Dicor Black?
The sealant on my freedom express is black, I haven't found any black dicor should I just use white over it or is there another brand I should use for roof maintenance?
Forum Discussion
FrankShore wrote:
Short of there being caulking damage, why do you folks give a rats ass about your roof? No one looks at it, but you're all up there washing it and waxing it and using secret potions to keep it sparking! This has always struck me as an a kinda anal side to men. Gotta have that roof looking spiffy - and for what?
Also to the "waxers" out there - waxing provides a nice way to promote delamination by polishing off the layers of filon, making it thinner with each waxing you do. Washing the RV is fine, but polishing can wear out the skin and start delamination, in a premature way!
I've owned a Beneteau 461 yacht for many years and I've never has it buffed or polished, and it looks like the day we bought it!
I clean my roof according to the roofing manufacturers guidelines (yes, they do recommend cleaning). As for the rest of the post, this is why I don't buy used!- Well, Mr. Shore, I certainly have no idea what your rant on waxing is all about. There is no way the modern waxes or polishes will abrade a fiberglass finish to any appreciable degree if put on and wiped off by hand. If that were true, every car or RV that was ever waxed would really look bad when the wax wore off. Now, if someone went ape with a buffer, that’s different.
I agree about roofs, though. I have an Alpha Systems covering and just let the rain wash it off. Huntindog wrote:
Ralph Cramden wrote:
FrankShore wrote:
Short of there being caulking damage, why do you folks give a rats ass about your roof? No one looks at it, but you're all up there washing it and waxing it and using secret potions to keep it sparking! This has always struck me as an a kinda anal side to men. Gotta have that roof looking spiffy - and for what?
Also to the "waxers" out there - waxing provides a nice way to promote delamination by polishing off the layers of filon, making it thinner with each waxing you do. Washing the RV is fine, but polishing can wear out the skin and start delamination, in a premature way!
I've owned a Beneteau 461 yacht for many years and I've never has it buffed or polished, and it looks like the day we bought it!
Now that's an interesting take LOL.
I'll give it a shot.
#1. As far as roofs go. In the case of EPDM it chalks off which is part of the aging process. That's why Dicor recommends it be cleaned and treated.Not quite. Carlise makes it for Dicor. They supply the commercial building roofing across the country. No Washing is required by Carlise for warranty purposes.
Dicor originally frowned on roof washing. It was in their FAQ section of their website.
But people kept asking how to do it. Dicor saw it as a business opportunity and started producing roof washing potions. Once they started selling them, they naturally started recommending roof washing.
I wash my RV roof as often as my stick and bricks roof. When it rains, it gets rinsed off. This has been working perfectly for over 25 years. That chalking ends up as the black streaks you see on your sidewalls. With TPO or Superflex, and EPDM, the sealants also release compounds that also cause the streaks.
#2, You're going to need to do a hell of a lot of waxing with some type of aggressive wax before you ever degrade even the cheapest of filon or gelcoat. What are you using? Rubbing or cutting compound? Also a little wax applied once a year helps when removing the above mentioned black streaks as well as bug splatter, tree sap, etc.
#3 Most people prefer their stuff to not look like a rolling turd?
Really? How many people actually see your roof?
It needs to be leak free... That is all.
#4 Surely your not serious......and don't call me Shirley.
I am very serious. I researched this topic many many years ago when I got my first TT.
Well whatever.......its your roof. Possibly different climates involved because I can tell you that here in PA, if you have an EPDM roof and camp in wooded places, which most are, it does not take long for a roof to look like the one in the picture. Once it sets in, its a real PITA to get it clean again and if you let it go too long, you'll probably never get it white again. I believe it's a type of mold. Using a good treatment after cleaning like Protect All sure made it easier to clean the next time.
On our 2017 Rockwood, it has an Alpha Systems Superflex membrane. I'm not sure how good it is for longevity, but it does not develop the black spots like prior EPDM roofs on two other rigs after 2 seasons. 10 minutes with a hose and a bottle of dawn cleans it like new.- Thanks for the backup!
Ralph Cramden wrote:
FrankShore wrote:
Short of there being caulking damage, why do you folks give a rats ass about your roof? No one looks at it, but you're all up there washing it and waxing it and using secret potions to keep it sparking! This has always struck me as an a kinda anal side to men. Gotta have that roof looking spiffy - and for what?
Also to the "waxers" out there - waxing provides a nice way to promote delamination by polishing off the layers of filon, making it thinner with each waxing you do. Washing the RV is fine, but polishing can wear out the skin and start delamination, in a premature way!
I've owned a Beneteau 461 yacht for many years and I've never has it buffed or polished, and it looks like the day we bought it!
Now that's an interesting take LOL.
I'll give it a shot.
#1. As far as roofs go. In the case of EPDM it chalks off which is part of the aging process. That's why Dicor recommends it be cleaned and treated.Not quite. Carlise makes it for Dicor. They supply the commercial building roofing across the country. No Washing is required by Carlise for warranty purposes.
Dicor originally frowned on roof washing. It was in their FAQ section of their website.
But people kept asking how to do it. Dicor saw it as a business opportunity and started producing roof washing potions. Once they started selling them, they naturally started recommending roof washing.
I wash my RV roof as often as my stick and bricks roof. When it rains, it gets rinsed off. This has been working perfectly for over 25 years. That chalking ends up as the black streaks you see on your sidewalls. With TPO or Superflex, and EPDM, the sealants also release compounds that also cause the streaks.
#2, You're going to need to do a hell of a lot of waxing with some type of aggressive wax before you ever degrade even the cheapest of filon or gelcoat. What are you using? Rubbing or cutting compound? Also a little wax applied once a year helps when removing the above mentioned black streaks as well as bug splatter, tree sap, etc.
#3 Most people prefer their stuff to not look like a rolling turd?
Really? How many people actually see your roof?
It needs to be leak free... That is all.
#4 Surely your not serious......and don't call me Shirley.
I am very serious. I researched this topic many many years ago when I got my first TT.rjsurfer wrote:
FrankShore wrote:
why do you folks give a rats ass about your roof? Gotta have that roof looking spiffy - and for what?
Totally agree with your roof philosophy.
Hey, whatever floats your boat.
FrankShore wrote:
Short of there being caulking damage, why do you folks give a rats ass about your roof? No one looks at it, but you're all up there washing it and waxing it and using secret potions to keep it sparking! This has always struck me as an a kinda anal side to men. Gotta have that roof looking spiffy - and for what?
Also to the "waxers" out there - waxing provides a nice way to promote delamination by polishing off the layers of filon, making it thinner with each waxing you do. Washing the RV is fine, but polishing can wear out the skin and start delamination, in a premature way!
I've owned a Beneteau 461 yacht for many years and I've never has it buffed or polished, and it looks like the day we bought it!
Totally agree with your roof philosophy.,I love it when i see people up on their roof scrubbing away with stiff brushes, trying to make it spotless. The only thing they are scrubbing away is the white sacrificial protective layer designed to keep the UV rays from deteriorating the black rubber layer. Thats the part of the roof covering that makes it waterproof.
The only reason dicor recommends cleaning and treating your roof is to sell you more stuff. I will say, I have on occasion sprayed (not brushed on) 303 protectant on the roof to help with the UV protection.
Proper gutter extensions will keep the black streaks to a minimum.
Ron w.FrankShore wrote:
Short of there being caulking damage, why do you folks give a rats ass about your roof? No one looks at it, but you're all up there washing it and waxing it and using secret potions to keep it sparking! This has always struck me as an a kinda anal side to men. Gotta have that roof looking spiffy - and for what?
Also to the "waxers" out there - waxing provides a nice way to promote delamination by polishing off the layers of filon, making it thinner with each waxing you do. Washing the RV is fine, but polishing can wear out the skin and start delamination, in a premature way!
I've owned a Beneteau 461 yacht for many years and I've never has it buffed or polished, and it looks like the day we bought it!
Now that's an interesting take LOL.
I'll give it a shot.
#1. As far as roofs go. In the case of EPDM it chalks off which is part of the aging process. That's why Dicor recommends it be cleaned and treated. That chalking ends up as the black streaks you see on your sidewalls. With TPO or Superflex, and EPDM, the sealants also release compounds that also cause the streaks.
#2, You're going to need to do a hell of a lot of waxing with some type of aggressive wax before you ever degrade even the cheapest of filon or gelcoat. What are you using? Rubbing or cutting compound? Also a little wax applied once a year helps when removing the above mentioned black streaks as well as bug splatter, tree sap, etc.
#3 Most people prefer their stuff to not look like a rolling turd?
#4 Surely your not serious......and don't call me Shirley.- Short of there being caulking damage, why do you folks give a rats ass about your roof? No one looks at it, but you're all up there washing it and waxing it and using secret potions to keep it sparking! This has always struck me as an a kinda anal side to men. Gotta have that roof looking spiffy - and for what?
Also to the "waxers" out there - waxing provides a nice way to promote delamination by polishing off the layers of filon, making it thinner with each waxing you do. Washing the RV is fine, but polishing can wear out the skin and start delamination, in a premature way!
I've owned a Beneteau 461 yacht for many years and I've never has it buffed or polished, and it looks like the day we bought it!
