RV roofs

[WNYBuckHunter]

So my new camper is in need of the roof being sealed up, so I started doing the research on the best way to go about it. What I found is a relatively inexpensive, permanent way to seal the seams on the roof that is pretty simple to boot. I would actually suggest doing this on any camper, no matter how old or new it is. Some of the newer, higher end campers have it done before they leave the factory. Its a product called Eternabond, and it is basically a rubberized, material backed sealing tape. Install is pretty easy, you just clean the area on either side of the seam, leave the old sealant in there and lay the Eternabond over it. You then use a steel 2 inch roller to roll it down, which activates the sealer/adhesive and there ya go. If you have an aluminum skin roof, you can then paint over the aluminum and Eternabond with Kool Seal and youve got a fully rubber coated roof with seams you dont have to worry about for 20+ years. If you already have a rubber roof, you just install the Eternabond and youre all set. If you ever get a hole or tear in your rubber roof, just use some Eternabond to mend it and youre good to go. It can be used around any seam on the RV, as well as to cover screw heads and seal up screw holes when you add something to the camper.

Below is a link to the least expensive place to get it. I ordered 2 rolls of the 4" x 50' and one roll of 2" x 50' and it came out to less than $150 shipped. Not a bad price to pay for peace of mind.

http://www.roofingsupplyusa.com/Eternabond-RoofSeal-White.html

[WNYBuckHunter]

I just got my rolls of Eternabond today, and picked up a wallpaper seam roller to help install it. I am going to start on the roof tomorrow evening after work.

[Stretchhunts]

post some pics of install, please

[sweet old bill]

sure sounds a lot easier than a  5gal pail of alum coat and a pain roller. I use to do this every other year on my camper and also my trailer hunt camp. But never got a leak. show us some photo and tell us how you like it...

[WNYBuckHunter]

I will be taking plenty of pics and show you guys.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I started getting the roof done last night. Here are some pics, I wanted to take more, but I was trying to get it done before it got dark. After seeing how bad some of the seams were, Im very surprised the leaking wasnt worse. If it were let to go one more year, it would have gotten to the point of no return. I have a few more spots to finish up tonight, so Ill get some more pics.

First, here are some pics of what I was dealing with. You can see that the sealer was in real bad shape.

With the Eternabond, you dont have to scrape the old sealer, you can just put the Eternabond over top of it, but Im way too picky so I scraped most of it.

And here are some pics of the Eternabond going on after scraping and cleaning with Acetone.

Ill get some pics of it later today before I start rolling it all to get as many of the wrinkles out as I can. It goes on incredibly easilly, you just have to make sure you have it where you want it the first time, as it will NOT come off once its stuck.

[WNYBuckHunter]

The Eternabond is done, and turned out great. Here are some more pics, in some you can see all of the crud that came out of the Max Air vents. If you have these on your camper, make sure you take them off once in a while and clean them out.

Heres the new refer vent cover I picked up today, looks a ton better than the old, dirty, brittle one.

The TV antenna got removed, it wont be needed.

Shots of completed areas.

The front vent all scraped and ready for Eternabond.

The front roof seam, done with 2 overlapping 4" strips.

This is the front cap, which I sealed up the side seams and the one horizontal seam.

Front corners all done.

[WNYBuckHunter]

So after all of the rain we got last night, which was the first time it has really rained since I got the roof done, there isnt a drop of moisture inside, so I take it that my job was successful.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Looks great. That stuff really stays put when it first touches...huh? lol. I bet the longer strips would make for a good 2 person job.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Thanks Culver. Yeah its a serious pain to get it back off again. It would be a much faster and easier job with 2 people for the long strips.

[Doewhacker]

Looks like that'll do just fine!

[Dave]

Thanks Culver. Yeah its a serious pain to get it back off again. It would be a much faster and easier job with 2 people for the long strips.

Buck, how long is that trailer? Will you cover the whole roof or is it too expensive? Were just the seams leaking? Nice job.

Dave

[WNYBuckHunter]

Its a 24 footer from bumper to tongue, and a 21 foot box. To cover the whole thing with the Eternabond tape would be pretty pricey at $60 for a 50 foot roll that is only 4 inches wide and would need to be over lapped lol. Ill be giving it a good cleaning and coating it with an elastomeric compound called Kool Seal. Its basically liquid rubber. Just the seams were leaking, but with the roof being 12 years old, the extra coating wont hurt.