Prepping RV roof for caulking

If you have a white roof just clean the area with acetone get some 4' wide Eternabond and it will be the last time you have to do it.

I see some don't like silicone, but go out and check EVERY joint on the sidewall of your coach! From the windows to the moldings to the wheel wells, it is covered/sealed with silicone after it's painted.

For the past ten years many coach manufactures have been using eternabond to seal the front and rear caps to the main portion of the body.

dshinnick wrote:
I was planning on taking a bucket of water&something up there and washing the roof with a soft bristle brush, and rinsing it well.

Depends a lot on how your fiberglass roof is constructed. On my Newmar, the roof is a big rectangle of fiberglass that is overlapped and glued & screwed onto more fiberglass.

My roof had some "warped" fiberglass where water had entered so I had to re-glue & re-screw these spots first.

Anyway, I used a sharp wood chisel (be careful) to remove the old caulk and cleaned with an abrasive pad soaked in 409 cleaner. Finally, I wiped the seams with acetone.

Here are photos of my repair.

Big concern with silicone is that once it is used, nothing will stick to that area again if the silicon needs to be replaced.

rgatijnet1 wrote:
You need a solvent like denatured alcohol or acetone.

Wash first to remove dirt then denatured alcohol or acetone to remove oils etc

I've never seen Eternabond used from the factory, always a self leveling sealant. I have a metal roof on my 1990 MH and following some advice, I used the eternabond, it looks generic. I should have wire wheeled the seams and primed them and used self leveling sealant because it looks right and it lasts as long as the tape sealant. The original lasted until last year, and as the previous post said, no silicone

DSDP Don wrote:
Clear silicone will work too, just apply carefully because it's visible.

I won't go near my roof with silicone.
bumpy

Get a can of "Ooops", at any store, and clean the area thoroughly with the "Ooops". It will take off a lot of crud. When you're done, wash the roof with soap and water and then rinse well and let dry.

Remember, the "Dicor" will lay flat and spread when applied. Try to apply evenly when resealing and give it a chance to spread out. It will make for a nicer looking job.

One of the spots that really needs sealing is where the front and rear caps meet the coach body. Most companies run Eternabond along the top for the seal, but the point where the side walls roll over the edge, they usually use a clear sealer. I believe it's called Flexcoat, but it's a clear sealer that will hold up for several years. Clear silicone will work too, just apply carefully because it's visible.

You need a solvent like denatured alcohol or acetone.