A pop-up camper’s canvas is its most vital part since it makes the structure of the living space. As it’s just a canvas, its condition will deteriorate over time due to wear and tear.
Therefore, overlooking signs of damages in the canvas could be inconvenient and turn into expensive repair work down the road. Learning how much to replace canvas on pop-up camper will give you an estimate regarding pop-up camper repair costs.
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When Is the Right Time for Pop-up Camper Recanvasing?
During the peak camping season, the owner of a pop-up camper may want to refurbish it for a comfortable stay throughout the season. While wondering how much to replace canvas on pop-up camper, you should also know about the right time for changing the travel trailer canvas.
Knowing these things will help with avoiding unnecessary repair costs. Used or pre-owned camper vehicles will require canvas change much earlier than a recently out-of-the-dealer shop unit.
When will you know that the replacement is due? Look for these signs:
- One of the easily noticeable signs is that the canvas zipper or Velcro seals are coming out of their place.
- Pop-up camper canvas has a lot of fungus growth on it. It’s time when the molds do not go away even after applying a chemical treatment on the canvas.
- Using the camper frequently will make its canvas feeble. Also, a tear or two may appear on small scales.
- Packing the pop-up camper while the canvas is wet can cause severe damages to the material’s structural strength. The situation becomes worse in humid weather.
- Any unfortunate accidents may have caused serious damage to the canvas. Thereby, the canvas loses its structural integrity and is not effective in providing shelter from adverse weather conditions.
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How Much to Replace Canvas on Pop-up Camper
Generally, recanvasing of older model pop-up campers can cost up to $1000, while for newer models, the price can go up to $1500.
The factors which contribute to the canvas replacement budget are dynamic. The cost should relate to the budget at hand and the extent of the re-installation requirement. Some of the deciding factors of replacement charge are:
Canvas Size or Area
The price of canvas replacement depends on the canvas material. The more the square feet area is, the more it will add up to the overall canvas replacement budget.
Total Canvas Replacement
When a travel trailer requires total canvas change, other associated vehicle spare parts may also require replacement. It is costlier than fractional canvas replacement.
Labor Cost for Professional Installations
Some digits in the final bill may change depending on the labor cost. If the process is executed at a manufacturer service station, the price could be higher than local travel trailer mechanic shops. Some recanvasing experts can also assist in the job for a minimal fee.
A professional installation offers more lucrative features like a guarantee of the material quality, recanvasing warranty, and after-sales customer service. There will be a place to go if the job goes wrong and the canvas refurbishing job is not up to the quality. Some recanvasing professionals may charge $300 to $500 depending on the vehicle size and may complete the task within 2 to 3 hours.
Related: How Much Does A Pop Up Camper Weight?
The Extent of DIY
Travel trailer owners are exclusively known for their willingness to do DIY jobs. If you are confident about the replacement method and willing to devote considerable time to it, the DIY method will save a lot of money. Through self-installation, recanvasing costs can stay limited to $300, depending on medium-quality canvas material.
The complete replacement may take between 7 to 8 hours and a couple of days, to be precise. If you want to do that by yourself, go through the available know-how manuals and start the project.
Canvas Manufacturer and Availability
Sometimes the price of the canvas depends on its manufacturer. Each trailer tent canvas has a different structural design and specifications for canopy, wing, window blind, blind, and entry curtains. If the product availability is limited to manufacturer outlets only, you can expect a more costly replacement.
Apart from the above factors, the year of production and model type also fluctuate the replacement cost.
The Right Season for Replacement
How much to replace canvas on pop-up camper is very much linked with the season when the repair is due. The travel trailer repair shops or canvas manufacturers are super busy during summer, which is from mid-June to late-August. This period is the peak time for camping, and most camper owners opt for certain canvas repairs during this time.
If you are planning for a summer camping trip, it is smarter to replace the canvas during the winter season. In winter, camping trip counts are less throughout the country. So, travel trailer shops, manufacturers, and mechanics remain less busy during this season. This is the right time to get a bargain deal.
Related: How Much Does It Cost to Install RV Hookups?
Pricing Offered by Reliable Recanvasing Specialists
There are many recanvasing shops available online or offline that provide quality service. Apart from installation, they also offer canvas material for DIYers. Some of the well-known specialists are Fabricover, Bear Creek Canvas, RVWorkshop.com, Rocky Mountain Upholstery, Pop-up Parts, Tent Trailer Rebuilder, etc.
Most of the above vendors have their websites for accepting orders or quote requests. Submit camper model, manufacturing year, replacement specifications, and material type to get pricing or quotes.
- Fabricover pricing ranges from $1299 to $1699, as per the camper models.
- Bear Creek Canvas offers several camper canvases in the range between $900 and $1150.
- Canvas Replacements have replacement canvas for pop up camper within the range of $1025 to $1475.
Conclusion
Recanvasing a pop-up camper increases its service life by many years. Also, those who are looking for a low-cost camper trailer get a resale vehicle and replace the overall canvas to make it almost new.
How much to replace canvas on pop-up camper will depend on the amount of repair work and several other factors, so always make an informed decision.