RV Covers: Fabric, Metal, or None? Help Me Decide with a quick poll!

What’s your opinion on RV covers?

  • I like metal carport-style covers—great for long-term protection.

  • I dislike metal carport-style covers—they damage the RV

  • I dislike all RV covers—they’re unnecessary or problematic.

  • I came here because I have the same question.


Results are only viewable after voting.

rudy558

Advanced Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2023
Messages
36
Update: I want to remove fabric covers from the poll since they aren’t practical for full-time RV living - but I can't figure out how.
I initially included them for completeness, but I worry they’ll skew the results away from what’s relevant for full-timers compared to those storing their RV.
I appreciate those who provided input on the fabric option though!


Hi everyone,

I’ve seen a few discussions about RV covers, but they often mix fabric/tarp covers and metal carport-style structures without clarifying which is being discussed.

I’m living full-time in my RV and trying to decide if a metal carport-style cover is a good idea. We are on private property.

It’s hard to tell if the general dislike for RV covers is aimed at fabric ones, metal structures, or both.

I’d love your input—please vote in the poll and share your thoughts in the comments if you want!
 
Last edited:
If you are a full timers I doubt you'd want a fabric cover. Even if it had a door opening it would block the windows, vents, etc. So - not too practical.

If you full time in only one spot then a hard cover (like a post barn, metal carport type of structure, or something similar) might be a good choice; assuming wherever you are staying allows that.

Where I live some folks have RV "ports". Very beefy ports (I live in a hurricane prone area). Some have asphalt roofs, some are metal. Both echo the sound of an RVs air conditioning; sometimes to any annoying extent. The metal roofs are noisy beyond belief when it rains making it hard to hear if sitting outside; inside is better, but still noisy.

I guess we all choose our 'poisons'..... hoping you find the one that fits you....
 
What about storage facilities? Might add them too....
Hi!

Great suggestion! But I'm living in the RV on my own property, and I don't think storage facilities allow people to live in the RV on premises.

If I wasn't living in the RV, I'd definitely consider this. :)
 
Update: I want to remove fabric covers from the poll since they aren’t practical for full-time RV living - but I can't figure out how.
I initially included them for completeness, but I worry they’ll skew the results away from what’s relevant for full-timers compared to those storing their RV.
I appreciate those who provided input on the fabric option though!
I removed those choices for you .
 
How about a wooden post and beam structure? It wouldn’t be as noisy as metal in the rain.
Hi, I love that idea! But I worry about cost in both time and money. For time, I don’t know how to do this, so I’d have to learn and calculate all the materials and dimensions to make it. For money, I just worry that it would add up to more than the pre-designed ones.

Are they pretty simple to make? The largest thing I’ve built myself is a 6x4 raised wooden planter that I spontaneously made without a real plan. Ended up looking kind of like a coffin on accident lol
 
If you are a full timers I doubt you'd want a fabric cover. Even if it had a door opening it would block the windows, vents, etc. So - not too practical.

If you full time in only one spot then a hard cover (like a post barn, metal carport type of structure, or something similar) might be a good choice; assuming wherever you are staying allows that.

Where I live some folks have RV "ports". Very beefy ports (I live in a hurricane prone area). Some have asphalt roofs, some are metal. Both echo the sound of an RVs air conditioning; sometimes to any annoying extent. The metal roofs are noisy beyond belief when it rains making it hard to hear if sitting outside; inside is better, but still noisy.

I guess we all choose our 'poisons'..... hoping you find the one that fits you....
Thanks for the advice! The fabric options have been removed. You’re right that they don’t make sense in this case.

I’m definitely interested in the metal carport option.

We get some pretty bad wind here (not sustained hurricane level, but we get some pretty powerful gusts - generally no more than 80mph, usually around 50mph). Have people done alright with the metal covers staked down in the wind? Or do they use cement?
 
Hi, I love that idea! But I worry about cost in both time and money. For time, I don’t know how to do this, so I’d have to learn and calculate all the materials and dimensions to make it. For money, I just worry that it would add up to more than the pre-designed ones.

Are they pretty simple to make? The largest thing I’ve built myself is a 6x4 raised wooden planter that I spontaneously made without a real plan. Ended up looking kind of like a coffin on accident lol
I have no idea about the price and I have never built one. I built a post and beam lean-to on the side of my FIL’s shop to store a motorhome, wasn’t that expensive.
 
Thanks for the advice! The fabric options have been removed. You’re right that they don’t make sense in this case.

I’m definitely interested in the metal carport option.

We get some pretty bad wind here (not sustained hurricane level, but we get some pretty powerful gusts - generally no more than 80mph, usually around 50mph). Have people done alright with the metal covers staked down in the wind? Or do they use cement?
I think the questions you are posing re: wind mitigation, structure specs, etc. would require some professional engineering to be done. I’ll bet companies that sell those metal canopy’s/covers would know a lot of the answers. And I’ll bet you will need permits from the local government too before you build (or have something built).

I’d be pricing a metal pre-built structure and a post barn as the 2 best options.
 
We had the space to put up a metal carport for the rv. We ended up with 36x18 for a 31 ft fifth wheel. Did not enclose the sides. Being 18 wide it is big enough to have all three slides open. The noise in the rain is something to consider, especially here in the Pacific Northwest where we get a lot of rain, but we have it just for storage so not an issue for us. We spent about 8K for the carport. So far no problems with 2 feet of snow or 80 mph winds. Would have loved the wood structure but the price went up quite a bit.
 
We also have a metal carport for our RV it is 20 feet by 40 feet with three sides enclosed. We have a Reflection 303RLS and it fits in there fine and allows us to put all the slides out with room to spare. Our carport is anchored to a concrete slab and the manufacture engineered it for the area we live in. Here in Bellingham we get some pretty strong winds and so far no problems in the last four years. When it rains it is not so loud inside the carport that it would drive you out. We paid about 9k for this unit installed, I poured the slab to their specks.
 
We spend the winter and parts of the summer in an RV park where they allow metal covers if you lease by the year. It is anchored in the ground with metal rods and posts anchored in concrete. It has survived tropical storm winds. Ours is 60 ft x 24 ft and covers our Relection 315RLTS, our car , and a golf cart. We have a concrete patio on the side that the trailer door is on. The trailer tires are on concrete runners to keep them off the ground.
Pros: your trailer is protected from the weather. It's cooler in the summer(we are in S.Texas) , so your electric bill is lower. You can sit outside or have a picnic table and bar-b-que or go to your car in the rain without getting wet. All the plastic covers (like on aircos or roof vents) will last longer, as well as the roof itself. There are covered 20 year old trailers in the park that still look new. Cons. These metal covers, installed, cost a lot, probably $15,000 for ours if we had it built today. The air conditioners are louder when you are outside. You might need to install a pole antenna if that's how you get TV reception.
It's darker inside your trailer-you will use your indoor lights more. Our Reflection's skylight is useless. All that said, we love having a cover. It means we can spend more time outside watching the birds and squirrels. You will want to make it big enough either length or width-wise, to give you an outdoor sitting area.
 

Try RV LIFE Pro Free for 7 Days

  • New Ad-Free experience on this RV LIFE Community.
  • Plan the best RV Safe travel with RV LIFE Trip Wizard.
  • Navigate with our RV Safe GPS mobile app.
  • and much more...
Try RV LIFE Pro Today
Back
Top Bottom