Temp Sun Screen?

[pago cruiser]

Just got our LY back from a friends yard after a few months of Mechanical stuff. I think it has actually been in his yard longer than ours...

Anyhow, we have her back at home; and she is literally cooking . We have almost no shade we can take advantage of, and it was 110F today. Same expected tomorrow. We live on a hilltop, and while we plan on getting an RV Carport up in awhile, it is going to have to wait until a late summer X-country trip is complete..; which we are REALLY looking forward to.

In the meantime, we really need to get something up temporarily to get some shade. Anybody tried this stuff?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0149NEM7U?psc=1

16' x 16' for $60, delivered. I'm thinking a pair of these per side, secure it to the awning rail on the passenger side, and figure out something on the drivers side. Maybe an aluminum channel secured using the roof to side screws? Easy enough to secure it on the ground. I can dig and pour some 1 cubic foot holes and fill with concrete and an anchor bolt. Maybe 4 per side; that would be about 7' on center. 150lbs or so vertical pullout, maybe 3X that at an angle.

This would be for a month or so while I finish some roof work and interior stuff. If the material only last a year, no problem.

Anybody tried this? Would love some feedback or a report on how it worked. Or didn't...

[Phoenix]

If you just want cheap shade, Costco and Sam's Club have blue poly tarps that will last about 6-9 months in the AZ sun. They will eventually sun rot, but they are pretty heavy and sturdy for the price.

[SpletKay06]

Sounds like your trying to overcomplicate things.

[pago cruiser]

Overly complicated?
easy to say when you are at a balmy 82F . We have been 30F higher the last couple days. The sides of the coach in the direct sun literally get really hot; this cannot be good on a long term repetitive basis. You cannot work on or hold anything metal, like hardware or tools, as they are too hot to hold.

The anchors? Wind design in our area is 90MPH. We had 70 mph a couple years ago; that storm took an 8x10 2x4 fully sheathed shed wall that was laying on the ground and sent it about 150' down wind. It also toppled my neighbors chicken coop, allowing all the birds to escape. Truly funny watching a grown man try and catch chickens!

Just trying to put up something that will function, and last more than one windstorm. I've tried the blue tarp on a shade cover for the patio- with no mesh, it becomes a full force sail; and it also seems very hot; prolly cause it cannot breath.

Any real-world experience out there? This can't be the first time...

[SpletKay06]

I lived in AZ for three years before I moved back to Oregon. Im fully aware of the heat down there. Now for protecting your trailer, putting all thats up for a month is a waste. Id look into covered storage until you get your rv carport up.

[Phoenix]

Blue poly tarps do not significantly reduce UV rays. You can still get sunburned underneath the tarp. We learned this the hard way using one at Lake Powell on Lone Rock Beach on a summer vacation.

Using two tarps (doubling the thickness) helps, but no temporary shade/cover will survive an Arizona haboob. Even a portable carport will fly away, if not permanently anchored.

Any chance you could move to a cooler location and finish repairs there? Or, perhaps, a permanent cover is in your future...

[Hittenstiehl]

We're in AZ also. 120 this week and direct Sun on both girls. A nice structure is in our future also just not sure when.

Build some 2x4 gantries, use some bolts or screws versus nails. Put the legs in buckets of concrete to help anchor the gantries. Staple or clamp the tarps or sun sail/shade material to the gantries.

When the material is done for the season pull it off and staple new fabric up for the next season and the next....

You save the structure and just replace the material.

Line the interior windows with reflectix or cardboard to divert direct sun damage to interior. Work on it at night, opening front and rear window and placing a fan at one end.

[Mike1997]

As a temp measure, make a visit to the local Army/Navy Surplus Store and see if they have any of the camo tarps large enough to cover the AS. Seems to work for them in the middle east so might be worth checking out in your area too.

[DaveFL]

IR thermometer not need to say how hot under a tarp, found white only way to go for a tarp, mesh shade cloth sounds much better, my problem less than yours but found doing roof and sides helps.
Even with a breeze air gets trapped by end panels trying to keep the sun off. If I can find mesh shade cloth in light color might be good for sides and end panels.

[malconium]

One strong advantage to this type of material seems to be that air can pass through it. I would think that would greatly improve performance in a wind storm and it would allow cooling breezes to get through. I also noticed that the product is available in widths intended for fencing. Could it be that 8' wide material would be enough on each side of the trailer? I wouldn't think that you would not need the material to go all the way to the ground for enough heat blocking performance. Sun low on the horizon might not be a problem. Just thinking about that because that approach looks like it could be a lot cheaper than 4 square tarps.

[AWCHIEF]

My solution. Material from Harbor Freight and a few snaps set to match the sun room snap bases.

[Kreimer]

We were down in Phoenix a few weeks ago with our 345 motorhome. It got up to around 118 and we went to either lowes or Home Depot (can't remember which but either should have it) and bought garden shade fabric. Much cheaper and choice of colors. We ran it down the street side of the coach to shade the side. We didn't cover the top as we have solar panels. Also the silver bubble wrappy stuff in the Windows made a huge difference. I have never been so glad to be back in Missouri with some humidity and 90 degrees. That heat down there is absolutely brutal...

[rosiegirl]

We are in the San Fernando Valley of LA - 110 degrees and can get windy, but in driveway. Bought a 10 X 27 X 10 King Canopy on Amazon for $196 (with free Prime delivery which helped) - raised steel legs with concrete blocks to accommodate AC and tied it down to blocks. Works great and next we will get side walls. Don't expect it to last a long long time, but a couple of years of shelter will help since we might be moving anyway. We might throw an extra tarp over it during rainy season next winter.

[NoResults]

For a little bit more money try a shade cloth from a greenhouse supply store. Have used it over a greenhouse for my Mother in law. Works great to keep heat down.

Dave

[Bob30SOMH]

Warning for MH people. Silver bubble wrap manufacture WARNS AGAINST using silver bubble wrap on inside of MH windows. Space between silver bubble wrap and window glass will get so hot that high heat will change shape of window glass.

I have used Black Magne Shades for 8 years on MH with great success in hot sunny climate conditions. Also seem to help insulate in cold climate camping. Very easy to put on and take off. Only down side is one time cost for custom made shade for any window on motorhome or trailer.

[Goal15]

Makes me wonder about the bubble wrap sun shades being sold for vehicles

Dana


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