So I am going to be shopping for a new TT come spring. Looking at the dozens of different ones out there I noticed something about roof designs.The vast majority use a flat roof with a rubber covering. Some kind of molding and caulk join it to the sides. A flat roof is never truly flat so it is going to have puddles after a rain. The seam at the edge does not appear to be the MOST robust design.The Jayco Magnum roof has a crown, so that water should not puddle, but the side seam appears to be done in the same manner."Eggshell" campers (Scamp, Casita, Oliver), "curved" aluminum trailers (Airstream, Avion) and many enclose utility trailers, have roofs that have some crown, but more important, the roof goes over the edge and joins the sidewall on the vertical. I would assume there is a piece of Z-flashing between the 2 to keep water out completely.In my mind this is far superior to the other design.Anyone else have any thoughts ?

My 2014 Outdoors RV trailer has a crowned roof. The main advantage I see is that it's also crowned inside, so I have more head room and a more spacious feeling inside. That's definitely a plus for me and is one reason we went with the 2014 ORV (earlier years were not crowned).

No. Floor layout was far more important to me.

No, but I'd stay away from a trailer with a flat roof. Definitely a no-no (but I've never seen one with a flat roof either).

After having several old RV's with flat roofs, there was no way I was going to buy a new one that way.

What brand offers a flat roof? My cheapo trailer even had a crowned roof 12 years ago. I think almost all of them are crowned to some degree. Now, many still have a flat ceiling under a crowned roof.

Roof design - Did it affect your purchase decision ?

12 Replies

Trackrig
Explorer II
Nov 01, 2016
Floor layout first. But speaking of roofs, look at Nash for crowned roofs with stronger and thicker trusses which allows more insulation to keep the sun heat out.

Bill
TurnThePage
Explorer
Nov 01, 2016
It looks like Lance trailers might be flat. But I can't think of another at the moment. I totally disagree with the observation that most are flat.
DrewE
Explorer III
Nov 01, 2016
mkirsch wrote:
joebedford wrote:
No, but I'd stay away from a trailer with a flat roof. Definitely a no-no (but I've never seen one with a flat roof either).

Have you been to an RV dealer, an RV show, or out driving on the road?

Most RVs have flat roofs. You're starting to see more and more RVs with crowned roofs, but most of the cheaper ones are still just boxes.

Some are flat. Some others are crowned, but only a little bit, and these can be deceptive in appearance.

My '98 Coachmen class C has a slightly crowned roof. It sure looks flat at first glance, but the center is an inch or so higher than the edges. The support structure is built from little aluminum bow trusses. It's enough to prevent water from pooling in the middle, but apparently not enough to make it hard to mount things like vents and air conditioners with flat mounting flanges.
the_bear_II
Explorer
Nov 01, 2016
Most roofs even flat ones will be good for 10 to 20 years of service with good preventative maintenance. Problems happen if the roof is neglected or damage is not repaired (branch tears). On all of the RVs I've had most had flat roofs (common in the 50s thru 80s) and were primarily aluminum sheets. The recent two RVs the roofs were EDPM membranes.

Puddles are no worry as long as the roof is maintained.
mkirsch
Nomad II
Nov 01, 2016
joebedford wrote:
No, but I'd stay away from a trailer with a flat roof. Definitely a no-no (but I've never seen one with a flat roof either).

Have you been to an RV dealer, an RV show, or out driving on the road?

Most RVs have flat roofs. You're starting to see more and more RVs with crowned roofs, but most of the cheaper ones are still just boxes.
DutchmenSport
Explorer
Nov 01, 2016
As some else above said, "Floor layout was more important to me" ... for us also.

But I never really noticed the design of the roof on our Outback until I got it home and decided to wash the roof the first time. That's when I really noticed. I knew it was a rounded roof, and I knew it was rubbeer, but what I did not really notice at the sales lot was the rubber actually comes over the side of the camper.

If you look in the photo below, you can see the rubber roof actually comes over the sides (and arched top) This means the water cannot stand on the roof anywhere. This greatly impressed me. I guess I picked a good camper and didn't even realize it!
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Nov 01, 2016
Did not consider it, Roof is rubber crowned, Consideration was the floor plan

OH, roof is 11 years old, Some caulking needs to be re-done only one area where there is anything even remotely resembling an "issue" and that's been addressed (The issue was NOT a leak). I do mop it 2 or 3 times a year.

Survived Matthew it did.
TurnThePage
Explorer
Nov 01, 2016
What brand offers a flat roof? My cheapo trailer even had a crowned roof 12 years ago. I think almost all of them are crowned to some degree. Now, many still have a flat ceiling under a crowned roof.
ScottG
Nomad
Nov 01, 2016
After having several old RV's with flat roofs, there was no way I was going to buy a new one that way.
joebedford
Nomad III
Nov 01, 2016
No, but I'd stay away from a trailer with a flat roof. Definitely a no-no (but I've never seen one with a flat roof either).