Forum Discussion

tragusa3's avatar
tragusa3
Explorer
Apr 29, 2015

What roofing material do I have? (pic)

Our last trailer had the textured rubber that you see on the majority of campers. However, our new Surveyor 245BHS has a roof that is whiter, smooth and similar to a vinyl pool liner.

What do I refer to this roof as? Not rubber?

Also, why is it used? cheaper? higher quality? is it preferred? or toss up?

Thanks.


21 Replies

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  • John_Joey's avatar
    John_Joey
    Explorer
    May 02, 2015
    FrankShore wrote:
    Brite Tek is TPO


    Clicky.

    "Combining the benefits of EPDM and TPO (thermoplastic olefin), BriteTEK Roof Membrane provides a watertight roof with superior puncture and tear resistance, making it ideal for OEM and aftermarket applications. BriteTEK passes the ASTM 20-year accelerated aging test and resists uneven weathering and fading. Manufacturers, service centers and RVers will find the membrane easy to install and maintain."
  • John_Joey's avatar
    John_Joey
    Explorer
    May 01, 2015
    tragusa3 wrote:
    Great...looks like I'm a guinea pig for a new roof.


    Could work out just fine:) I would also ask them what the warranty period is, and what the "expected" life is for this new roofing material in their tests. Knowledge is power.
  • tragusa3's avatar
    tragusa3
    Explorer
    May 01, 2015
    Very vague, I agree. The sealer I see everywhere is Dricor I'm sure. I'm thinking he meant roll-on too.
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    May 01, 2015
    No sealer? What exactly did they use in the pic you posted above with the vent?

    Or do they mean no roll-on sealer paint stuff?
  • tragusa3's avatar
    tragusa3
    Explorer
    May 01, 2015
    Here's the response from Forest River:

    Hello Tony,
    This is a new type of material being used and only requires soap and water to keep it clean. I would not recommend any type of sealer for the roof.

    I wrote back to ask if they could share the specific product name. Sounds like they are vague on purpose.

    I'll see if I can pull a vent off this weekend.

    Great...looks like I'm a guinea pig for a new roof.
  • tragusa3's avatar
    tragusa3
    Explorer
    Apr 30, 2015
    Looks like that was it, until they mentioned the texture. There is no texture at all.

    I'm going to email the manufacturer (forest river). Thanks for the lead on Alpha.
  • John_Joey's avatar
    John_Joey
    Explorer
    Apr 30, 2015
    tragusa3 wrote:
    I tried to find a different picture. This one has some dirt on it. :)

    Still hard to make out anything.


    What you really want to do is take the trim off an inside vent and take a picture of that area showing the roofing material to framework connection.

    As others have said, best to send an e-mail off to the maker and get the definitive word on it.

    FWIW, my guess at this point would be BriteTek
  • SoundGuy's avatar
    SoundGuy
    Explorer
    Apr 30, 2015
    tragusa3 wrote:
    I did read through the manual again. The only reference to the roof is in the maintenance section, and it says to use sealer for "rubber roofs". That supports what SoundGuy said. But the manual also talks about several other items that don't apply to my trailer...so, there's that trust thing again.

    It goes against my logic. My last roof was soft and rubbery feeling, like a pencil eraser. This one is more vinyl / PVC feeling.


    If your roof membrane is manufactured by Alpha Systems you may have one of their newer offerings, either Alpha Ply or Superflex which would explain why it doesn't seem to match the descriptions for EPDM or TPO which have been the two most common conventional roof membranes used to date on RVs.
  • Bill_Diana's avatar
    Bill_Diana
    Explorer
    Apr 30, 2015
    The specs for the trailer only mention the one piece roof but does not specify the material. Click here.

    I would call the factory and ask.

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