Hi, after advice on how to make a cover for my trailer. I can't afford a purpose made one as I've just extended the sides with ply, totally broke. I would like to cover the top and ply sides and have just ordered a tarpaulin and elasticated rope. Can I stitch, staple or other the corners in order to fit the trailer?
We used a roof of an old caravan awning we got our hands on. Where the corners are we double the material up for extra strength. Then added some 'eyes' and thread some elastic cord around in a zigzag manner. The elasticated cord was cheap from a caravan/camping shop. We got the hooks there too for the side of the trailer. In Wallace fashion "Grand job". You shouldn't have a problem making it and will save a pretty penny.
------------- Why yearn for tomorrow when you can have chocolate today.
how deep are the greedy boards that you have fitted?
what you could do is is lay the flat cover over the trailer and let the sides hang down and then secure the sides to the cover buttons and you will be left with a triangle shape at the corners fold this flat and fold it around the back of the trailer and secure to one of the cover buttons
a sort of pleat fold like you would do when fitting a flat sheet on a mattress
I used a tarp on an old trailer tent years ago, in exactly the way Force Ten has described. I considered gluing the corners, but decided tucking them in was just as easy!
I have a large trailer and have fitted ply wood sides, I have got hold of large piece of tarp cut it to size, fitted eye's, folded down the corners and secured with a bag of trailer cover stays that i bought from a camping shop an elastic rope, the water pools on the top of it when it rains and if left unattended could cause the tarp to stretch all the way in exposing the contents. To combat this I have used 2 bendy tent poles from a damaged dome tent set diagonally across the length of the trailer crossing in the middle to cause run off.
you can buy trailer covers from the pound shop all different sizes,blue in colour.i use the 6x4 ones.these have eyelets fitted.some hardware shops have then too.about the same blue colour of the print on here.at that price you can change them each year. like these
Thanks everyone, my 'greedy boards' are 2' deep, as the trailer's sides are 12" deep, I've got another 12" heightwise. Cost me £30 for 12mm exterior ply cut to size for me, much cheaper than side extensions. I was thinking of making fitted corners like a proper cover but after reading these posts, I might not bother!
When I extended the load capacity of my trailer I made a boxlid from ply that sat on (rather than in) the sides of the trailer. I used hasps to secure it to the body of the trailer. It was water tight and was far more secure than a tarp and I felt confident to leave things in the trailer when on sites with the lid padlocked
------------- Nigel
March 2012 - Dove Meadows
6th July Moving to Hayle
so as you have increased the height by 12 inches you would be looking for somthing to cover the ply and drop right down to the original trailer side, I would try the flat sheet draped over the top dropped down the sides and tuck folded at the corners
and if that doesnt work then you may have to look at cutting and glueing the coners, but try the tuck fold first
One of the awning repair firms (advertised in the caravan mags) would probably make you one at a reasonable price. I am going to have ago at welding PVC with a hot air gun and roller in the near future to make an under bed awning for my camper. If you ggogle the subject there are articles on doing it.