Attaching a tarp for an awning to the keder rail

LittleBoyBlue

I originally attached a tarp to the keder rail of my t@b 320 using some poly rope with a knot that fit in the slot.  It worked fine but wanted to add a larger tarp to connect to my new Clam screen room to the t@b.  This time I found that using some 1/4" nylon clamps from Lowes fit perfectly in the keder rail.  I attached the clamps to the tarp at the grommets with a nylon cable tie and it worked perfectly.  Part number from Lowes for the clamps is Item # 139498 Model # 881298 Hillman 12-Pack Full Clamp. $1.08 for 12 of them.

  

DesertDweller

Thanks for this suggestion.  I used the tarp/rope method on my last outing, but will give the clamps a try. 

pthomas745

Search google for "Tarp Trackers" and you can see products that fit into the keder rail.   These are a nice solution, too.

DesertDweller

@LittleBoyBlue; @pthomas745
Have either of you been able to close the gap between the tarp and the keder rail of the T@B to avoid rain falling into the gap?  That is the one advantage I can see of using the tarp/rope method.  When I used that method during my last T@B outing, there was no rain leakage during an afternoon thunderstorm as the tarp was held tight to the rail.  

pthomas745

Nope, mine always has gaps. That is the advantage of the keder rope.  I suppose a whole solid line of "clips" would work, if you had the patience to feed all of them into the rail.

LittleBoyBlue

6 clips on a 10ft tarp took be less than a minute to thread the keder rail.  Gap is not an issue for me. Less than 1/16th of an inch.  Outer edge needs obviously be lower than the keder rail or some water might wick through. There's always more than one way to solve a problem.  The rope method is no doubt the best I would agree.

Campwise

One option to eliminate gaps could be to buy fabric covered keder "rope" and sew a tarp to it.  Sailrite has 5/16" Keder Awning Rope in white or black @ $1.20 per foot.  My 320S railing measures 175" - which would come to $18 or so plus shipping for a tarp if using the whole rail length.  The sewn edge could be coated with seam sealer. 

I ordered this product today to make a holder for twinkle or rope lights, to which I'll hand sew Once 'N Forever Clips available online, and hope it works! 

From Sailrite: "Heavy duty coated polyester fabric is welded to a hard round PVC core material making it less likely to pull free from the track. Use with Keder Rail Strip for fabric-to-fabric applications."

https://www.sailrite.com/Keder-Awning-Rope-Tape?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_NuS2OHs4wIVDNNkCh1EtAVWEAkYAiABEgJBqPD_BwE

Tampakayaker

The Keder rope is definitely worth the price.  As long as you have a sturdy sewing machine that can go thru the flat part of the rope and the tarp or whatever material you choose.

Homebodyatheart

I bought a 15’ length of keder rail from Amazon and used my regular sewing machine. You may want to seal or cover the stitching to keep heavy rain from coming through. I used duct tape in a pinch, then Gorilla tape this summer. 

2manyplaces

Has anyone used a waterproof fabric to make the awning and if so what did you use ? Please!!

dragonsdofly

@2manyplaces, a lot of folks here have actually made their own visor or xl visor for the t@b 320. The xl visor is usable on the 400 also. Any good quality outdoor fabric is usable. I know that some have made their visors from Sunbrella fabric. The exterior fabrics are water resistant, not water proof, but, an annual fabric treatment applied as directed can make the visor nearly completely water proof. These treatments are the kind you'd use on tent fabric to help enhance its ability to shed water and withstand inclement weather. There is a pattern here on the forum to make your own visor. Not sure which model it is for, but if you're the least bit crafty, you can adjust the measurements. 
Ok resident experts, turning this over to you! 
Chime in!

Homebodyatheart

@2manyplaces I’m not sure what you asked about, but here’s what I used:

Keder

4.4 out of 5 stars

18

Reviews

Keder - 8.5mm (5/16") Welded Flap, Standard, Black - 15 Feet

$ 15 99 

deuce

Re: Keder Rail

Just picked up my Walker for the 320 in Sugar Creek this afternoon.

The long strip of plastic I just reinstalled now comes out?

The whole strip has screwheads the entire length about 10 inches apart. Don’t those come in to play as you slide the ridge on the tarp through?

deuce

Sharon_is_SAM

That’s not the keder rail.  The keder rail projects from the side of the TaB.  That black strip needs to be glued back in place.

Sharon_is_SAM

Here is a picture.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/comment/139266#Comment_139266