# suggestions for replacing outdoor swing awning **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 16, 2016, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-replacing-outdoor-swing-awning/768682 "2016-10-16T05:40:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-replacing-outdoor-swing-awning/768682/1 "2016-10-16T05:40:38Z")
I have an outdoor swing with a fabric awning over the top. The fabric has gotten thin over the years and no longer sheds the rain well. I’m thinking of coating it with something vs, replacing the fabric. Do you think I could just paint it with exterior paint? It doesn’t really have to look good, but just ok. I know people used to paint burlap material for floor coverings. Do you have other suggestions for rejuvinating the awning? ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-replacing-outdoor-swing-awning/768682/2 "2016-10-16T05:51:21Z")
I could purchase new fabric, cut sections out and sew them together, but I’m talentless and lazy. Are there other ‘coatings’ I could use that would last for a few years? ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-replacing-outdoor-swing-awning/768682/3 "2016-10-16T08:32:55Z")
There are aerosol water-proofing products - I don’t remember the name of the 3M product I used (or even why/what I used it for/on), but it worked well. It may have been pulled for envioro problems. The probem is not water-proofing - the problem is the fact that the fabric has deteriorated to the point it is no longer dense enough to repel water. Make sure the fabric and, especially, the thread forming the pockets are strong enough to be worth coating - esp. paint, which will increase the weight and the pull on the stitching. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-replacing-outdoor-swing-awning/768682/4 "2016-10-16T15:40:52Z")
Small tarp, wrapped around the existing frame-work? If you’re lucky, the grommets will line up and you can fasten them together. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-replacing-outdoor-swing-awning/768682/5 "2016-10-16T15:55:19Z")
I had the same problem, thought I might have to buy a new swing. I ended up contacting the manufacturer (found them online). Turns out they sell replacement awnings. I think it was $50 or so. It came without the frame, so I had to re-use the old one. There were no replacement instructions and it looked like it was going to be difficult-to-impossible, but it was not hard at all. I’m relieved because I really like the swing. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-replacing-outdoor-swing-awning/768682/6 "2016-10-16T15:59:05Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > I could purchase new fabric, cut sections out and sew them together, but I’m talentless and lazy. Are there other ‘coatings’ I could use that would last for a few years? If, as **Mean Mr. Mustard** suggested, you might be able to buy a replacement awning from the manufacturer, that would be simplest and probably cheapest. If not, can you remove the awning in one piece? If so, perhaps you could bring it to a local shop that makes custom window awnings and ask them to duplicate it. This will obviously be more expensive. Perhaps even approach the cost of an entirely new swing. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-replacing-outdoor-swing-awning/768682/7 "2016-10-16T18:39:50Z")
There are a lot of places that make awnings. Remove the old one and take it to an awning shop. They’ll use it as a pattern and have a new one ready in a day or two. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-replacing-outdoor-swing-awning/768682/8 "2016-10-16T20:36:55Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > There are aerosol water-proofing products - I don’t remember the name of the 3M product I used (or even why/what I used it for/on), but it worked well. > It may have been pulled for envioro problems. > … The product is “Scotchgard”. Here’s the site: [http://www.scotchgard.com](http://www.scotchgard.com) Note they make a variant explicitly designed for re-waterproofing outdoor fabrics. An upside is that it weighs almost nothing. Unlike something like house paint which would be heavy enough to perhaps tear out the pockets. Also it’s transparent whereas a house-painted awning would look deplorable. For a few bucks it’d be an easy thing to try. If that fails then get a replacement made locally or from the mfg. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-replacing-outdoor-swing-awning/768682/9 "2016-10-16T21:23:41Z")
Interestingly, when I got the replacement awning the manufacturer included a note recommending to Scotchguard it. mmm ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-replacing-outdoor-swing-awning/768682/10 "2016-10-17T00:31:09Z")
You need to contact Phil Swift. Dennis