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Sealing A Roof On A Class A Motorhome

by Abe
(San Pedro CA)

Sealing A RV Roof

Sealing A RV Roof

I have recently purchased a Fleetwood Flair 31 and need to find out if sealing the roof is a do-it-yourself job.

ANSWER Hi Abe, with the limited information you have provided me, the answer to your question "is sealing an RV Roof a do-it-yourself job?", has to be Yes and No.

The Fleetwood Flair was manufactured from the late 80s until 2007. Depending on the year of the RV it could have a metal, fiberglass, vinyl or rubber roof. If your RV has a metal, vinyl or fiberglass roof, you might want to take it to an RV dealer for repair. Most newer RVs have rubber roofs and yes some repairs and resealing can be done by a do-it-yourselfer depending on their skill level.

If the reason you are asking this question, is because you have seen some indications of a leak in the RV, then sealing the roof of the RV is only resolving half the problem. Depending on how long the roof has been leaking, you could actually have some significant hidden damage to the RVs structure.

Over 1,500,000 successful roadside rescues—Good Sam RV Emergency Road Service

A leak in the wall or ceiling of an RV that is of wooden construction could have caused a mold or wood rot problem, which would actually require pulling the ceiling or wall apart to repair the damage. Depending on your skills you could fix it yourself, but again I would suggest having an RV dealer look at it to assess the damage.

If you decide that you would like to re-coat your rubber roof, here are the steps I would recommend.

First clean the roof thoroughly using a medium bristle brush and a mild detergent. I personally use Dawn Liquid Detergent on our RV's roof and it works well.

WARNING: Do not use any cleaners that contain abrasives, citrus or petroleum products as they
will damage your roof. If in doubt check the RV's owner's manual or contact the RV Manufacturer for their recommendations on products to use. You may have to clean the roof more than once.

The whole point of cleaning the roof is so the RV Roof Coating will adhere to the existing rubber roof. In some cases you may have to apply a primer before re-coating the roof. A good place to get the sealer and primer is CampingWorld.com.

When using a product to coat your roof, make sure that it provides additional UV Protection and that the product is approved for use on RVs, again that is why I recommend CampingWorld.com.

Make sure you understand and follow the instructions of the product you're using. You may find that some products could require a second coat. You may also find that some coatings cannot be applied at certain outside temperatures or while the RV is in direct sunlight. So please read the instructions carefully. Failure to do so could cause further damage to the RV's roof.

Editor's Note: For even more information on how to properly re-coat a roof on an RV you may want to watch the video below RVing Expert Mark Polk from RV Education 101

To instantly download the RV Education 101 Videos available from RVing Expert Mark Polk visit the RV Education 101 Video Download Store


Here is the Dicor RPCRPQ EPDM Roof Cleaner/Activator and DICOR CORPORATION RP-CRC RUBBER ROOF ACRYLIC COATING that Mark mentions in the video.


Again, this is the best I could do with the limited information you provided me.

If any of our visitors have re-coated their RV roofs and would like to add their own tips or tricks, they can do so by clicking on the add a comment link at the bottom of this page.

Good Luck on your roof repair project and Happy RVing.

RVing Al

Comments for Sealing A Roof On A Class A Motorhome

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Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Fix RV, Mobile Home and Trailer Leaks the First Time. GUARANTEED
by: rv roof coatings

When you are choosing a product for repairing leaks, make sure you find one that is specifically designed for RVs and mobile homes e.g., RV Roof Magic. RV Roof Magic can help with a variety of leaking issues that could be troubling your vehicle.
Rating
starstarstarstar 		Auto service
by: John Ferrell

I like that you mentioned not using any cleaners that contain abrasive, citrus or petroleum products as they will damage your roof. I think that if I had an RV then I wouldn't want it to have any leaks in the roof. You might have to replace the floor as well as the roof if you have a leak.
Rexoseal
http://rexoseal.com/rv-roof-system.html
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Vinyl Roof
by: Anonymous

What product and/ or procedures do I need to ensure my vinyl roof is maintained properly. Currently I have no leaks.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		RV Roof Sealing
by: Anonymous

The Roof Coating I would use is made by Brentwood Polymer Coatings has a 20 year warranty if installed correctly.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Likely yes.
by: Anonymous

I personally make it a point to carefully inspect every centimetre of the roof twice a year. I remove my shoes and walk bare foot because I think pebbles and anything on your shoe soles can puncture the roof. I liberally spread sealant on any remotely suspect joint or spot or thin zone.

I have found small tears and tiny holes a few times so the rubber roof is fragile. I think things like tree branches and such can easily cause damage. I do think it is feasible to repair it yourself though.

I personally like the rubber roof because we have made custom modifications to our trailer that included mounting things on the roof and I found it was easy to drill into, and easy to reseal as long as you are liberal with the sealant and check carefully after its dried that it did not shrink back while drying and break the seal.

If you have a rubber roof, get up there and go over every square centimetre, caulking gun in hand and when in doubt, squirt liberally. I prefer using a high quality silicone sealant. I have found it lasts longer and shrinks less than the stuff specifically sold for repairing rubber roofs and is a lot cheaper.
Rating
starstarstarstar 		RE:
by: Robert Johannesburg

I feel like the original answer answered your question really well. It does depend a lot on the type of roof and the type of material. I bet if you had asked your RV dealer, they could have told you. They might have even had one with a roof already sealed so you didn't have to worry about. Oh well, it's something you can think about for next time. ( http://Johnnysrvs.com )
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Resealing rubber roof
by: Anonymous

Use blue painters tape where the rubber roof meets the silicone caulk on the side of the RV. This will give you a clean job for the application of primmer and sealer. We were able to reseal our rubber roof on our 25ft HiLo classic trailer. It can be a do it your self job. Read and follow the instructions on the product that you are applying.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Rubber Roof
by: Anonymous

Or you can look for alternatives. Rubber roofs can be a lot of work and the smallest thing lead to a major repair.
Check out www.davidspermanentcoatings.com, they sell a 20 year RV roof.
Rating
starstarstarstar 		Roof Coatings
by: Roof Coatings

Nice information...This RV rubber coating is maintenance free and installs in one easy coat with no primer. You can be on the road again in no time with no spring leaks. After repairing you RV with liquid roof repair, simply keep up with your routine maintenance and your RV roof should last for a long time to come!

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