Perhaps even a darker color sheet would have worked better in our case. We would have only needed one, but I liked both patterns and wasn't sure how much I would "screw up". Now, thread the wire curtain through the "tunnel" you created in the fold of the fabric. We got quotes from 4 different companies, and by making them ourselves we saved a whopping $540.58! I promise that if I can make these window covers, you can too. thanks for all your great ideas. We put together some resources for others that want to get into vanlife without spending a ton of time or money on the build: We truly hope these guides are helpful for you as you begin your vanlife journey! Fold the vertical edge over and sew it up on either side. Measure opening to be covered with the no sew curtain Cut fabric to size (I did 1 ½x the width and length plus 2" for the bottom hem and 4" for the rod pocket) Measure and pin 1" hem on both sides of curtain Use a hot, dry iron to press a crease for the hem Talk about a cheap and creative storage solution for a campervan! The amount you get will depend on how many windows are in your vehicle. We’ll go over how to make each as well as the estimated budget and timeframe. Interested in engaging with others about all things #vanlife? CocoVan: With some patterns available, this one offers a little more “personality” than the two options above. The most common rv curtains material is cotton. Making window covers yourself will literally save you hundreds of dollars. to make these window coverings yourself, buying them isn’t a bad idea at all. For this I used a standard prime 1×2 pine board. They really do make a difference, and there are some great (small) companies out there that your purchase will support. Using a drill, put screws in the 4 corners of each window, only screwing them in halfway. I bought and tried out all sorts of different materials. This is something you could always “upgrade” later on. Facebook 0 Twitter Pinterest 0 … Storage Curtains: We also made a curtain for beneath the counter on our simple campervan kitchen so we could store our pots, pans, waste bucket, and water tanks. The most popular color? Get the plastic-coated kind! The only teeny drawback is that it can be hard to wake up since it stays so dark inside! If you’ve done any research on buying insulated window coverings for your vehicle, you’ve probably noticed they ain’t cheap. You’ll find all the materials listed above. I really liked the look of the white sheets, but as we’ve already mentioned, the thin material wasn’t the best at blocking out light or giving full privacy. Everyone has a different window situation with their van. Again, the amount you need will depend on how many curtains you need to make. Your email address will not be published. How To Make Blackout Curtains. Since starting a blog, people often want to tell me what’s a great idea to blog about and most of them have NO IDEA what would REALLY make a great post! and it worked wonderfully. I thought my DIY curtains were pretty decent, but after discovering these insulated window covers, there is no going back for me! Wrap the wire around the second screw and use the drill to tighten the screws until the wire is secure. Unlike curtains that have to be adjusted or tied back when not in use, these window covers are ultra slick. This article contains affiliate links that I may make a small profit from at no extra cost to you. That’s not that much more expensive than making curtains (especially if you choose to go with a heavier fabric). If you choose to replace old curtains on your RV, just take down the old ones and measure their length and width. Responsible and Adventurous Travel on Any Budget, Campervan Rental, Road Trip Planning, living in a van, Popular Post, creative storage solution for a campervan. High school sweethearts from Minnesota, USA. We made DIY curtains that were incredibly cheap (I used sheets found at a thrift shop and a borrowed sewing machine!). There were a few awkward moments when we’d be pared somewhere and we’d catch people trying to peek inside those gaps. Keep in mind that our Insulated Window Covers only cost $86.42 for 4 different window coverings (aka just under $22 per cover). Window coverings are a very important part of your van build that often gets overlooked. There are 13 windows to cover in this camper! Some windows may be slightly different sizes, so be sure to measure each one individually. Now you should have a "tunnel" on the top and bottom of this piece of fabric. Curtain-Tracks has a lot of examples… Search Amazon for RV Curtains. For the valances, I duplicated the pattern of the original and they turned out perfect. roadtrip.us. I didn’t even know that was a thing until I saw another van lifer on Instagram with these sweet-looking insulated window coverings…. This requires basic sewing skills with your existing curtains as a guide. Let me know if you have any questions in the comment section below. 2K Shares. There are no limits to imagination, and this should … It's a bit more expensive, but it is SO much easier to slide the curtains on. When it comes to RV living, often cheap and do-it-yourself is the way to go. Styles by Rock-Lon ® , Sunbrella ® , Waverly ® , Covington and more feature high-style prints, patterns and solid colors with features that deter UV damage, mold, mildew and stains. to one that makes bare-bones coverings with function over looks (the cheapest of the bunch). (You will need each piece to be larger than the space itself.). For our first campervan build, we were on a tight budget, so we went super simple. We have TONS of resources on converting your own campervan and #vanlife in general. Signup for our newsletter and we'll send you helpful travel tips! The absolute cheapest quote we saw was $460 for the 4 window covers (here’s that company if you want to check them out!). We used both, and wished that all of ours were coated. Where to buy picture wire? To determine the length of my board I measured the finished width of my curtains and added 3 inches. Divider Curtain: We made a large curtain that is strung up right in front of the driver and passenger seats to keep out all light (and wandering eyes!) Note: As you fold this edge over and hem it, you will be closing the tunnels at the top and bottom of the fabric. All Rights Reserved. The average price (between the 4 companies) was $627. $15.99 $ 15. See how easy it is to customize your RV with custom pop up camper curtains. And before you ask, yes, you will need picture wire along the bottom of the window. You’ll also need another half hour or so to secure them in your van. Check out our Ultimate Guide to Van Life for all the answers to your most burning questions, or read some of our favorite articles below: Campervan Gear Essentials: The Ultimate Packing List, 14 Inspiring Campervan Experts and Their Advice for You, Living in a Van: Road Trip Budget & Daily Costs of Vanlife, Van Life Q&A: All You Need To Know About Campervan Life. We give the pros and cons, material lists, plus detailed instructions on how to make each type of diy camper curtain. That said, making curtains is simpler and a bit cheaper. and i am sewing curtains of quilting cotton backed with blackout lining. Organizing Storage Compartments in a Pop-Up Camper. And you’ll be getting a much, much better result than by going the curtain route. redoing the floors knda scare tho. Here’s an overview of how they work: Our truck camper curtains are mounted (primarily) across the top of the window frame using velcro. Shop around and see which ones are best for your van: Xplr Outfitters: The least expensive option we’ve found for buying pre-made van window covers. In short, insulated window covers will be of higher quality and give you more benefits (insulation, total blackout, complete privacy) than simple curtains. This will vary depending on your sewing experience. Don’t worry, we will address this in Step #11. And although these aren’t the easiest DIY camper shell curtains, we’re happy with how they look and function. Replacing Original Window Treatments with Traditional Curtains, RV Owners Who Replaced Their Dining Booths, RV Sofa Bed Replacement Ideas (With Pictures), RV Window Makeover Ideas (With Pictures! No-sew RV Curtains If you can’t sew but don’t mind a DIY project, here are some curtain ideas that don’t require sewing. Blue Boy Hand Truck Mount. Of course! Buying pre-made insulated window coverings is NOT CHEAP! Moohah: With ethically-sourced fabrics, this family-run brand has the prettiest window coverings of the bunch (in our opinion! We’ll go over each method in detail, but here is the basic breakdown: do not help regulate temperature (unlike insulated covers), these are magnetic and have a tight seal, giving you complete privacy, help insulate your van (which is huge, and we’ll go over in detail below). Yikes! And the ones we picked out at Goodwill were in perfect shape. And when I say some privacy, I really only mean some. ABSOLUTELY! 4.4 out of 5 stars 176. There are 1005 rv curtains for sale on Etsy, and they cost $36.29 on average. But with these magnetic window covers, there’s no gappage (is that a word?!) Some people have a passenger van that has tons of windows that need covering (been there!). There are a variety of more conventional curtains that slide along on tracks available as DIY or commercial products. DIY Camper Van Curtains. Overland Gear Guy: Window covers and other van accessories for sale. Ultimate Camping Packing List and FREE Printable Checklist. “We are definitely getting these,” I told Ben when we began our second campervan build. After seeing a few others rave about their magnetic window covers that magically snapped in place, I was sold. RV Blinds and Curtains. DIY Pop Up Camper Curtains. Tip: Don't forget to make one giant curtain that blocks light from the main windshield - the biggest window in your car! Pin 2K. Jun 5, 2017 - Ideas for RV Curtains. (Or am I aging myself?!) Yes, you will need to have access to a sewing machine. Some examples: Camping World curtain supplies… Search Pintrest for RV or Camper Van curtains. And then there were two in between. I am so stoked about these that I created a tutorial so others can experience the game-changing magic of these window covers too! If there are any gaps between the curtains, you can add velcro to close them. Using the tape measure and pencil, make two markings: The first marking should be 1/2 inch from the top, The second marking should be 1 inch from the top, Fold the fabric over so the crease is on the 1/2-inch mark. Repeat this process on the bottom edge. First, cut a small hole in the outer edge of each corner of the fabric with scissors into which you can insert the wire. In this section, we have a few tips on two of the most important materials. First of all, what the heck it a blue boy? If you’re considering DIY camper curtains or window covers for your truck camper, van, suv, car, or campervan, this guide can help you choose between 4 different styles. This is a fun and practical way to add a splash of color to your interior while concealing those not-so-pretty things. Whatever your situation, you will need some sort of window covering for your campervan. We will be creating 2 curtains for each window — one on the left and one on the right. We kept this curtain open during the day, but closed it at night to block out lights and give us privacy. All in all, between the materials and the tutorial, you’ll be spending about $100 on your window covers, saving you literally hundreds of dollars! There are 568 camper curtains for sale on Etsy, and they cost $18.10 on average. If you don’t want to make your own RV window coverings then check out all these options on premade ones. This tutorial will teach you how to make coverings for your exact windows (no matter the dimensions). The most popular color? Exterior and backyard. Well, if you have … on October 28, 2019 March 5, 2018 by Haley. And they did absolutely nothing for controlling the temperature inside our van. We think travel can be life-changing, and we're here to share our best travel tips & inspiration that'll get you packing your bags! Your measurements should also give you an idea of how much picture wire you'll need. Bundling straps are behind the velcro, held in … Velcro Curtains for Your Camper Van: In this instructable we will make some curtains for a camper van. You may notice in our first and second RV Christmas tour, that we used buffalo check curtains my mom made for our previous sticks and bricks home. Money-saving tip: Buying sheets was way cheaper than buying fabric at the craft store, by the way. We want you to save money too! Remember those addicting snap bracelets that were popular in the late nineties? DIY craft projects. After reading through the basic bullet points above, you may already have an idea of which solution is going to be best for you. Now, your horizontal edges should be looking nice, but the vertical edge is still raw. That included the vehicle, all the title and registration fees, plus everything inside! Now thread the second half of the curtain. Place your fabric underside-up on the table you're working on. Not really are curtain rod at all, but it is the system by which the curtain panel will hang. With the thrift store sheets, thread, picture wire, screws, and velcro, we spent a total of $26 for all our curtains. Remember how I said our curtains gapped a bit around the edges? different ways. If I can make these, you can too! Now, sew a straight line near the 1-inch mark, to create a "tunnel" for the wire to be strung through. Just know that an insulated magnetic cover is going to be a much, much better way to cover your windows. The same is true of window treatments, especially as most RV windows are too small to use traditional window treatments meant for a … Both are good options for different reasons. Here’s why Insulated Window Covers are Game-Changing: In the summer months, these insulated covers helped keep the inside of our van cool. We are sharing exactly how we made our own budget-friendly campervan curtains as well as letting you in on some things we would change if we were to do it again. DIY Lace Curtains – These are curtains I tweaked using lace table runners! 99. Privacy Policy. Don’t Be Afraid to Switch It Up and Get Creative. I fell in love with these yellow curtains at first sight. We had big plans for our cargo trailer bathroom when we were planning it out. Combining practicality and charm, this camper shower curtain is a great way to show your enthusiasm for the lifestyle. And others purchase a cargo van with no windows but decide to install some themselves for natural light (also been there!). You'll need 2 pieces per window that stretch the horizontal length of the opening. If you don’t already have one, see if you can borrow a machine from a friend or family member. ), 10 Farmhouse Style RV Makeovers to Inspire You, RV Bathroom Storage & Organization Ideas and Accessories, 12 Painting Mistakes Made by RV Owners (and How to Avoid Them), 12 Space-saving Sleeper Sofas | Furniture for RVs, 9 Tips for Painting RV Walls and Cabinets, My Favorite RV Hack: A No-Damage Adhesive for Hanging Things on Walls, The Ultimate Guide to Painting Your RV Interior. I hadn't really sewn much of anything since 8th grade Home Economics class, and my window coverings turned out great. Nothing brightens up a small space more than vibrant colors and fun patterns. By using an old attachment strip from old camper curtains you can create easy DIY camper curtains in no time! Grab your Insulated Window Covering Tutorial now! Then add 2 inches to each window's vertical height, and two inches to the window's horizontal length. DIY craft projects. I get asked about our RV curtains all the time, which are actually just camp blankets. While Moohah is on the higher end price-wise, we do have an exclusive discount code just for our readers that’ll give you 10% off your total purchase: WANDERINGSOLES. Alternatively, ask in local FB Groups if someone has a machine you can borrow (Buy Nothing Groups are a great resource for this!). How to Make Burlap Roller Shades – An Alternative to Curtains you may want to consider How to Separate (or incorporate) your RV cab area I figured out how to make these notoriously expensive window coverings totally on my own… and I’m sharing my exact process with you! The most common camper curtains material is cotton. Four of them can be seen in the nursery alone. (True story!) Tweet. (Since you cut your fabric 2 inches taller than the window's height, you've already accommodated these folds.). Because of their sleek and classic look and design, they can fit easily into any design style and go great paired with curtains of any type. As we mentioned earlier, making your own campervan curtains is certainly a bit cheaper and simpler than going with insulated window coverings. What questions do you still have about making your own campervan curtains? No matter the source, you’re not getting a good night’s sleep with light streaming in…, So that leads us to the question of what type of window covering is best for your campervan…. Personal Experience: I worked on this project for a couple of hours a day for 3 days. So it might be worth the extra bit of money to “upgrade” to an insulated covering instead. Total blackout. Don't forget to add 2 inches to the vertical height of the window, and two inches to the horizontal length of the window. It wasn’t too long after we started the build that we found out that the best laid plans don’t always work out. In addition to much-needed privacy, campervan curtains block out lights — whether it be the full moon or street lights in a Walmart parking lot. Log in. Cut your dowels to size. Embarrassing story time: We soon realized that even when we had the curtains pulled completely closed, you could see our shadows from outside. Want to buy your own sewing machine? Now, pull the wire along the length of the window, keeping it super taut. In today's video, Kayla shares her tips on how to make RV curtains. I would say in total, I spent about 6 hours on this project. Use safety pins along the length of the fabric to hold the fold in place. I bought a super budget-friendly Singer Start specifically for this project (and for future uses!) While they were good for keeping our van build budget to a minimum, they served only the most basic function — they gave us some privacy. Should you decide to add curtains to your RV and have never had them before, measuring is simple. Join our Vanlife Facebook community! Sep 2, 2018 - Explore Patricia Barr's board "RV Curtains" on Pinterest. You could even use old ones you have lying around at home! Well, these window covers kind of feel like that — they snap right into place with a satisfying click. While this is a worthy investment for some — privacy + blackout-curtain + temperature control — we totally get it if your eyes are watering at that price tag. Maybe you only have one window… Maybe you have 6. This tutorial will walk you through all the steps so you can make beautiful & functional window coverings on your very first try! See more ideas about curtains, rv curtains, curtain track. It’s not so bad if you’re in the wilderness, but not a great look if you’re urban camping!