As we all know, putting up an awning for the first time can be worse than taking a physics degree, and often in the rain!  It almost makes Ikea furniture seem like a piece of cake.  So as we are staring to get our awnings out here are a few tips.

Have a trial run at home, hidden from the neighbours if possible, before getting to the site and getting very frustrated for all the other “professional” caravanners looking on.

Choose a nice day with little wind on your first trial run, even a bit of wind can thwart your first attempts

Put your groundsheet down now instead of later when it’s all up.

Wax the beading of the awning rail, making it easier to slide the awning on.  Furniture polish with silicon will do the same trick.

Once the awning is through the channel fully, fit the awning brackets into the roof cord.

Fit the centre vertical poles together and fit into the canvas then proceed to do the same for the remaining front frame poles and legs. Raise the frame to the vertical, attach the roof pole to the bracket and partially loosen it. If you have to erect your awning on a windy day, put a storm strap over the whole awning at this point.  Now fit the final roof poles and loosen them as well.

Next zip in the front and sides - then you will be able to fully tension the legs to the correct height

Peg down the corners of the awning - we then slide in the awning skirt along the channel at the bottom of the caravan. You will then be able to peg down the rest of the awning

Once you’ve got the poles correctly erected put colour coded stickers on the joints making it easier the next time.