Is there a way to shrink vinyl material on an awning

Guest · Jun 22, 2018

Hi, i installed my new vinyl awning all by myself and i was so proud of myself that i did it. However that night afterwards it rained and i did not consider that the new install might not drain the same as the old original. When i woke up the next morning water had built up on the awning. It was not enough to break it but it was just enough to stretch the material alittle bit. Now it has some waves in it.

Is there a way to shrink vinyl so that i can take the waves out of the material?

Thanks )

Tom · Jun 22, 2018

Try a heat gun, but keep it moving. Don't let it sit in one spot for long.

Guest · Jul 1, 2018

Ok thanks, they have heatguns at WM for 20 bucks ill try it and let you know.

I have attached a couple of pics to show what im working with.

Back2PA · Jul 1, 2018

Be careful with a heat gun you could very easily damage your awning. On thing, I would suggest disconnecting your de-flappers, slide your awning tension poles all the way out to the end of the track by the roller, then while pushing down on the awning support to stretch the fabric a little, tighten the friction knob on the tension pole. Do the same on the other side. Then attach your deflappers to the tension poles instead of the support pole the way you have it. Apply gentle tension to the deflapper and secure, then do the same on the other side. This way you are gently stretching the fabric straight out, instead of pulling down on it

Guest · Jul 1, 2018

OK ill change it thanks... I could really kickmyself.... taking the leap and doing this job alone i was so stoked when i actually did it. Only to make the mistake of not thinking about the rain that night and drainage. All that sweat and difficulty to end up with a stretched canvas grrrrrrr... lol

Yes that looks much better with the arms extended all the way, i always wondered why i didnt have the top bars on my awning... lol

SpencerPJ · Jul 2, 2018

Some replacement vinyl awnings are just not the thickness and quality of the original. If that stretched with one rain, it will again with a really hot, sun melting day. I would think a heat gun would be very dangerous... I would let the sun heat it up, and snug it up a bit, as Sun2Retire suggests.

Rene T · Jul 2, 2018

durangod said:
Yes that looks much better with the arms extended all the way, i always wondered why i didnt have the top bars on my awning... lol

Did you pull down on the awning roll and then tighten the friction nut like Scott recommended. Pull down on the roll as hard as you can then tighten the 2 nuts. Take another picture for us.
Note: when you slide the tension poles up to the end of the awning roll, the ends will lock in. They'll be a small locking lever you'll need to operate to get it to disconnect.

Guest · Jul 2, 2018

Thanks, i managed to get the flappers to the middle slot on the rod. And i pulled down on the roller and tightened the knob on the rod, that is as tight as i can get it.

By the way it was about 20 gal or so that was on the cover overnight which is why it stretched so much i believe. I didnt even realize there was water up there till i pulled the handle (to raise it off the door roller) and the water came crashing down. Then i was like duh you dumb**s!!

Yes this material is softer than the original, it seems thicker also and heavier. The original material was very thin and stiff.

Here are the pics after tightening as much as i can.

Back2PA · Jul 2, 2018

I gotta say, I don't think you're going to get it tighter than that - looks the same as mine. Since you're stationary you can use tie-down anchors on the ends of the roller tube which puts more tension on the fabric, but you have to be ready to untie and roll-up in high wind. Even with anchors the awning can get ripped off the rig in high wind.

When you have your awning extended be sure and have one side noticeably lower than the other to shed water.

Guest · Jul 2, 2018

Hi, yes my old awning i had set a 6 one side and 7 the other side. But with the new one i guess that was not enough. Now i set it on 6 one side and 8 the other side and i hit it with the water hose and that seems fine now.

I watch the forcast for wind every day several times a day, if the wind gets above 15mph i put it up or if there are gusts and i feel the trailer shake alittle i put it up. Is 15 usually a good number to go by?

Back2PA · Jul 2, 2018

durangod said:
Is 15 usually a good number to go by?

I'm not sure there is a hard and fast number, it probably varies depending upon awning size, direction of the wind, awning angle, etc. I'd say I pull it in at around 15, it seems like it's flapping pretty good at that point and I just don't want to worry about it. I know at the last spot I was at some full-timers in a fiver with their awning tied down would consistently leave it up through 25-30 mph winds (but then they told me they got caught one time and lost a main awning so I guess it depends what your risk tolerance is)

Here in AZ it's not unusal to see forecasts for 15 and have a few gusts mixed in over 40.

Guest · Jul 7, 2018

Well after two days or storms and high winds that caught me off guard, and having to hold my awning in place by hand so it would not break. I went back the other way with the arms half way down the lower arm.

The main reason is that there is more support that other way. Especially with the bungy cords i have on there. With the top arms fully extended there is only about an inch until they would come apart and i put just a bit of pressure on that joint just to see and its as flexible as a rubberband in the wind. It gives no upper support at all being that extended. So i went back the other way. Its really stiff now and much better.

Is there a way to shrink vinyl material on an awning

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