Introduction - Caravan Porch Awnings
Caravans are the perfect way to travel in comfort and on your own terms. Taking trips in a caravan allows you to enjoy unique sights that many people would never venture to see and gives you the flexibility of spending the night wherever you wish. Buying a porch awning for your caravan offers many benefits, so read on to find out:
- What are caravan porch awnings?
- Why do you need a porch awning?
- Types of porch awnings
- How to choose the right awning
What are caravan porch awnings?
Porch awnings attach to the outside of your caravan and can provide extra storage space and an area to relax. There are many different kinds to choose from and each model has its own unique benefits. Full-size awnings can feel difficult to manage, transport, and set up; however, porch awnings have a simple set up and are much smaller, lighter, and easier to handle. A porch awning is basically just like a porch on your home, except for your caravan! It offers many of the same benefits and can make your caravan feel even more like home.
Why do you need a porch awning?
Imagine yourself traveling to a remote location with your caravan in tow and stopping in the late afternoon to set up for the night. As the sun sets over the beautiful landscape, you sit in a comfortable chair sipping a cup of tea under your porch enjoying the gorgeous view. A caravan porch gives you a great outdoor space to enjoy the scenery you have traveled to see.
There are many other benefits that porch awnings offer as well. It can make your living space feel larger by giving you more room for activities, shaded seating, eating and cooking. Although the caravan life is great for those that enjoy it, even the most content travelers can begin to feel cooped up in the caravan. A porch allows you to have some extra space for you and your travel companions to spread out.
Another great perk of porch awnings is the rain protection it provides for you and your belongings. Once you set up your porch, you can store chairs, grills, dirty shoes, and other things outside for the night without worrying about rain. If it rains during the day, you can still enjoy the view and open space without getting soaked.
Porch awnings are generally smaller and more compact than a full-size awning. This allows for easier setup and take down and makes them much easier to handle. In most cases, you can set up your porch in 15 minutes or less! If you have a smaller caravan or frequently go on shorter trips, a porch awning is a perfect choice to add flexibility and freedom to your caravan while also maintaining the convenience of a smaller awning.
Buying a porch awning is a great investment that will bring enjoyment and convenience for years to come.
Types of porch awnings
These days, there are so many different variations of porch awnings for caravans on the market. You can choose from different fabrics, frame materials, styles, sizes, and more. Seeing all of the options could feel overwhelming, but each type has a different set of benefits. Learn about the different varieties available so you can weigh up your options and make an informed choice.
Frame Material
- Steel: This heavy-duty material is a great choice if you are not planning on moving your porch very often, such as in situations where your caravan will remain parked in one area for months at a time. Steel is able to withstand most weather conditions and will stay strong for a long time.
- Aluminum: Aluminum is a lightweight option for the structure of your porch. This material is perfect if you travel frequently and want your porch to have an easy setup, take down, and transport.
- Fiberglass: Fiberglass is a similar material to aluminum, and these porches are also lightweight and easy to handle and store.
- Air: Inflatable porch awnings are a new innovation in the caravan accessory market. These porches are easy to construct; all you have to do is inflate the pipes inside the awning with an upright or battery-powered pump. This kind of porch is the lightest and most convenient type on the market.
Fabrics
- Lightweight polyester: This material dries quickly after a rainstorm and is easy to handle, set up, pack, and store away. There are many different styles, types, and textures of polyester porches, and they are great for weekend trips.
- Heavy-duty polyester: While this fabric adds a bit of weight to the porch, heavy-duty polyester is more durable and sturdy and will last for much longer than a porch made of lightweight polyester. This fabric is a wise choice if your porch will get lots of use over many years.
- Acrylic: Although acrylic porches may seem a bit more expensive than other types, they are also very durable and will last for many years of heavy use. This fabric looks more taut and rigid than polyester. Solution-dyed acrylic is resistant to UV light and comes in different colors.
As you can see, there are a ton of different options to consider when buying a porch awning for your caravan. Generally, you pick your frame material based on your needs and choose a fabric to go along with it. Now, learn about how to choose the right awning that will meet all of your needs!
How to choose the right awning for you
Investing in the right awning to improve life in your caravan is a big decision. Consider the following factors when buying a caravan porch.
Consider your budget
The most important thing to consider when buying a porch for your caravan is your budget. If you want to stay on the less expensive side, smaller, lightweight porches allow you to enjoy the benefits of a porch without a high cost. If you have more spending ability you can look at larger sizes and higher quality materials.
Decide what benefits you want
Will you use your porch frequently, or just a few times a year? Will you travel often, or stay in one place? Do you want space to eat outside and store your belongings, or just enough room to sit outside and enjoy the fresh air? Do you want a quick and easy setup or a more durable awning? You must take all of these considerations into account when thinking about buying a caravan porch. If you want to enjoy spending lots of time outside, you may want to buy a larger and heavier duty porch, but if you just want room for a few chairs, a smaller porch is more convenient. Carefully consider the ways you will use your porch, and then decide on the material, fabric, size, and style that fits your needs.
Taking Care of Your Awning
No matter what kind of awning you buy, proper maintenance is essential to getting the most benefit and longest life from your porch. Every time you take it down, you must fold it correctly, protect the windows, and make sure it’s clean. Although it doesn’t have to be dry as soon as you fold it up, you want to make sure no moisture remains in the material before you pack it up for a long period of time. Make sure to always separate the poles from the canvas and never put them too close together to prevent marking and punctures. When you set up your porch, assemble it with care and properly secure it to your caravan and the ground to protect it from flying away with the wind.
Proper care for your awning is not difficult, but very important to keeping it functional and looking brand new for years and years!
Conclusion
Whether you live in a caravan full time or just use it on holidays, porch awnings offer great benefits! They can increase your living space, provide an area to relax, enjoy the scenery that you’ve traveled to see, and protect your belongings from the weather elements. There are a number of different styles, materials, and fabrics to choose from for your porch, so take time to consider exactly how you will use your porch and what benefits you want to receive from it. If you’re looking for a porch that is quick and easy to set up and pack away, a less expensive, lightweight style is perfect. If it will be used every weekend for years, however, it’s worth investing in a higher quality and more expensive awning. Living the caravan life can feel exciting and extremely rewarding, and a porch awning will only add to your experience. Look at all of the options online to get a feel for what you want and order one today to begin enjoying the benefits!