travel trailer roof coating

[ecallarman]

SO I got a travel trailer yesterday and today I started sealing every nook and cranny. I did et on the roof and silicone around all vents and roof fixtures. I was thinking of coating the roof with something like cool roof or something. Does anyone have experience with coating the roof. Just trying to prepare and do some preventive maintainance before I take it to the lease.

[Olphart]

I haven't had any luck with silicone sealing anything on a camper. I'd go with the expensive sealant you get at RV dealers...especially when dealing with the roof or corner seals. You have to remove all the old sealer, then apply the new stuff.

I bought some roof sealer like you mentioned but never used it (traded the POS in on a new rig).

[careybirdwell]

Is it a rubber roof or metal roof.? Silicone does not do a very good job on roofs. If you have a rubber roof use Dicor lap sealant, and you can use it on a metal roof also. You can also use FloSeal Lap sealant on metal roof. Both are very good sealant that works great over vents, antennas, seams. They are both self leveling and won't dry out, so they remain flexible. You can get a roll on roof coating for the rest, just clean roof, and take a paint roller and roll it on. Make sure if you have a rubber roof, make sure you use a coating design for rubber roofs. For metal roofs, you can go to Home Depot or Lowes and get a elastomeric roof coating.

If you have any question, just let me know.
Good Luck
Carey Birdwell
Birdwell's RV Service

[RutnBuk]

I wouldnt worry about it since it doesnt rain anymore.

[Txbhunter1]

Snow Seal is the best I have ever used. Used it on many, many mobile homes in Cali. You can find it at H.D or Lowes.

[Joey~AP]

I went to Home Depot and got a gallon of white elastomeric sumthin or other.

Worked pretty good.

[ecallarman]

just to clarify mine has rubber roof

[careybirdwell]

The coating at Home Depot or Lowes is not made for rubber roofs. It will stick temporarily, but eventully come off. If you want to coat it make sure you buy something intended for rubber roofs. In a few day, you will be able to go on roof and pull off all the silicone you put on because it doesn't adhere to rubber. There is no need to coat a rubber roof unless it has started cracking because of dry rot or the top layer of rubber material has worn off. A rubber roof generally comes with a 10 years warranty, so you will know about what kind of lifespan by the year model of trailer. They do make a rubber roof cleaner & conditioner, and the roof should be treated about once a year. But for all your seams, vents, and anything screwed down on the roof should be sealed by Dicor Lap sealant. Very easy to use, self leveling, just cover the voids.

Good Luck

[ecallarman]

The coating at Home Depot or Lowes is not made for rubber roofs. It will stick temporarily, but eventully come off. If you want to coat it make sure you buy something intended for rubber roofs. In a few day, you will be able to go on roof and pull off all the silicone you put on because it doesn't adhere to rubber. There is no need to coat a rubber roof unless it has started cracking because of dry rot or the top layer of rubber material has worn off. A rubber roof generally comes with a 10 years warranty, so you will know about what kind of lifespan by the year model of trailer. They do make a rubber roof cleaner & conditioner, and the roof should be treated about once a year. But for all your seams, vents, and anything screwed down on the roof should be sealed by Dicor Lap sealant. Very easy to use, self leveling, just cover the voids.

Good Luck

Well I sure hate to hear that the silicone I put around vents and fixtures will peel off. The travel trailer I bought is 11 years old and the roof does look like its starting to crack and dry out so I just want to reseal before taking it to the lease.

So vents and fixtures= Dicor Lap sealant
Rubber roof= Roll roof coating for rubber roofs?

[cashbuck]

spray-in bedliner the whole thing and be done

[careybirdwell]

Well I sure hate to hear that the silicone I put around vents and fixtures will peel off. The travel trailer I bought is 11 years old and the roof does look like its starting to crack and dry out so I just want to reseal before taking it to the lease.

So vents and fixtures= Dicor Lap sealant
Rubber roof= Roll roof coating for rubber roofs?

Yes, I like to use the Elixir Plas-T-Cote rubber roof coating. http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-roofs/40119.htm

It seems to work very well and holds up very good.

You can get the roof coated like a spray in bedliner, and it should hold up very well. I don't know when they do this if they apply directly over rubber material or remove rubber and apply on the wood. The only down fall to the bedliner material would be if you would have to remove a vent, antenna, or so-on and they appy material over screws. How do you remove it. If they don't put it over the screws then you still have a chance for leaks, and then what how would you remove the wood that would be sealed down by material.

You can coat your roof & seal your roof for about $100.00.
People are advertising the spray on system for about $1600.00 plus.
I get about $100.00 per foot when I replace a rubber roof, and materials would be about 30-40% of that. Most dealer in the Houston area get about $150.00 (plus) a foot for replacing rubber roofs.

So you can coat & seal your roof for about 15 years in a row before your reach the cost of replacing.

[ecallarman]

Yes, I like to use the Elixir Plas-T-Cote rubber roof coating. http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-roofs/40119.htm

It seems to work very well and holds up very good.

You can get the roof coated like a spray in bedliner, and it should hold up very well. I don't know when they do this if they apply directly over rubber material or remove rubber and apply on the wood. The only down fall to the bedliner material would be if you would have to remove a vent, antenna, or so-on and they appy material over screws. How do you remove it. If they don't put it over the screws then you still have a chance for leaks, and then what how would you remove the wood that would be sealed down by material.

You can coat your roof & seal your roof for about $100.00.
People are advertising the spray on system for about $1600.00 plus.
I get about $100.00 per foot when I replace a rubber roof, and materials would be about 30-40% of that. Most dealer in the Houston area get about $150.00 (plus) a foot for replacing rubber roofs.

So you can coat & seal your roof for about 15 years in a row before your reach the cost of replacing.

SO help me out here. I have a few questionsmaybe you can answer..

Silicone is going to peel off so I need to pell it all off before coating?

WHat about the old putty looking stuff around roof top fixtures? Take it off?

Do I roll the elixir on first and then put dicor lap sealant or the other way around?

Do I need to wash the roof with something before all of this?

[careybirdwell]

SO help me out here. I have a few questionsmaybe you can answer..

Silicone is going to peel off so I need to pell it all off before coating?

WHat about the old putty looking stuff around roof top fixtures? Take it off?

Do I roll the elixir on first and then put dicor lap sealant or the other way around?

Do I need to wash the roof with something before all of this?

Yes, peel off the silicone because whatever you apply over will eventully pull off. The putty stuff you are talking about is probably old Dicor. I have never completely removed it but I do clean it up by remove loose chucks & stuff before I put new Dicor on.

I generally apply the Dicor first, and let it set for a day or two before coating the roof.(this way I can roll right over my Dicor for a little extra sealing)

You do need to clean the roof and the older Dicor before re0sealing the roof. I like to take a med brush or broom and scrub & sweep the roof off before you get it wet, and that will get alot of that old oxidation off.

[ecallarman]

Yes, peel off the silicone because whatever you apply over will eventully pull off. The putty stuff you are talking about is probably old Dicor. I have never completely removed it but I do clean it up by remove loose chucks & stuff before I put new Dicor on.

I generally apply the Dicor first, and let it set for a day or two before coating the roof.(this way I can roll right over my Dicor for a little extra sealing)

You do need to clean the roof and the older Dicor before re0sealing the roof. I like to take a med brush or broom and scrub & sweep the roof off before you get it wet, and that will get alot of that old oxidation off.

DO I use soapy water or just dry sweep and rinse off with water? BY the way thank you for the guidance.

[careybirdwell]

I would sweep it dry, and then wash it. Soapy water should be fine. No problem with the help