Once a year, we clean and then condition the rubber roof on our trailer, and today was the cleaning day. While we were doing it we noticed that on each side of the AC unit where the condensate runs across the roof to the gutter, the rubber looked very aged and had tiny alligator cracks, (crazed). - Nothing through the rubber yet thank goodness What would be the best coating to put over it? On each side of the AC unit it is about a foot or two wide. I would like to coat it with something prior to putting the conditioner onJack L

I'd put down some Dicor and scrape off the excess with a plastic squeegee. Give it time to cure before putting anything else down.

Clean the area with mineral spirits then use Dicor self leveling lap sealant to fill in the cracks.

Cleaning its all it needs. Use an approved soap.

What tenbear says. Be sure it's the self leveling.

Don't use mineral spirits on a rubber/TPO roof.

What to use on my trailer rubber roof | Good Sam Community

16 Replies

Huntindog
Explorer
Nov 08, 2013
I researched this a lot in the past... A old search will turn up what I found.

A summary:
Dicor doesn't make roofing material.. They SELL what other manfacturers make.
They get the roofing from Carlise. Which is the the largest commercial building manufacturer of roofing material.
Dicor USED to frown on cleaning RV roofs...It was on the FAQs section of their website.
Carlise still does frown on cleaning their roofing material. Stating that it is only to be done, if one wants to maintain the reflectivity of the white material for energy conservation purposes. (It comes in white or black)

Rvers kept asking Dicor how to clean their roofs, so they obliged by coming up with a product and recommending it.

The fine cracks on your roof are normal. The Roof is designed to chalk off. In fact that outer weathered material acts as a 100% effective sunscreen for the unweathered material under it.

So you really don't NEED to do anything to it
If you want , for asthetical reasons to clean it, there are products sold for that purpose.
Just make sure that you use a sunscreen (UV) protectant on it religiously, since by cleaning it, you are removing the protective layer it has.
There are products available to do this too.

As for myself.. I never clean mine. Got a thicker wallet and more time to go camping as a result.:B
NanciL
Explorer II
Nov 07, 2013
wrvond wrote:
NanciL wrote:
Conflicting answers ?????

"Clean it with mineral spirits and use Dicor"
"Don't use mineral spirits"
"Just clean it and don't use any thing"

Sorry I asked !
I'll head to the RV dealer today, and ask them

Jack L

You stated the condition of your roof and that you wanted to coat it with something prior to conditioning it.
I could have told you:
1. don't use anything
2. don't use conditioner
3. simply clean it with a mild detergent and water.
That, however, wasn't what you asked.

Sorry I tried to help!

Thanks for trying to help, but I think you might want to reread my OP.
This is our second trailer, and we had the first one for ten years, doing exactly as what I said in my OP once a year. When we traded our old trailer for the one we have now, the roof looked like the day we bought it, so I know what we were doing helped keep it that way.

Jack L
wrvond
Explorer II
Nov 07, 2013
NanciL wrote:
Conflicting answers ?????

"Clean it with mineral spirits and use Dicor"
"Don't use mineral spirits"
"Just clean it and don't use any thing"

Sorry I asked !
I'll head to the RV dealer today, and ask them

Jack L

You stated the condition of your roof and that you wanted to coat it with something prior to conditioning it.
I could have told you:
1. don't use anything
2. don't use conditioner
3. simply clean it with a mild detergent and water.
That, however, wasn't what you asked.

Sorry I tried to help!
allen8106
Explorer
Nov 07, 2013
tenbear wrote:
Clean the area with mineral spirits then use Dicor self leveling lap sealant to fill in the cracks.

Never....Never....put mineral spirits on a rubber roof. Mineral spirits is a petroleum product which will cause the rubber roof to deteriorate.
fla-gypsy
Explorer
Nov 07, 2013
Frankly asking your RV dealer what to do with it was a license to steal (your money) IMO when the manufacturer says only to clean it and use Dicor self leveling lap sealant as needed.
NanciL
Explorer II
Nov 07, 2013
I just got back from the RV dealer that we almost always use, and they recommended "Heng's rubber roof coating".
It can be rolled on or brushed on. The area has to be completely clean and dry.
I bought a quart, and you can get it in gallons also.

The humidity is too high to do it today, but as soon as I can I'll use it.

Jack L
hcs1947
Explorer
Nov 07, 2013
I believe Dicor recommends a final cleaning with denatured alcohol prior to resealing cracks with Dicor. The alcohol should evaporate dry quickly without damaging the roofing material as petroleum products could. Denatured alcohol is available at Lowe's or HD, paint stores, etc.
NanciL
Explorer II
Nov 07, 2013
tenbear wrote:
I suggested the mineral spirits. You don't use it on the rubber roof, you use it on the old Dicor sealant to clean up the area you are going to reseal. I guess I misread the OP. Thanks for correcting me.

It is all cleaned (with Spic and Span) and just waiting for me to coat that particular area.
As soon as that is done we will use the regular rubber roof protectant for the rest of the roof

Jack L
tenbear
Explorer
Nov 07, 2013
I suggested the mineral spirits. You don't use it on the rubber roof, you use it on the old Dicor sealant to clean up the area you are going to reseal. I guess I misread the OP. Thanks for correcting me.
2012Coleman
Explorer II
Nov 07, 2013
NanciL wrote:
Conflicting answers ?????

"Clean it with mineral spirits and use Dicor"
"Don't use mineral spirits"
"Just clean it and don't use any thing"

Sorry I asked !
I'll head to the RV dealer today, and ask them

Jack L
Best thing you could do - I'm also betting it's covered in your manuals. Although everyone should know that rubber roofs and petroleum based products don't mix. Mineral spirits was extermely bad advice and would most likely void any warranty you have.