Bug-free Car Camping: Window Cover.

by Loblaw in Outside > Camping

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Bug-free Car Camping: Window Cover.

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Last year, I made a bed in my Toyota Rav 4 for car camping.

YuKonstruct's Van Slam gave me me plenty of ideas on how to improve my car-camping style.

This simple project is a bug screen for your window, so that you can sleep inside with fresh air and be free from bugs!

Materials and Tools

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All you need is:

  • Window screen - purchase at your local hardware store. I got a fairly hardy variety so that it could withstand the abuse of a car door being closed on it repeatedly and so that I wouldn't have to finish the raw edge at the bottom.
  • Strong magnets
  • Sewing machine and strong thread
  • Needle for some hand sewing

Measure

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Your window screen needs to be customized to fit over your door. I brought my screen out to my car and measured and cut to shape right there.

  • Fold the screen material in half and place over the car door - fold at the top.
  • Cut the bottom of the screen to length - you will want the screen to go beneath the window to reach the metal door frame, but not hang down much more than that.
  • Hold the two halves together and cut the screen to fit the angle of your car door, leaving about 2 inches overhang on either side.

Sew

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  • Sew one of the sides of your bug screen together.
  • I recommend folding the screening over twice to make your seam - this uses up about an inch of your overhang allowance, which is perfect.
  • Go back out to your car and put the screen on to check if your measurements are OK. Adjust if necessary.
  • Sew the 2nd side together.
  • I left the bottom edges without sewing them. If you have flimsier netting than me, you may want to finish the edge all the way around.

Insert Magnets

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  • The magnets hold the bottom edge of your window screen onto your car, sealing the edge so that the bugs can't get it.
  • I sewed magnets all along the outside bottom edge so that there was about 3 inches between each one. I did not sew magnets into the edge that is inside the car.
  • Make a pocket out of some of the spare netting and place the magnet inside.
  • Handsew around the magnet (you could potentially use a sewing machine here - but my magnet was sticking to the foot pedal and it wasn't worth the effort!)

Complete

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  • Slip your window screen over your car door and spread the magnets out so that there is good contact with the metal door frame.
  • Close your door, open your window and enjoy the breeze without bugs!