How to Do Trailer Skirting

A way to hide the wheels and moving parts underneath a mobile concession stand or display atop a trailer is by using skirting to cover what you do not want seen while the vehicle is parked on display. Trailer skirting is easily adapted to any size and height trailer for a finished look to a mobile trailer or semi stationary stand. Made of a rugged material, the skirting can be attached and removed for easy storage over on the road or when the trailer is on its way to another show or stop.

Things You'll Need

• Stainless-steel studs with screw
• Stainless-steel buttons and sockets
• Snap button die set
• Vinyl skirting
• Measuring tape
• Electric drill
• Vice grips
• Level
• Drill bit

Instructions

1. Measure the trailer. Locate a height above the wheel wells where the top edge of the trailer skirting will be attached. Be sure it will hang over the opening of the wheels and sit a few inches off the ground when attached. Find a starting point and make a mark. Measure the height off the ground from the starting point and write it down. Move 3 feet down the side of the trailer and make a mark in line with the first mark. Check with a level to be sure you are making a mark level with each preceding mark to ensure the top edge of the trailer skirting will hang evenly on the concession trailer. Keep track of the over-all length of the trailer and the height of where the skirting should hang above the ground.

2. Mark the placement of the snap stud screws. On a trailer skirting with more than one continuous piece, make sure the stud screws include a placement for a stud in each top corner and then evenly spaced out every 24 inches in between. For a skirting with a length of 10 feet, you will need a stud screw for each top corner and then one stud screw every 2 feet for a total of six stud screws. Place the mark for the top two corner snaps 1 inch in from the outside edges, top and side to set the first and last snaps on a canvas or vinyl trailer skirting. This lets the snap have enough material all the way around it to not tear or rip from the edge. Confirm the marks were made correctly and that they are all level with each other before moving on.

3. Contact an awning or canvas company such as PMW Supply (see Resources). Arrange to have a custom trailer skirting made into the dimensions from the measurement of your trailer. Pick a color or style of print you want for the canvas or vinyl skirting.

4. Mark the top edge of skirting with the correct placement of the button snaps that will secure to the snap stud screws. The snap buttons should be placed 1 inch below the top edge, and, for the two end snaps, they should be kept at least 1 inch from the side edges to prevent tears. Measure and mark the placements of each snap button into the canvas or vinyl. Check the placement with the marks on the trailer by holding the skirting up to the trailer and aligning the marks. If they do not seem to go together, you may need to remark either the skirting or the trailer to correct the problem.

5. Use a snap-button die placed inside of vice grips to secure a button snap to the skirting at each of the marks. For a 10-foot length of skirting, you need two end snaps and four snaps in between. Make the snaps align so that, as you snap the skirting to the trailer, the skirting is slightly stretched to make a smooth surface once the skirting is hung. Check and recheck the marks before securing the button snaps if you want to achieve the best results.

6. Drill a hole into the trailer in a diameter slightly smaller than the snap stud screws at each of the marks on the trailer that represent where the snap stud needs to go. Some snap stud screws are self tapping and can be screwed directly into the side of the trailer, but, by drilling pilot holes, you can ensure that the screw studs end up exactly where they should be. Drill a hole for each mark. Use a screwdriver to fasten the snap stud screws to the trailer. Check and recheck level and mark before cutting or attaching snaps.

7. Starting from the top corner of a piece of skirting, begin to connect snaps. Working down the length of the trailer skirting, secure the skirting simply by snapping the canvas or vinyl to the trailer. When the trailer needs to travel simply unsnap the skirting and store in a cool dry place.

Tips & Warnings

• Mark each piece of vinyl with a number for the location of its position on the trailer when attached. Even though your pieces may be equal in length, moving one piece of skirting to another position will make the snaps wear out quicker by having an imperfect snap circle to fit around. Always keep a snap stud and snap button together for the best results. Always work with companies such as PMW Supply. Canvas or vinyl is easily adapted to this type of use and can usually be constructed within three business days. Richard at PMW Supply can build anything from vinyl, shipped anywhere.

• Vinyl edges can tear. The best vinyl or canvas product for concession stand trailer skirting is one that has a border sewed onto the edges to reinforce the vinyl and canvas edges.

References

• Concession Stand Authority

Resources

• PMW Supply