Roof Sealants, repair and replacement options

[DRMousseau]

With a short few days of remarkable weather, I was able extricate myself from "my bubble" and got the roof done completely. A through cleaning, wire-brushing, taped and sealed all, and two very heavy coats (about 4gal) of Ames Maximum Stretch, all with enough time to dry between coats and cure well before weather returns to seasonal matters of spring rains and thunderstorms with occasional frosts and overnight freezes. I still have a couple gals left that will be applied later this summer in one last overcoat.


AWESOME results so far, everything went so smoothly, quickly, and with no unusual issues. A rarity that one seldom experiences in such matters. Especially at THIS time of year.


I'm ready to ROLL!!!!! Back to an "overnighter" instead of a hibernating bear in "a plastic cave"!!!! And even though canopy was up all winter, it's in EXCELLENT condition and over-wintered well. Hasn't been rolled up in MONTHS!!!

[Froggy1936]

Congratulations on a experiment that went well, And dont forget every coat adds weight to Veh !    Frank

[DRMousseau]

TREMENDOUS weight!!! Nearly 11lbs per gal with maybe 10% or less lost to evaporation. One can easily add 50lbs with 5gal, tape and sealants and it's all at the very top of the vehicle. May not seem like a lot, but it can be as much as .5-1% of total vehicle weight in a VERY undesirable location. I'm very conscious of any added weight, but especially weight that's highly positioned anywhere in the coach.

[Rickf1985]

And adding more to it year after year. Too bad there is no way to strip the old before adding new.

[Winnebago Warrior 94]

I don't see if yall are using any denatured alohol or paint thinner/mineral spirits on your bare meatal roof before applying elastomeric roof sealer ..I have srubbed mine down with a scotch scrub pad with dawn dish liquid and i used a brush on it too and then i went over it with white vinegar and srubbed it again with the scotch pad ..do i need to wipwe it down with denatured alchohol or paint thinner ?mineral spirits to make sure its good and clean

[stanDman111]

i like brake clean

[Winnebago Warrior 94]

i have some brake clean and i have denatured alcohol and i have paint thinner ..what is different about the brake clean ? that's cool you can use it as a cleaner for the metal roof ..i have my roof shinning it is ready to be painted but want to clean it well for good adhesion of the black jack elastomeric roof coating

[CapnDirk]

You also might try what automotive painters use known as "wax and grease remover".  Has a bit of alcohol in it (not for human consumption) to mix with any water and evaporate it away.  So, a cleaner that gets the car surface clean enough for paint to stick.


Available at automotive paint stores.

[stanDman111]

brake clean can  be a controled aplication = little squirt/little rub & whats left over will evap
you sure you want to go with the black= heat magnet?

[M & J]

Black roof coating? Should avoid that if at all possible.

[Rickf1985]

Brake cleaner will get real expensive real fast and it will eat any rubber seals or gaskets it touches. It is made for cleaning grease and oil off of brake drums and discs and should be used for that purpose. You can do a lot of damage using automotive chemicals for the wrong purpose.

Black roof will be like living in an oven! The AC will not be able to overcome the heat from the roof.

[TerryH]

I agree with NOT using brake cleaner on your roof. You will likely create problems that you will not be able to easily repair. Compatibility between roof, gaskets, run off into any and all openings and your roofing product should be considered.
Also agree with avoiding black. My opinion is you will regret it..
Sounds like your prep so far is fine. Cleaning - very important. Rinsing well after cleaning - very important.
Your use of Scotch Brites is commendable. You want to avoid at all costs the use of steel wool. No matter how effective your final rinse may be steel wool will leave miniscule steel shreds behind. Steel plus any moisture, minimal as you may think, will result in rust points/stains down the road.
Black coating as opposed to white - you think your unit heats up with the original coating? My opinion is you will find it unbearable with a black coating.

[Winnebago Warrior 94]

do not fear ..lol ..the brand is "Black Jack " elastomeric roof coating ..it is white ..its the white  elastomeric roof coating that Lowes sales ..it the 10 year warranty one ..I bought 1 gallon and I should have bought the 5 gallon ..I forgot how much it takes for a new roof ..I almost used the entire gallon ...but I cover all the plastic on the roof with it ..I think it makes the plastic hold up better with the sun beating down on it all the time ..I covered the plastic ac cover with it ..it is getting a little brittle and id rather not have to buy a new one right now so that hopefully helps it out for a little while ..it still in one piece so I want to get a little longer out of it ..I ended up wiping everything with the denatured alcohol before I put the elastomeric roof coating on it ..so it was good and clean ..I will pick up some more of the roof coating when I pass by a lowes ..I put a thermometer on top of the roof to check the temp before I painted it because it said not to put on in tempatures above 100 degrees ..its not even summer yet and we are having a little cooler weather right now and the roof temp was 120 degrees ..talk about hot feet ..lol ..so I had to wait to apply it after the roof cooled down..i also took the amber running lights off and I cleaned them good and caulked around them

[DRMousseau]

Many "cleaners" leave an undesirable and sometimes undetectable residue behind that can be problematic when using latex based coatings. Most are petrochemical in nature or use a petrochemical "vehicle" that I find particularly stubborn to remove. While such solvents may be required in special circumstances, I try to avoid them as much as possible.


My preference for cleaning aluminum, is TSP,... tri-sodium phosphate. You'd be surprised at how well this works. Removes dirt, oil and most residues as well as oxidation and it rinses clean, ready to paint. An aluminum primer is sometimes suggested, although I find it unnecessary for latex based coatings.


Silicone caulk is IMPOSSIABLE to completely remove! It must literally be cut, scrapped and sanded away as best as one can. Fortunately, the latex based coatings seal and adhere pretty good to any residues left behind. There are much choices than silicone caulk, and I avoid it's use in every way I can!

[Eagle1]

Hi, we are new to this forum.   We have a 1991 coachmen and have noticed a few leaks.  We originally thought about putting Rhino liner on it.  To our disappointment there is no one around here that does it.  So we need a plan B, probably will do it ourselves.  Thinking about Line-x or the traditional rubber roof. We are new to RVing and would love any suggestions. And I mean any suggestions, we need help!  Hm?
   

[Rickf1985]

Rhino and Line-X are for truck beds and are to prevent abuse not for waterproofing roofs. The very first thing you need to do is get up on the roof and determine the amount of damage under the roofing that is there. Are there any soft spots? Is it flexing more in one spot than another. Has the previous owner covered it with anything? What kind of roof is on it now? Rubber is probably the best and easiest to work with and preparation is the key to a good job. This is not something that gets done in a weekend. 90% of the time there is a substantial amount of damage under the roof that needs to be repaired before a new roof can be put on.
Leaks are always at places where there is a penetration through the roof. The ladder and roof racks are a biggie followed by the black water tank vent pipe flashing and then the various vents and skylights. The seams at the front and back of the roof and especially down the sides if you have a metal roof where it folds over and meets into the fiberglass siding. If there are any signs of the caulking at any of these spot failing then there is your leak. just remember that the structure under that leak will be damaged and needs to be checked.

[Eagle1]

There is a soft spot towards the back corner and one in the middle. You can see the seams where the plywood meets and it is flexing a little bit.  We are a little unsure of what they used, it is either Kool Seal or Dycor. It's just a standard rubber roof with a trim piece around the edges. We are planning on removing the rubber and checking  everything underneath it. We will replace any damaged wood and put the appropriate  material in place. Any suggestions on products , Dycor vs Kool Seal or any other roofing material that will get the job done well. Thanks for your help, we appreciate it.

[Rickf1985]

Replace with a new rubber roof