I've had the aluminum side (ruffled stuff) and the smooth side (laminate stuff) and had no problem with either style. No leaks, no messes, no fuss. I do find the laminate stuff easier to keep clean as the aluminum sided stuff tends to oxidize and get rough. Hard to buff out. The smooth stuff, just wash and go. Simple Pledge or a very light weight wax and it shines much easier than the aluminum sided relative. By the way, Pledge furniture polish works great. Doesn't last long, but is FAST, EASY, and looks good. Great tip if you need to spruce up the outside real fast to show off the camper!