trailer: Trillium
Ontario
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Attachment 132327

Clips for awning at bottom front and back, better than having poles in the ground. Sorry about upsidedown pic. Clips are just underneath marker lights.
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Old 11-20-2019, 12:11 PM   #11
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Name: Steven
Trailer: '79 Boler
on Ontario
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Yes, my tarp is attached via the regular awning attachement. I cut off the grommets from the one side sewed some 1/4" rope into a fold at that edge. this slips easily into the aluminum awning extrusion that's common on trailers. Does this need pictures?
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Old 11-20-2019, 12:26 PM   #12
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Name: Bryan
Trailer: Carefree
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Quote:
Originally Posted by steve67 View Post
Yes, my tarp is attached via the regular awning attachement. I cut off the grommets from the one side sewed some 1/4" rope into a fold at that edge. this slips easily into the aluminum awning extrusion that's common on trailers. Does this need pictures?

Thanks Steve - once again - nice low cost and prob just as effective way of making something work. I'd wondered about making my own edge to slide into one of those types of awning holders - now I see the light No pics needed!
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Old 11-20-2019, 12:30 PM   #13
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Name: Bryan
Trailer: Carefree
British Columbia
Posts: 94
Thanks Rich - I don't really see any problems with poles on the ground (I may not just do an awning and instead may cover the whole trailer).....but great to know those brackets exist!!


What fits into those? Tough to say with the zig zag hole in them....I'm guessing essentially a pin that must lock in place in that zig zag??


Any idea where to buy them? or if they have a specific name I could use to search online? Not sure if they are specific to your trailer or if they are generic - thus the questions.


Thanks!
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Old 11-20-2019, 07:46 PM   #14
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Name: Derek
Trailer: Bigfoot
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Great Idea. I just may steal it
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Old 11-20-2019, 07:52 PM   #15
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Name: George
Trailer: 83 Burro
Illinois
Posts: 69
Quote:
Originally Posted by Casita Greg View Post
I had the original factory installed Fiamma 10 ft. awning when I bought my trailer. I didn't care for it one bit, so off it came and I resold it. I didn't like the way it wasn't sealed tightly to the side of the trailer shell, and I tried all the "Mickey Mouse" stop-gap measures to stuff something in the open space, but didn't like any of them. At best it became a catch basin for tree debris and water, eventually turning into a frog pond.
I just mounted a simple section of Keder rail to the side of the trailer and use a slide-in awning. It seals tightly to the trailer, easy to slide in and take out, and I think that it also looks better than the Fiamma awning, (which is actually designed to be mounted to a vertical sidewall, as is found on most "stick built" trailers.) It was never really meant for installation on a rounded fiberglass trailer. The mounting brackets they created were an absurd afterthought in a dismal attempt to make it work where it wasn't meant to be.

I really like my slide-in awning. When I'm done with it, I just slide it out of the track and fold it up, put it in the stuff sack, and it basically adds almost nothing as far as extra weight, (it only weighs a couple of Lbs, unlike the 80 Lb. Fiamma awning,) and it takes up no more room than a football in my closet. FWIW, if I'm going to be someplace for more than a few days, I will set up my Clam screen tent, but for overnighters or weekenders, my awning suits my needs just fine.
Incidentally, I would highly recommend Marti's Awnings. She will custom make one to any specification you desire, and she's very reasonably priced as well. Here's mine that I bought from her.

Marti's Vintage Trailer Awnings
I also recommend a bag awning from Marti's. We've been very happy with ours. One great thing about a bag awning is that you can seal the rail to your camper and keep rain from running down the side. That lets you keep the windows open under the awning.
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Old 11-21-2019, 05:59 AM   #16
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Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
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Recommendation for awning

Quote:
Originally Posted by GWMattson View Post
I also recommend a bag awning from Marti's. We've been very happy with ours. One great thing about a bag awning is that you can seal the rail to your camper and keep rain from running down the side. That lets you keep the windows open under the awning.
I believe you mean a rope-and-pole awning (like Casita Greg’s), which is what Marti makes. They are removed for towing and stored inside the trailer. Biggest drawback is they must be guyed out with ropes.

A bag awning is a different animal- the fabric and poles fold and roll into a bag that hangs on the side of the trailer. Very common on tent trailers. They have rafter poles, so guy lines are not needed. Shademaster is the best-known brand.
http://www.shademakerproducts.com/classic-bag-awning

Both rope-and-pole and bag awnings mount tight to the shell with a keder rail, so you don’t get rain running down the side of the trailer.

Third type is a case awning, like Thrifty Bill’s. Fabric and poles crank into a hard aluminum case. Most factory awnings on new trailers are this type. On a curved egg trailer the case is mounted on brackets that stand out from the shell, so rain runs down side of the trailer unless you rig your own diverter. Convenient but pricey. Fiamma and Carefree are popular brands.

Another variation of the case awning is the Shady Boy. Very light and compact, no upright poles (great for uneven ground). It has better wind resistance than most other awning types thanks to flexible poles and tightly stretched fabric.
http://www.shadyboy.com

What I really want for myself is a removable domed awning with arched fiberglass poles that attaches to a keder rail.
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Old 11-21-2019, 08:24 AM   #17
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Name: Linda
Trailer: Scamp 16'
Ontario
Posts: 32
Homemade awning

I also made an awning from a camping tarp. I got a heavy-duty white one because it makes the area so much brighter compared to the blue. Got it from Amazon. I used a 10'x20' so that I have extra extending out from each end of my 16' Scamp. My idea was that if we get sideways rain, we can drop one of the ends down. The trailer already had the track installed at the top, so I just sewed a rope along the folded edge of the tarp. I needed to do a double fold so that it was a snug fit (good thing I tested it out with a single fold before sewing the whole thing!).
I have some poles and guys from a prospector tent that I used.
Like a previous poster, I think we'd need to take it down in high winds.
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Old 11-21-2019, 09:12 AM   #18
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Well done!
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Old 11-21-2019, 11:05 AM   #19
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Trailer: Roamer 1
Smith Valley, Nevada
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich560 View Post
Attachment 132327

Clips for awning at bottom front and back, better than having poles in the ground.

Rich, Good job! Is that trailer in Australia?
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Old 11-21-2019, 11:16 AM   #20
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Name: Bryan
Trailer: Carefree
British Columbia
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Yep Linda....that's more like what I'm thinking. I want full coverage of the whole side of the trailer and then come out maybe 10'. SO can roll with just that in place or have that 10' cover one side of a pop-up canopy (less likely to blow away in the wind). I can strap some poles to the side of the canopy and attach the edge of the tarp furthest from the trailer to that. An extra step that differs from all posters here is my tarp will probably be OVER the top edge of the trailer an then angle down towards it a bit to stop the rain from coming down that side - no keder rail or anything required. Sure a few drops may roll down the side, but I also don't have to punch a bunch of screw holes in the fiberglass to attach a rail. If it's really that bad - some simple clean flashing to divert - no worse visually than the keder rail but attached with silicone - no holes.


Great to see all the solutions folks have come up with - I love "making it work"
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