RV Windshield Sun Shade

Last week in north Texas was HOT!  Several days were near ninety degrees and the inside of the motorhome was warmer than that – this boy ain’t used to that kinda heat!  It was obvious to me that I need a windshield sun shade – more than just the curtains on the inside.

So, I started my research.  I found a couple of good options.  The Magneshade brand seems to have an excellent reputation on the RV forum that I frequent but the price is wee bit on the high side for me.  Something around $600 – just for the windshield.  The mirrors and side windows would add about $300 to that. I have no doubt that the product is worth that but I hate giving my money to others.

What to do??

Yup, I ordered a bunch of material and am going to make my own.  I kept my sewing machine and have plenty of time for projects these days so will kill some time and save some money.  Well…. maybe – we’ll see if I succeed or not.

I ordered 7 yards of black Phifertex material, V69 polyester thread, and some webbing (for the edges). PhiferTex is marketed as having a 95% shade factor and is woven from PVC-coated polyester – highly durable, mildew resistant, stain resistant, fade resistant and easy to clean.  Time will tell! 🙂

An interesting tidbit turned up during my research.  Several tests have shown that RV interior temps are reduced when a black fabric is used versus white.  There are some competing theories to explain this but I want cool so black is what I ordered.

My Dutch Star has the turnlock fasteners already installed on the exterior but I really like the Magneshade method of using magnets to hold the shade in place.  The eliminates having to get a ladder out to install and remove the shade each time.  That is appealing!  So, I ordered a couple dozen of the super strong 3/4″ x 1/8″ Neodymium Disc magnets from Amazon. (see note below).

Note from JD: These magnets proved to have insufficient holding power. I ended up using some stronger magnets noted in this follow-up.

One of the challenges of the full timing lifestyle is having things delivered.  I opted to have the above items delivered to one of the places that I know I will visit in the coming few weeks so they should be there waiting when I arrive.

Will $165 worth of material yield a windshield cover, side window covers, and rear view mirror covers of which I am not ashamed?  And save me about $700??  Stay tuned and we’ll know in a few weeks.