I actually posted this over at another forum after I started the project but figured I'd come over here again and share here too. Forgive me if the wording seems awkward, it was multiple posts on the other forum over a couple of days. Maybe one day I'll edit it and put my stuff on a blog or something but, before I do that, I have to convince the wife to double as a photographer (or at least not laugh when I take them. ๐ )
I have seen several people express interest in various forums about putting bed-liner on their roof. I have only seen one person with a rubber roof do it, and never saw anything about the long term success.
I did a lot, and I mean a lot of research on different roofing options ranging from completely replacing the EPDM (way too extensive and expensive), EPDM roof coatings (yes, for campers), and bed-liner. I did a lot of pro's and con's and so on but my curiosity and cheapness got the best of me.
I chose to attempt a roll-on bed-liner on top of my EPDM roof.
Sadly, I did not take any photos of my roof prior to the project's start so I'll describe it as best as I can. It was horrible. It was covered in dirt, mold, algae, and God knows what else. After two long and hard scrubbings with Gain dish soap and bleach, I saw my roof. Underneath the filth was a wonderful, barely left rubber membrane. I'd guess that about 25% of the roof was worn through to the black and the rest was almost there.
I had purchased Iron Armor Truck Bed Coating from Harbor Freight for $44.99 a gallon (minus 20% off of course), some regular foam rollers from Home Depot, and everything else I had on hand from previous (and ongoing) projects.
All in all, the first coat took me about 4-5 hours to put down. I used about a gallon and a half of the liner, two 9" rollers, one 3" roller (and handle), one brush, a lot of sweat, and what's left of my pulled forearm (let's just say swinging a 6Lb sledge like a baseball bat isn't always a good idea.)
Obviously the project is not finished, nor do I have any ideas as to how it will last long term but I felt like I would share some do's and don'ts and update the thread as the project progresses.
Tips:
- Don't use rollers for regular paint. I love the light texture it gives, but they DO NOT stand up to the sticky liner. Little parts of the roller are now permanently part of my roof.
- Cover your vents and covers. I didn't and I now have one vent with slung liner on it and a few spots on my AC cover. Good thing those will be replaced anyway.
- Get some knee pads. I already have bad knees, kneeling for that long getting around the vents, edge, etc. just killed them.
- Definitely wear gloves. Fortunately I did because it does not come off skin very easily.
First Coat
-----------
They're not the greatest pictures of the roof, but it's still drying so I had to take them from the ladder.
I wrapped the liner down a few inches on the front and rear, mainly for protection since it won't be black when it's all finished.
Front Cap:
Rear Cap:
Top of the roof, from the front:
Those blobs in the middle are parts of the roller that broke off. Like I said, those didn't last.
Texture of the roof. There's texture, but it's not over the top:
Second Coat
-----------
Apparently I don't write an interesting post, a lot of views but not a lot of comments. Anyway.
Not a huge noticeable difference from the ground but the second (and most likely final) coat is on the roof. I've got to wait a few days to let some rain in the forecast to go through but I guess it'll give me a chance to see if the small leaks I had are fixed or not.
Once the rain passes it will be time for the Gloss White paint to go on and, hopefully, this project is complete.
Front Cap:
Rear Cap:
Top of the roof, from the front:
Texture of the roof. There's texture, but it's not over the top:
I stuck with the regular, low dollar rollers just because I really like the light texture they were putting down. I also found with the heavier second coat it rolled a little easier and didn't rip them up. Also picked up a few more and used one per ten foot section.
I had a few spots on the ends that I hadn't quite gotten full coats on and touched it up with the same brand coating in an aerosol can.
I haven't noticed any bubbling or other damage to the actual rubber roof so it looks like the thin first coat worked out well.
Another thing I had been worried about was the smell getting inside. The one person I found online that posted his bed-liner roof project said it smelled horrible for a month. We have yet to smell anything thank goodness since we full time.
Slide
------------
I still am debating what to do with the roof of the slide-out. I don't know if I want to play it safe and order the actual roof coating or continue with the experimenting with the bed-liner.
The Iron Armor (and a few other bed coatings) don't have any rubber, Kevlar, etc. granules in them. Thinking back to when I was cutting in from vents, etc. on the main roof it laid down pretty smooth. I still have a couple cheap 3/8" nap rollers laying around from the bathroom remodel and I have some wood scraps/concrete blocks to play on. I may take the little bit that's left in the gallon and see if I can get it to apply smoothly since I don't know how the texture, however light, will affect the capability of the seal to, well, seal.
Stay tuned for more updates once the downpours cease.
I have seen several people express interest in various forums about putting bed-liner on their roof. I have only seen one person with a rubber roof do it, and never saw anything about the long term success.
I did a lot, and I mean a lot of research on different roofing options ranging from completely replacing the EPDM (way too extensive and expensive), EPDM roof coatings (yes, for campers), and bed-liner. I did a lot of pro's and con's and so on but my curiosity and cheapness got the best of me.
I chose to attempt a roll-on bed-liner on top of my EPDM roof.
Sadly, I did not take any photos of my roof prior to the project's start so I'll describe it as best as I can. It was horrible. It was covered in dirt, mold, algae, and God knows what else. After two long and hard scrubbings with Gain dish soap and bleach, I saw my roof. Underneath the filth was a wonderful, barely left rubber membrane. I'd guess that about 25% of the roof was worn through to the black and the rest was almost there.
I had purchased Iron Armor Truck Bed Coating from Harbor Freight for $44.99 a gallon (minus 20% off of course), some regular foam rollers from Home Depot, and everything else I had on hand from previous (and ongoing) projects.
All in all, the first coat took me about 4-5 hours to put down. I used about a gallon and a half of the liner, two 9" rollers, one 3" roller (and handle), one brush, a lot of sweat, and what's left of my pulled forearm (let's just say swinging a 6Lb sledge like a baseball bat isn't always a good idea.)
Obviously the project is not finished, nor do I have any ideas as to how it will last long term but I felt like I would share some do's and don'ts and update the thread as the project progresses.
Tips:
- Don't use rollers for regular paint. I love the light texture it gives, but they DO NOT stand up to the sticky liner. Little parts of the roller are now permanently part of my roof.
- Cover your vents and covers. I didn't and I now have one vent with slung liner on it and a few spots on my AC cover. Good thing those will be replaced anyway.
- Get some knee pads. I already have bad knees, kneeling for that long getting around the vents, edge, etc. just killed them.
- Definitely wear gloves. Fortunately I did because it does not come off skin very easily.
First Coat
-----------
They're not the greatest pictures of the roof, but it's still drying so I had to take them from the ladder.
I wrapped the liner down a few inches on the front and rear, mainly for protection since it won't be black when it's all finished.
Front Cap:
Rear Cap:
Top of the roof, from the front:
Those blobs in the middle are parts of the roller that broke off. Like I said, those didn't last.
Texture of the roof. There's texture, but it's not over the top:
Second Coat
-----------
Apparently I don't write an interesting post, a lot of views but not a lot of comments. Anyway.
Not a huge noticeable difference from the ground but the second (and most likely final) coat is on the roof. I've got to wait a few days to let some rain in the forecast to go through but I guess it'll give me a chance to see if the small leaks I had are fixed or not.
Once the rain passes it will be time for the Gloss White paint to go on and, hopefully, this project is complete.
Front Cap:
Rear Cap:
Top of the roof, from the front:
Texture of the roof. There's texture, but it's not over the top:
I stuck with the regular, low dollar rollers just because I really like the light texture they were putting down. I also found with the heavier second coat it rolled a little easier and didn't rip them up. Also picked up a few more and used one per ten foot section.
I had a few spots on the ends that I hadn't quite gotten full coats on and touched it up with the same brand coating in an aerosol can.
I haven't noticed any bubbling or other damage to the actual rubber roof so it looks like the thin first coat worked out well.
Another thing I had been worried about was the smell getting inside. The one person I found online that posted his bed-liner roof project said it smelled horrible for a month. We have yet to smell anything thank goodness since we full time.
Slide
------------
I still am debating what to do with the roof of the slide-out. I don't know if I want to play it safe and order the actual roof coating or continue with the experimenting with the bed-liner.
The Iron Armor (and a few other bed coatings) don't have any rubber, Kevlar, etc. granules in them. Thinking back to when I was cutting in from vents, etc. on the main roof it laid down pretty smooth. I still have a couple cheap 3/8" nap rollers laying around from the bathroom remodel and I have some wood scraps/concrete blocks to play on. I may take the little bit that's left in the gallon and see if I can get it to apply smoothly since I don't know how the texture, however light, will affect the capability of the seal to, well, seal.
Stay tuned for more updates once the downpours cease.
I tried to get a picture of the bubble but, it seems to have resettled. It wasn't there anymore. ๐
I meant to get the first coat of white down yesterday, but decided to stop postponing other things and, I got to watch game 3 of the ALDS on TV. The Royals are going to the ALCS!!!
Anyway, got the first coat done today. As usual, pictures are right after completion, still wet.
Front:
Rear:
Cutting In:
And another:
Finished Product:
Also, we currently have a pillow stuff into the bedroom vent to try and give me some dark while I try to sleep. (I work nights, too bright in this thing during the days to sleep well.) I ended up flinging some bed-liner on the vent during the second coat and it gave me an idea. Why not just coat it with the bed-liner? It will prevent light transmission and, albeit minor, provide some extra insulation.
So, here it is:
I just used the aerosol can liner (of the same brand) for the vent cover. Three coats should do. I'm thinking I'll end up spraying the inside white since I used a grey primer over the vent. I don't know why, I had white but the first coat of liner was on before I realized my mistake.
I meant to get the first coat of white down yesterday, but decided to stop postponing other things and, I got to watch game 3 of the ALDS on TV. The Royals are going to the ALCS!!!
Anyway, got the first coat done today. As usual, pictures are right after completion, still wet.
Front:
Rear:
Cutting In:
And another:
Finished Product:
Also, we currently have a pillow stuff into the bedroom vent to try and give me some dark while I try to sleep. (I work nights, too bright in this thing during the days to sleep well.) I ended up flinging some bed-liner on the vent during the second coat and it gave me an idea. Why not just coat it with the bed-liner? It will prevent light transmission and, albeit minor, provide some extra insulation.
So, here it is:
I just used the aerosol can liner (of the same brand) for the vent cover. Three coats should do. I'm thinking I'll end up spraying the inside white since I used a grey primer over the vent. I don't know why, I had white but the first coat of liner was on before I realized my mistake.
Well, I braved the wind... on the picnic table.
Decided to go ahead and test out the different application techniques and whether thinned or straight from the can would be better.
The results were actually very surprising.
The setup:
All done:
1/4" Nap Roller:
3/8" Nap Roller:
Foam Roller:
Synthetic Brush:
I was originally wanting to do two coats for a more accurate example but, after seeing the results of the first, I think I have seen enough.
I was really surprised that thinning the bed coating actually seemed to make the application worse with everything except for with the brush. All three rollers got air pockets under the coating that I am almost positive would compromise the strength and longevity of the coating. The brush application actually looks pretty nice though and, after setting for a little bit, almost seems to have had a self-leveling attribute. I'll try to get back out and snap another photo later since those were taken immediately after applying.
Decided to go ahead and test out the different application techniques and whether thinned or straight from the can would be better.
The results were actually very surprising.
The setup:
All done:
1/4" Nap Roller:
3/8" Nap Roller:
Foam Roller:
Synthetic Brush:
I was originally wanting to do two coats for a more accurate example but, after seeing the results of the first, I think I have seen enough.
I was really surprised that thinning the bed coating actually seemed to make the application worse with everything except for with the brush. All three rollers got air pockets under the coating that I am almost positive would compromise the strength and longevity of the coating. The brush application actually looks pretty nice though and, after setting for a little bit, almost seems to have had a self-leveling attribute. I'll try to get back out and snap another photo later since those were taken immediately after applying.
I used about 4 gallons of Herculiner. I had to buy special gloves that are chemical resistant, and the xylonene (SP?) in the Herculiner will disolve normal gloves quickly.
I ended up using a coffee cup to dip into the 1 gallon container, pour it onto the roof, then move it around with a paint brush. I did not try the rollers that came in the kit to use for truck bed applications.
Yes, xylene is a very harsh chemical. I am a mechanic by trade and, unfortunately, at home so I always have plenty of gloves around.
I bought a cheap pan to use for the bed-liner. Went to start after work one morning and realized that I had left it in the car... the wife had already left for work. Bad weather was coming and I wanted it done so I figured I didn't need the pan and dumped it straight from the gallon and spread with the roller. ๐
Well, just so you guys know I didn't abandon you... the rain has finally stopped but now there are 20+ MPH winds and they're calling for 30+ throughout the day so I'm not climbing on top of the roof.
But, stopped by Home Depot (it's a bit over 30 minutes away, I didn't know it was this windy) to pick up some stuff for the texture experiments and, and idea struck me. The wife has been wanting a white board and I told her I'd paint the top panel on the fridge with the white board paint. Well, I decided to see if HD had anything easier than that. I'm glad I asked. The worker walked me straight to pieces of 3/16" white board. One sheet was $9.97 and it was just big enough. Chopped a few inches off lengthwise and one slice down the middle and they slid right in. Still not magnetic, but it'll do for now. Fits better than the original panels to (not loose front to back).
Here's some pictures:
Don't worry, I know it doesn't match. Eventually the cabinets will be white and the fridge won't be that color either.
I ended up using a coffee cup to dip into the 1 gallon container, pour it onto the roof, then move it around with a paint brush. I did not try the rollers that came in the kit to use for truck bed applications.
Yes, xylene is a very harsh chemical. I am a mechanic by trade and, unfortunately, at home so I always have plenty of gloves around.
I bought a cheap pan to use for the bed-liner. Went to start after work one morning and realized that I had left it in the car... the wife had already left for work. Bad weather was coming and I wanted it done so I figured I didn't need the pan and dumped it straight from the gallon and spread with the roller. ๐
Well, just so you guys know I didn't abandon you... the rain has finally stopped but now there are 20+ MPH winds and they're calling for 30+ throughout the day so I'm not climbing on top of the roof.
But, stopped by Home Depot (it's a bit over 30 minutes away, I didn't know it was this windy) to pick up some stuff for the texture experiments and, and idea struck me. The wife has been wanting a white board and I told her I'd paint the top panel on the fridge with the white board paint. Well, I decided to see if HD had anything easier than that. I'm glad I asked. The worker walked me straight to pieces of 3/16" white board. One sheet was $9.97 and it was just big enough. Chopped a few inches off lengthwise and one slice down the middle and they slid right in. Still not magnetic, but it'll do for now. Fits better than the original panels to (not loose front to back).
Here's some pictures:
Don't worry, I know it doesn't match. Eventually the cabinets will be white and the fridge won't be that color either.
