The campus on a pop-up camper is generally quite durable. With that being said, that canvas is not going to last forever, and will eventually need to be replaced.
Therefore, you are probably wondering how much it costs to re-canvas a pop-up camper? You can expect to pay between $800 to $2000 for professional re-canvassing. The cost will vary depending on the material, model, size of your camper, and how much of the canvas you need to be replaced.
How Much Does It Cost To Replace The Canvas On A Pop-Up Camper?
Before you go to replace the canvas on your pop-up camper, there are a few things that you need to consider. In other words, there are a few different factors that will influence the overall cost.
First and foremost, you need to consider whether you need all of the canvas on your pop-up camper replaced, or only a portion of it. Of course, to replace all of it is going to cost more.
You will then also need to consider the type of canvas that you need to get, especially in terms of your specific pop-up camper. Each camper is going to have specifications in terms of the size of the canopy and the wings.
Exactly how much canvas you need will depend on how much needs to be replaced, and how large your pop-up camper is.
Moreover, how old your pop-up camper is will also influence the price of recanvassing. For instance, if you have an older pop-up camper, especially a smaller one, the canvas itself can cost you around $1000.
However, if you have a newer model, especially a larger one, it is going to cost you at least $1500, if not $2000 or even more. What you then of course also need to consider is that it is going to cost more if you hire a professional to do it for you.
You can expect to spend between $300 and $600 for professional pop-up camper recanvassing. Now, you do want to consider whether you want to do it yourself or not, because it’s not the easiest job around.
DIY VS Paid Canvas Replacement
A lot of people who have pop-up campers do like to go with the do-it-yourself route. With that being said, do keep in mind that canvassing services generally perform these tasks full-time, so they know what they are doing.
For example, if you go to a professional service, it’s going to take them anywhere from 5 to 7 hours for recanvassing, and that’s only if they get it right the first time. Do keep in mind that this is a fairly difficult job. Moreover, that 5 to 7 hour time span usually involves more than a single employee.
These are people who have practiced this for many months or even many years. A single day of recanvassing is going to cost around $300 to $600 depending on the service that you choose.
What you really need to consider here is, first of all, whether or not spending that extra money is worth it. You then also want to consider if you have the time to do so.
If you are busy at work all day long, spending almost a full day recanvassing your pop-up camper is not going to be feasible. However, the most important thing to keep in mind here is that this is not an easy job.
Recanvassing a camper takes a whole lot of knowledge, skill, and effort. If you don’t do it right the first time, it’s going to create even more work for you.
Generally speaking, unless you have experience in this, and unless you are willing to take a few hours or even days to learn the process, it’s usually not worth it to do it yourself. It’s pretty easy to get many of the recanvassing steps wrong. Of course, if you do it yourself, you can save a few hundred dollars.
Signs Your Pop-Up Camper Canvas Needs To Be Replaced
There are a few different signs that the canvas on your pop-up camper needs to be replaced. One of the biggest signs is of course if it has any kind of physical damage. If it has holes, large rips or tears, or any other such damage, then you will most likely need to replace the canvas.
If you close your camper when it is not completely dry, especially if the climate is humid, it can cause some serious damage to that canvas. Not only can it cause physical damage to the canvas, but if there is too much moisture, it can also cause excessive mildew and mold buildup to occur.
If you have an untreated canvas on your pop-up camper, large amounts of sunlight can cause it to become very weak, dry, and brittle.
Having canvas that has been dry rotted for many years of use is quite common. Moreover, if you have seals, seams, and zippers that are all broken or starting to separate, then it is another sign that it is time to replace the canvas on your pop-up camper.
Can You Repair The Canvas On A Pop-Up Camper?
Whether or not you can repair any damage that occurs to your canvas on your pop-up camper is questionable. It really all depends on the severity and type of damage. For instance, if there are just a few smaller seams that are coming apart, you may be able to re-tap them back together.
Moreover, if you just need to replace something like a zipper, this is also something that you can easily do for a fairly low cost. You may even be able to patch up small holes and tears in the canvas itself, granted that they are not too large or severe.
However, repairs are not going to be as durable or last as long as replacing the canvas, so this is only going to last for so long.
Eventually, if you have damage to your pop-up camper canvas, it will need to be replaced. Sure, doing some minor repairs may be able to extend the lifespan of the canvas in question for a couple of years, but that’s about it.
Can You Buy Pop-Up Camper Repair Kits Online?
Yes, indeed you can buy pop-up camper canvas repair kits online or in your local RV stores as well. These repair kits will usually cost anywhere between $25 and $150.
There are tons of different pop-up camper canvas repair kits out there, most of which are designed to repair small holes and tears. Just keep in mind that these DIY repair kits won’t be able to take care of large problems.
How Long Does A Canvas Last On A Pop-Up Camper?
If you look after your pop-up camper well and take good care of it, you can expect to get anywhere between 10 years and 15 years out of that canvas. This is also going to depend on the quality of the unit in question.
If you go for a very cheap and low-quality pop-up camper, this may be well under 10 years. If you go for a high-quality model, you should easily be able to get 15 years out of it.
Tips To Increase The Longevity Of Your Pop-Up Camper Canvas
Before we call it a day, let’s provide you with some great tips on how to increase the longevity of your pop-up camper canvas, so you don’t have to repair or replace it nearly as often.
1. Keep it Dry
One of the worst types of damage that can happen to pop-up camper canvas is mold and mildew due to it getting wet. As much as you can, prevent that canvas from getting wet. Of course, if it rains, this is not going to be possible.
However, if it does get wet, you need to let it dry totally before you fold it back down. If you don’t let it dry before you fold it back down, it can make it cause physical damage, and can also cause mold and mildew to build up.
2. Keep it Out of the Sun
You then also want to keep that came out of the sun as much as humanly possible. Therefore, as much as you can, park in the shade. Those UV rays combined with the heat created by those UV rays can degrade the popup camper canvas.
This is especially the case if you have untreated pop-up camper canvas. Those UV rays just don’t do that canvas any good whatsoever.
3. Don’t Get it Too Hot
If you can, just try to keep the canvas fairly cool. A good way to do this is to use an air conditioner on the inside of the pop-up camper. Extreme levels of heat can cause it to degrade, which is also true for extreme levels of cold. If you are able to maintain moderate temperatures, it’s going to make the canvas last a lot longer.
4. Clean it Regularly
Dirt, debris, and more can all build up. Worst case scenario, these buildups can stop the pop-up camper canvas from folding up and unfolding properly, which may then cause damage.
Moreover, if you left dirt and debris buildup, it may also hold onto moisture, which will then lead to mold and mildew so regular cleaning is very important.
5. Try to Be Gentle
Finally, just try to be gentle with that canvas. Canvas is not the most durable material in the world, so you do want to be gentle.
Don’t get any sharp objects near it. Needless to say, driving your pop-up camper into a wall probably won’t do it much good either.
Conclusion
You should now know everything there is to know about the costs associated with repairing or replacing the canvas on your pop-up camper. Remember, it’s much better to maintain the canvas, as this will allow it to stay in one piece for a much longer time.
A little bit of maintenance here and there, and a good bit of diligence, is going to save you a whole lot of money in terms of replacement costs in the near future.
Through this blog, I want to share all of my hints and tips, along with reviews of the best RVing accessories. I hope this blog will help others with their RV trips, and make traveling easier for you.
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