Zip Dee Fabric alternative

[GuitarmanFL]

Hey Folks:

My newly acquired 27' Overlander needs all four awnings replaced.

Three are completely missing the fourth, the street side might be anle to be saved if I can find someone to re-sew the panels...

All four add up to almost 2k.

Surely their is an affordable alternative, even if it's not quite the quality of the Zip Dee Sunbrella fabric.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Brek

[featherbedder]

Google sunbrella fabrics for colors and prices. Find awning repair serv. to sew new awnings. [Sail rite has cheapest prices on sunbrella fabs]

[DKB_SATX]

Well, if you're buying Sunbrella fabric from ZipDee, you're getting the assembled awning fabric right? Cut, stitched, with the "welts" (I think that's the right word) that fit into the awning rail and roller built in, etc. So if you're just looking for fabric and planning to do the work yourself, you can probably get Sunbrella cheaper in bulk rather than the finished product.

[Melody Ranch]

Buy the Sunbrella on EBAY and take the fabric to your local tarp and awning sewing business. They will make an awning which will attach to the Zip Dee hardware. If you can't install it yourself....a dangerous job for an amateur....take it to a local RV maintenance shop. You will save hundreds.

[CRH]

I agree buy Sunbrella and get one made. Last summer, I pulled my fabric off because the seams were all rotten. I had it resewn. My upholstery guy said he could make a replacement when needed with no problems.

[brokeboater]

I don't know where you are in Florida but some of the boat canvass people are reasonable. I might suggest Masthead Enterprises in St. Petersburg if you're close enough to drop off what you have you want replaced. Good work at reasonable prices.

[PeterKV]

I would second going to a sailmaker, they are equiped to work on large pieces of material.

[Foiled Again]

Agree - sail makers, etc. have the right machines. This isn't a job for even a heavy duty home machine. If the only problem is a few seams where the thread has rotted out, you can sew it by hand (with a leather "palm" to push the needle). Doing it by hand is slow and your hands will probably ache if there is are a lot of repairs needed.

Paula

[lewster]

Part of the problem with premature failure of Sunbrella awnings lies not with the fabric but with the stitching.

High-end awning manufacturers like Girard are now using ultrasonic welding machines to virtually eliminate the use of thread.

On getting Sunbrella either as a new awning or repair, be sure to request
UV resistant thread. This is a significant expense in itself, but well worth the extended longevity you will get from your awning.


Lew Farber
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