Installing a DIY caravan awning clothesline saves so much hassle when it comes to drying your laundry on the road.
As long as your awning is out, you can easily get those wet towels and loads of washing hanging up to dry. The benefit of having a clothesline permanently attached to the awning is not having to find additional space to store a clothes airer or fold-up clothesline.
Installing a caravan awning clothesline is easy, cheap and won’t take very long to DIY. Expect to spend about $30 in materials from a hardware store and 30 minutes in installation time.
Alternatively, you can buy Caravan Awning Kits off eBay, pre-packed with every single item that you’ll need.
RELATED POSTS:
◆ 12 RV Clothesline Ideas →
◆ 14 RV Washing Machines →
This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see our disclosures here.
DIY Caravan Awning Clothesline – TOOLS & MATERIALS
Tools

Tools you’ll need for installing a DIY caravan awning clothesline:
- Drill
- Drill Bits
- Nikko Marker
- Ruler or Measuring Tape
- Pop Rivet Gun
- 4 x Pop Rivets (open aluminium 6.4 mm)
Materials

Materials you’ll need for installing a DIY caravan awning clothesline:
- 2 x Cable Sadles
- 2 x Cable Clamps
- Stainless Steel Cable
- 2 x Anchor Thimbles
- Eye & Eye Turnbuckle x 1
DIY Caravan Awning Clothesline – INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1 – Mark Your Positions
Use a Nikko pen to mark exactly where you want your clothesline to be attached to on each awning arm.

Step 2 – Pre-drill Cable Saddle Holes
The Cable Saddles are the brackets you’ll be attaching to the awning arms, which you’ll be hanging the clothesline cable from.
Hold one Cable Saddle against the place that you’ve marked on one awning arm and pre-drill the holes for the Cable Saddle.
Repeat on the second awning arm.
Step 3 – Slip Turnbuckle onto Cable Saddle
Slip the Turnbuckle onto the Cable Saddle on one of your awning arms and secure the Cable Saddle in place with Pop Rivets.

Step 4 – Thread Cable Clamp onto Clothesline Cable
Thread a Cable Clamp onto one end of the clothesline cable.

Step 5 – Put Anchor Thimble over Turnbuckle Eye
- Slip an Anchor Thimble over the Turnbuckle Eye,
- Thread the clothesline cable through the Anchor Thimble and then poke it through the Cable Clamp (allow a little bit of excess).

Step 6 – Tighten Nuts & trim Clothesline Cable
Once the cable is through the Cable Clamp, tighten the nuts. Trim any excess cable and wrap some tape around the sharp end.

Step 7 – Pop Rivet second Cable Saddle
Pop Rivet the remaining Cable Saddle to your second awning arm, as per your measurements (where you’ve pre-drilled the holes).

Step 8 – Thread Cable Clamp onto Clothesline Cable
Thread a Cable Clamp onto the other end of the Clothesline Cable.

Step 9 – Put Anchor Thimble over Cable Saddle & Thread Cable through
Slip an Anchor Thimble over the Cable Saddle on your second awning arm, then thread the remaining end of the Clothesline Cable through the thimble.
Don’t forget to poke the excess cable through the Cable Clamp.

Step 10 – Tighten Nuts & trim Clothesline Cable
Tighten the Cable Clamp nuts and trim the excess Clothesline Cable. Wrap some tape around the end of the cable to secure any sharp edges.

Step 11 – Wind the Turnbuckle to tighten Clothesline Cable
Wind the Turnbuckle to tighten the Clothesline Cable.
You want to take the slack off the cable, but without winding it up too tight (otherwise you’ll pull the awning arms in and put pressure on them).

Now you’re ready to start hanging wet washing on your new clothesline!
(If you don’t want to source out your own materials, you can grab a pre-made Awning Clothesline Kit off eBay).


▶️ VIDEO: Installing a Caravan Awning Clothesline
For the full step-by-step process on how to install a permanent caravan awning clothesline, check out the video below.

Extra Clothesline & Washing Machine Options

Travel Planning Tools
TRAVEL PLANNING RESOURCES |
---|
✔️ Checklists → 💲 Budget Spreadsheets → ✏️ Planners & Guides → |
when riveting the cable saddle to the awning arm I suggest you put a small piece of aluminum flat bar behind to help spread the load .Otherwise you may find the rivets may pull out under load in time
Great tip, thanks Richard.