EZ Snap Skirting?

chemist308

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2017
Messages
470
Location
Wherever I park it.
I've been thinking about the EZ Snap skirting system for this winter. To skirt everything, including the hitch of my Reflection 337RLS it'd be about $1650 for the materials--counting my own labor as free. Anyone ever use this system? I saw an install video for it, and it looked pretty easy. Does it work well?

Also if you've used this system or something similar, did you use the screws? I feel bad about screwing anything into such a beautiful rig...
 
With us it has been an evolutionary process. I tried duct taping poly tarp on. Did ok till the wind blew, then in the spring I had to clean all that glue off. I tried making an insulation board box under the RV. That was poor also, kept falling down. I did pretty good with just stacking snow around the RV, but the snow melted and it was still cold.

We got real industrious one year and bought some heavy duty tarp and a snap kit. It took us nearly 2 weeks of working every day to built our own snap skirting system. Yes I drilled holes in my RV. It worked ok but was ugly. I will sell you a good snap tool/kit for real cheap, I have no idea why I am still carrying it around.

As we traveled around we would spot skirting advertisements and call for a quote. $1200, $1750, $2400 different materials different types of fasteners.

When we bought our new Momentum we broke into the piggy bank. But we had decided that we were really into this full time RV thing so figured the investment make life nicer for us, we will never get the money back out of it. In for a penny in for a pound. We had gotten a quote from Custom Skirting in Rapid City a couple times, we just didn't like the high price, so tried other stuff. When we bought the Momentum and invested in the full body paint we went whole hog and got the Custom Skirting made. Pricey.

But we are very happy with the end result. The professional installers built in good quality zippers and Velcro openings for such things as the generator exhaust pipe, sewer pipe, external propane connection. The one we built was just slits with duct tape on it that didn't hold.

The material they used is a real heavy rubberized material, it remains pliant when it gets cold. The slide lock mounting method is easy to use, it does take both of us, mainly to handle the big sheets. The slide channel lock system will not come loose in the wind, real heavy wind 40-50mph. The bottom will come loose if you don't secure it well, I put cheap cinder blocks about 10 feet apart or use pvc pipe with water in it, depending on how long we are going to stay etc.

The end result is we have a good looking highly effective skirt that is acceptable in 99.9% of all RV parks, we did go to one RV park that said No Skirting Allowed. We didn't ask why. But the lowest temps they would get was in the 40's.

If you are serious about cold weather camping for many years make the investment of having a professional skirt made.
 
I've been thinking about the EZ Snap skirting system for this winter. To skirt everything, including the hitch of my Reflection 337RLS it'd be about $1650 for the materials--counting my own labor as free. Anyone ever use this system? I saw an install video for it, and it looked pretty easy. Does it work well?

Also if you've used this system or something similar, did you use the screws? I feel bad about screwing anything into such a beautiful rig...

We started look at the EZ snap kitsch and decided to go with the RV Windskirts setup instead. They have a sale on the black and white checkered setup and we grabbed that granted it is more for the function rather than aesthetics. It still doesnt look bad though (in my opinion). We did drill holes, put a dab of silicone, and then the screw. All in all it took us about 8 hrs. You can check it out on the post below yours here in the forum.
 
Well, I ordered the EZ Snap. Perhaps I'll post the install in the DIY section. Considering a weekend trip south since I bought the screw buttons with adhesive (double the sticking power).
 
Well, we installed the EZ Snap skirt system on our Reflection 337RLS the weekend before last. The total cost of the system was around $1750, including the 5'th wheel skirting portion which added roughly 300 and piping to secure it from Lowes. So far it's working well. We haven't seen single digit temperatures yet, but it's already made a noticeable difference in floor temperature when just the space heater runs.

To install it, we used a combination of adhesive fasteners with screws. It should be noted that we got a break in the weather about 2 weeks ago and were reasonably warm. The adhesive fasteners should not be used below 60 degrees F--this is a better summer project. But in our case, with the warmer temperatures combined with the Colorado sun, it worked. Before we ordered the kit, I measured from the points I intended to fasten the skirt to the ground. I went with the 48" skirt because that gave sufficient material on the ground for anchoring. When you measure this, remember that you can always have a skirt too long , but never too short. If possible leave yourself about of foot of overhang on that number--that's what I did. I measured circumference in 2 numbers: circumference of the lower portion and length of the fifth wheel sides + front. For the lower portion I added 10 - 15 feet to the number when ordering the kit to be sure you there was enough material. I also added 5 feet to the fifth wheel number. In retrospect I should have ordered the longest fifth wheel kit, and recommend you do the same as not all sites are level.

Before we installed the system, we cleaned the areas about to receive fasteners with rubbing alcohol. Then, we used black adhesive fasteners with screws on the metal portions of the Reflection, placing them 10" apart, as shown here:
IMG_3630.jpg

So as not to drill into laminate or fiberglass, we used beige adhesive fasteners on laminate and fiberglass portions of the Reflection, placing them 5" apart:
IMG_3600.jpg

We did this the whole way around the 5th wheel, then installed pointed button snaps over the fasteners. Once that was done we unrolled the sheeting material, starting with the lower portion, lifted it to the button snaps and pressed it over them to puncture it.
IMG_3637.jpg

We had to cut in a few places, but wrapped around where we could. We also made sure to leave overhang on the ground. In retrospect, I wish we'd ordered the taller set because this sit is not level.
IMG_3633.jpg

As we punctured the skirt over the button snaps, we seated the button onto the skirt, moving on down as we did. For portions that overlapped, we made sure to leave a couple feet of overhang, and secured with Velcro. At the advice of EZ Snap we also used a Velcro "zipper" in the front. The rep basically told me the Velcro was a more secure seal, and that they were moving away from the zipper. We also turned off the furnace and made straight runs over all areas that would normally be cut out (baggage doors, water heater access, etc, and cut them out after we snapped up the skirt.

We used pipe and pipe clamps to secure it (that took about 100 ft of 3/4" pvc pipe, a dozen elbows and connectors). We cut out for the sewer line, and the fifth wheel hitch. The door for the fifth wheel hitch, seen below was my wife's handiwork.
IMG_3659.jpg
 
This finished product:
IMG_3658.jpg IMG_3659.jpg IMG_3660.jpg
IMG_3661.jpg

Overall, this was moderate difficulty, especially for folks that are not in the best of shape. Because we're not pros, it did not look like a pro job. It also did not cost $3000 - $4000 but it works well so far. My advice is to spend the money on a pro job if you have it. If you're short on money, or time (as we were) it's a viable alternative.
 
Great write up the temps won't really make too much of a difference until you either have some winds, or it dips down cooler.

We notice ours making the difference around the mid 30's. Last night was -3 and it was 17 underneath. Still helps overall.

Definitely keep us updated as you experience different situations.
 
Hi chemist308,
I'm doing my skirt this week. Great info and pictures.
My only concern is how did you do the side of the pull outs? I have an Imagine 2670MK. I'm using the screw snaps with adhesive studs like you did along the trailer (black) skirting. Did you use something else on the side of pull outs? Thanks
 
Yes. Those are laminate area so I used adhesive snaps. That said the guy I talked to with EZ Snap told me I could use those screws anywhere without a problem. I don’t know if that’s true or not. If I were to screw there I’d silicone each area I screwed into. If it’s warm enough use the adhesive, or maybe Velcro there. Good luck. Let me know how that Imagine fairs in cold weather.
 
DonTomio this may seem kind of obvious, but I hope you're going above that track, with a little clearance room. Anyway, I also highly recommend you seal the joints of the piping system used to hold the skirt down. It helped significantly with mine.
 
Yes I was planning on a inch or two above the tracks? I'm making this myself with used billboard material. Been researching a lot of these post. Very helpful. I'm to cheap to buy the whole thing from them LOL. I haven't decided if I was using PVC pipe. Was thinking about putting some grommets and staking down.
 
The wind here in Colorado is not good. It’s caused piping to become disjointed, pulled off pipe clamps, and removed adhesive fasteners. I’m going to rejoin pipe use more pipe clamps and see what happens. Maybe a couple extra fasteners too. Initial feedback is that skirts with nail down straps have held up better here.

1AC01FFC-51E2-4B77-936A-517B23AA41DE.jpg
 
So since I couldn’t find any more pipe clamps I did something that actually may be more effective. I installed grommets through some of the bottom areas of the skirt and put tent stakes through the grommets. I’m thinking I should have done that when I initially installed the skirt. Anyway I will report results later (maybe by spring if it holds).

A2F06181-4A86-4413-89A3-0E80A79FDBE9.jpg
 
Winter's End Update

So, now that the winter is over and I've taken the EZ Snap Skirt down, I wanted to update you all.

The short version, it worked well, although maintaining it was a bit of work. I would do it again if I had it to over.

The longer version: This skirt worked great for below freezing temperatures. I didn't experience real problems until the winds got bad in the late winter and early spring. The pipe clamp system for securing against the ground sucked. No other way to put it. The best option is to install grommets and tent stakes. Also I had issues with the fasteners against the high wind spots of the rig (in the front where it was also a little tight). What I learned here was to give myself more vertical skirt material than needed. Also putting the fasteners 3 inches apart will help here Velcro between fasteners is also not a bad idea.
 
Hi chemist308,
I'm doing my skirt this week. Great info and pictures.
My only concern is how did you do the side of the pull outs? I have an Imagine 2670MK. I'm using the screw snaps with adhesive studs like you did along the trailer (black) skirting. Did you use something else on the side of pull outs? Thanks

I also have a mk2670 and am looking at skirting options. Did you install the ez snap skirting? If so, did you use a mix of screw in and stick on snaps? How is it holding up? I'm thinking of making my own from billboard vinyl material. Thanks.
 
I made skirting for my last camper, it was a TT. I bought a grommet installer, more so a press, with 3 different die sets, and lots of grommets, all 2 piece grommets. It works very good. I used large nail style spikes with a washer, and drove into the ground at an angle, never had any come out. I use the same thing for the outside rug, but no grommets in the rug.
The sizes of dies it came with are 1/4,, 1/3,,, and 1/2.

My camper was just a basic forest river no slide, just the coro plastics stuff for under belly. I used stainless snaps. I used the stud bolts with the 1/2 inch grommets where they were, then replaced any usable screw with the snap screw and added snaps as needed under wheel well and sides, front and back. I got a cheap snap tool first then a better one second, so lesson learned.
 
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I made skirting for my last camper, it was a TT. I bought a grommet installer, more so a press, with 3 different die sets, and lots of grommets, all 2 piece grommets. It works very good. I used large nail style spikes with a washer, and drove into the ground at an angle, never had any come out. I use the same thing for the outside rug, but no grommets in the rug.
The sizes of dies it came with are 1/4,, 1/3,,, and 1/2.

My camper was just a basic forest river no slide, just the coro plastics stuff for under belly. I used stainless snaps. I used the stud bolts with the 1/2 inch grommets where they were, then replaced any usable screw with the snap screw and added snaps as needed under wheel well and sides, front and back. I got a cheap snap tool first then a better one second, so lesson learned.

Did you end up using billboard material and you replaced any trim screw already there with the snap screws? If so, that's what I thought about doing, just wasn't sure if they would be long enough to match the screws that came out.
 

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