Setting Up An Arched Awning 8' x 8'

When setting up an arched awning, it will go up faster and easier if you have everything you need ready to go. Lay out your extended, adjustable height tent poles, your tie-down lines with tent stakes, and a hammer. Place them on the ground approximately where they will eventually go. If the ground is wet, place a painter's plastic sheet up close to the trailer, so the awning doesn't get muddy. Connect the sections of the shock poles and lay them out in front of the trailer. Open the ladder and be sure to use the safety lock, then position it close to where the awning rail starts.

When setting up with a helper:
 Slide the awning welt into the c-channel.
Now, with the awning hanging down the side of the trailer, from underneath slip the ends of the shock poles into the corner pockets of the awning. Lift the awning up onto the adjustable height tent poles and secure the tie-down lines. Leave the tie-down lines slack at this point and the tent poles in a lowered position.

 The shock poles will be in the downward position.
Move the ladder under the middle of the awning. Now swing the shock poles into the upward position and secure with the Velcro strap and the center tie strap.

Shock poles in the upward position, centered and secured with the tie strap

 

Vintage Trailer Awnings by Kristi dfoster@bellsouth.net

#archedawning

Vintage Trailer Awnings by Kristi dfoster@bellsouth.net

When setting up an arched awning alone, I find it easier to loosely stake out the awning first, with the adjustable height tent poles only partially extended. Then one shock pole can be easily inserted into the pocket next to the trailer, from the ground, before moving to the front pockets. See video.
Then angle the staked out tent pole, to be able to reach and insert the shock pole into the front pocket. Re-straighten the tent pole and repeat steps on the other side. Gradually heighten the tent poles, after the shock poles are in the upward position, until the valances are level.

It is important to examine your shock poles before getting started. The poles are specifically made to fit your awning, so some have a metal connector on one end, some have a shorter shock pole section on one end, so look at picture captions and plan accordingly.


Examine the location of the awning's corner pockets, before getting started. You might want to mark them with masking tape, until you are familiar with the set-up. They are disguised in the facings on the underside, so a traditional rope and pole set-up can also be used.

Insert the shock poles into the corner pockets. The ends with the metal connectors go into the pockets closest to the trailer.

Familiarize yourself with where the pockets are located before getting started.
The narrowest ends of the shock poles go into the pockets closest to the grommets.

Lay out the shock poles and see if there is a shorter pole section on one end. If there is, the shorter section ends need to go into the pockets closest to the trailer.