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Subject Topic: Attaching groundsheet to awning
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via mobile 21/3/2021 at 8:16am
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Hi. Has anybody ever attached a groundsheet to an awning. If so, how did you do it- sew, glue?? I have an inflatable awning and thought the awning was attached when I bought it , but sadly not. Thanks!


21/3/2021 at 9:15am
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We don’t bother attaching it, we just have a groundsheet that we cut so that it is about 6 inches bigger than the awning all round and we just fold the excess up and it lies against the awning mud skirt.

If you really wanted it to be attached you could use Velcro. You can get stuff that you sew on which I wouldn’t use on an awning as by sewing it you are making little holes in it with the needle which would then need to be weatherproofed. However, you can also get stick on Velcro which might work but it would depend on the awning fabric. I have used Velcro for a number of purposes over the years and find that it sticks well to some surfaces but not others!

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Pixie


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via mobile 21/3/2021 at 4:18pm
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Thanks. I never thought of Velcro!!


21/3/2021 at 5:02pm
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We have an inflatable awning and use a woven plastic awning carpet, more comfortable under foot, better for the grass, not too dear and available anywhere.
Personally I wouldn't be too keen on trying to clean a muddy groundsheet that was attached to the awning.
Velcro sounds OK if you must though.


21/3/2021 at 5:15pm
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No details given, but assuming we a talking caravan awning?

Each to their own, but here's something to consider... or not, as the case may be...

A fixed groundsheet is all nice a cosy, but come in and out of the door when it's raining, and puddles will form. They may not stay by the doorway, but rather trickle away to form a puddle (or puddles) at low point(s) further within the awning.
Leave the door open in a downpour, and it could well flood in there!

Having a loose/unfitted groundsheet allows for folding it back (away from the doorway), or the ability to sweep away any excess lying water to all perimeters (rather than only out through the doorway).

Obviously, you don't say what awning you have, but there's also the potential (with some awnings) to roll up side walls, to open it all up in fine weather. Again, a fixed groundsheet wouldn't allow this.

Not having a fixed groundsheet also gives you opportunities, to cover all bases (literally!) each time you go away... waterproof, breathable, or indeed lush manicured lawn where no groundsheet is required/desired?

There's also the small matter of the vast majority of camp sites (happy to be corrected if that's an exaggeration) insisting on "Breathable groundsheets only".

Obviously a "semi-fixed" groundsheet (Velcro/Toggles/Similar?) negates some, if not all of my points, but hopefully that has given you a little food for thought, before you go and do anything rash/expensive/time consuming with the awning you have, which has of course been designed specifically for it's purpose!




All the above is based on my experience of my first tent having a sloping main entrance door and sewn-in waterproof groundsheet. We moved away from that design very very quickly, and very very early in our camping career!
Having moved to sheltered/protected entrance doors, we have since moved to a modular tent system, which includes additional optional extension awnings. We purchased the (optional) zip-in waterproof groundsheet for these awnings, and haven't used it once, in almost six years! (Preferring grass first, or a breathable groundsheet if needed). I should have known better!



-------------
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Give us chance!

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21/3/2021 at 6:46pm
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You could alway tie it down with something like this...................fleebay.......eBay item number:38398297038


via mobile 21/3/2021 at 9:41pm
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Hi, you could make some small bungees out of shock cord and use some of these pegged to the ground.   
https://www.amazon.co.uk/IMPACT-RESISTANT-TARPAULIN-GROUNDSHEET-CLAMPS/dp/B01M3SKQTO


via mobile 22/3/2021 at 8:38am
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Air awnings are heavier than pole awnings for a start. The last thing you need is to make it heavier. Most sites nowadays insist on breathable ground sheets on grass. These again are a lot heavier than a standard ground sheet. Joining the two permanently you would really struggle with the weight and the folding away. Also the last thing you need is a damp and muddy groundsheet folded inside awning causing mould..

-------------
2023 Swift Archway Woodford, MK3 Kuga ST Line X 190 ps AWD Auto
Now 52 years Caravanning completed.


via mobile 22/3/2021 at 12:03pm
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Thanks everybody. I’ll look at it seriously when I next ho away, bearing your points in mind.


22/3/2021 at 1:40pm
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As Mucker1884 said, majority of sites where the awning is going to be on grass insist on a breathable carpet rather than a impervious tarpaulin type groundsheet. They may not check when you're there, but it'll be obvious after you've left, and you many not be welcomed back a second time after the yellow grass is spotted! Even stayed on one site that instructed you to lift your breathable carpet/groundsheet for an hour or two EVERY day to air the grass! Don't think anyone bothered to do that!

The other problem with awning modified with a permanent/semi-permanent attachment of groundsheet (of any type), is that you will likely NEVER get your folded up awning back into the storage bag! The extra bulk of the groundsheet will make an often already challenging task impossible. My air awning alone just about fits it's generously oversized bag when freshly deflated!

I really can't see any benefit to permanently/semi-permanently fitting a groundsheet to an awning, it achieves so little, but causes so many problems, it's such a quick and simple task to spread a loose groundsheet. There has to be a good reason why NO manufacturer to my knowledge does so when they all strive to offer something 'better' than the competition! A SIG on a tent is entirely different, as that provides an entirely sealed compartment, but an awning always has one wall missing anyway!


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22/3/2021 at 8:02pm
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We simply used a breathable awning carpet which was too big but we folded the excess in underneath. We washed it in the washing machine after every trip.


via mobile 23/7/2023 at 10:45pm
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I’m wanting to attach a ground sheet onto our caravan awning. Atm there are lots of gaps where rats are getting in!!!
No food is kept in the awning. We had nocturnal visitors a couple of nights ago, so bought hot sauce and mixed it with water and washing up liquid and squirted all around the skirt inside the awning and last night we had no visitors as they don’t like hot sauce. But I’m wanting to have a more permanent solution and I’d feel much better if there was no way they could get in, so I’d like the groundsheet sewn or somehow attached to the awning walls. These rats really freak me out. I sleep in a bedroom in the awning and I can hear them scurrying around the perimeter of the awning looking for a way in. They have a distinctive smell and they definately. Made themselves at home in the awning. What can anyone suggest as a permanent solution to keep the rats out.


via mobile 23/7/2023 at 11:22pm
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I really couldn’t care about getting the awning in a bag!! Our awning folds up and just fits in the front storage box of the caravan. Rats are a real issue wherever we go camping. We’re at a campsite atm who told us they don’t have a rat problem but come nightfall and they come alive. People are in their caravan and have no idea what’s going on outside. We don’t store food in the awning and we have to lift everything up off the floor as they urinate on everything, and last year everything had to be binned. So I’d rather have the groundsheet sewn in. Think I will do a search for companies that can sew groundsheets in to keep rats out!!!


via mobile 24/7/2023 at 12:20am
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According to my point of view there are reasons to have a sewn in groundsheet. If you don’t want rodents in your tent or awning then believe me you would want a sewn in groundsheet.
I don’t care about water raining in, don’t care about packing it away, I’d lay a separate ground sheet underneath the sewn in one to keep it clean so that wouldn’t be an issue. I can come up with solutions for peoples arguments about reasons why a sewn in groundsheet would be a bad idea. But I challenge you to come up with a permanent solution other than sewing in a groundsheet to keeping rats out!!!!!
All the campsites I went to last year and the ones I’ve been to this year all have rats, they are everywhere not just on campsites we have them in our garden at home because my neighbour insists on not taking down her bird feeder.
Because I don’t have a sewn in groundsheet , any gaps where the awning is pegged down and where the mud flaps are there are gaps where rats can easily make their way in. Last year we had a persistent rat that was trying it’s hardest to get in, despite all our efforts to keep it out. We were up most of the night. Once we fell asleep the rat gained entry and urinated on everything and it stunk awful, there was no food in the awning but maybe it could smell our waste bin???everything that was on the awning carpet had to be binned and once home we scrubbed and disinfected the awning and the carpet.
Atm we’re at a campsite where they told us they don’t have rats but I’ve heard them scurrying along the mud flaps and they have been in the awning. I sleep in the sleeping compartment in the awning and can hear the least little sound. The only thing we’ve found it that spraying the mud flaps outside and inside the parimiter of the awning with hot pepper sauce seems to do the trick, but if you get a really persistent rat,ceven that won’t deter them.

I was actually thinking of an inner tent/awning, like the bedroom compartments where it has a separate compartment with the groundsheet sewn in, so you would come thro the main door then unzip another door and once inside the second door, it’s all enclosed, like a big bedroom compartment. Is there such a thing??? I would lay a groundsheet down first to keep the inner compartments groundsheet clean.

Surely it can’t be just me who has issues with rats, or are you all in caravans and haven’t a clue that there are rats that come out in the dark.

Went to skipsea sands a park dean campsite and it was overrun with rats. Go to put rubbish in the big bins and there would be 5/6 rats in the bins where they had chewed holes in the rubber lid. There were rats running all over the bins and running all over the place on the streets and in/out of tents.
Everyone had issues with rats at skipsea sands. Hot pepper sauce did help a lot, mixed with water and washing up liquid, they can’t stand the smell, so in theory keep away. The washing up liquid helps the hot sauce attach to fabrics so not washed away easily.


24/7/2023 at 7:15am
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Sorry, never had any issue with anything getting into the awning. If you’ve got a caravan it will never be sealed as the side against the caravan will still be open because of the wheels. You start messing around with the awning could wipeout any guarantee you may have with it. You need some air otherwise you’ll probably end up with condensation. Awnings are expensive and need to be looked after. I am amazed the state of some awnings when they are got out of the car, I have got it down to a fine art folding ours. When I did it last time a fellow camper said that won’t go back in the bag, and I said it will, watch me!

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Claire and Colin





24/7/2023 at 8:28am
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Never heard of anyone even thinking of wanting to attach their groundsheet to the caravan awning. Many sites insist that the ground sheet is lifted at least once a day even if it is a breathable groundsheets.

As mentioned you also have the bulk of the ground sheet with the weight of the awning. Using velcro would be a waste of time as dirt will quickly find its way into the velcro strips making them unusable of a few sessions. Lastly no matter what you do, rats will get into the awning as it is a simple matter for them to chew through the material damaging the awning and also the groundsheet!



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