I'm trying to decide on how quickly I need to recoat my rubber roof. I recently cleaned and resealed all of the vents/skylights etc on the roof. I also gave the roof a good cleaning that took about 4 hours using rubber roof cleaner from Camping World. I asked about the condition when I went in, based on the pictures I had, but they only told me to bring the RV in. So I thought I would ask the knowledgeable people here and see what you guys think. Here are the pictures:
Diplomat Don wrote:
"Fire Up's" roof repair really looked nice. The question I have is which rubber roof did he have. The OP has the 1st generation rubber roof that is like a bicycle tube. You could literally grab between your thumb and finger and pull it up. These roofs did not do well when you coated them because they were just too flexible. The later generation rubber roofs almost felt like a hard plastic and were not flexible.
I would never coat the old flexible rubber roof (don't ask me how I know).
DD,
The coach was/is a '99 Fleetwood Bounder. To the best of my knowledge, it's an EDPM Rubber roof. Yep, they are thin, that's for sure. I don't like ANY RUBBER ROOF. Even the latter versions and the ones they're still putting out today. Yes, they last a fair amount of time, if, IF, they're not damaged in any way, shape or form. But, I have seen "bubbles" on rubber roofs as RVs have traveled down the road, I've seen many tears from tree branches etc.
My roof, (at the time) had no damage anywhere. It was simply worn due to exposure. It tiny wrinkles here and there but, nothing I was concerned about. I inspected it quite often. And in doing so, kept noticing that it was getting blacker and blacker due to the white disappearing from the surface. And talk about heat, I mean, that's why they use Black for solar for pools, 'cause it rakes in the heat.
Well, since that motorhome was no pool, it needed to have a white roof, not a black one. That coating I put on there is one tough coating.
Now, if I ever had it to do over again, and, I really liked the coach but it had a rubber roof, I'd shi..can the rubber roof and have RV Solutions Of San Diego shoot on a "Bed liner" style roof. Seriously stronger than just about any previous type and present style roof and, talk about durable. You could have party up there with all women and all of them wearing pin point 6" high heels, and not even scratch it.
Again, this is a preference thing. Some are very happy with their rubber roof, no matter what generation it is and, some, like me, don't like them at all. To each his own.
Scott
ThorResidencyNewby,
Rubber roofs are always a subject of semi-controversy. Some like them, some don't. Some wash them, some don't. Some protect them with all kinds and types of products and, SOME DON'T. It is a matter of preference and, opinion on just what you as an individual think is important or not. Our previous coach, a '99 Fleetwood Bounder 34V was a few years old when we got it. The roof was about 95% white at the time. We too live in So CAL and, it never was under any cover. So, it saw the sun, 24/7, 365 for the total time we owned it.
Well, over the time frame we owned it, the roof continually depleted it's "white" coating. We'd wash it around 3-4 times a year to get all the dust, dirt, acid rain etc. off as best we could. But, eventually it became about, 85% black due to the White coating simply not adhearing any more.
So, the decision to "Re-coat" was made. I did more research then I care to admit but, I came up with the decision to use the Dicor two part product. It's a simple primer/prep and a coating. Now, based on the instructions, we did it all in ONE DAY! It was a typical summer day in So CAL, (Ramona to be exact) and, around 85-90 degrees. We washed it with soap and water. It dried in about 20 minutes.
We then washed it with the prep/primer and, according to the instructions, we had to "pressure wash" that part of the system off. Well, that part dried in another 20-30 minutes.
Now came the first coat. That stuff is fairly thick. It took it about an hour and a half to dry. Then came the second coat. It was all done around 4:00 in the afternoon. That roof is now seriously better protected than it was even when we bought the thing. And, it was done around 6+ year ago and it looks exactly as good today as it did the day my son and I did it, that long ago. Yep, it's work, and a lot of it. But, it was all done in ONE DAY.
Outstanding protection. Absolutely no white or black streaks from that point on. Your decision.,Below is a picture of the "after". I sure wish I'd have taken some of the "before". Serious difference. And, one more bonus, the coach was fairly cooler due to the added insulation and reflectivity of the new white coating.
Scott
Rubber roofs are always a subject of semi-controversy. Some like them, some don't. Some wash them, some don't. Some protect them with all kinds and types of products and, SOME DON'T. It is a matter of preference and, opinion on just what you as an individual think is important or not. Our previous coach, a '99 Fleetwood Bounder 34V was a few years old when we got it. The roof was about 95% white at the time. We too live in So CAL and, it never was under any cover. So, it saw the sun, 24/7, 365 for the total time we owned it.
Well, over the time frame we owned it, the roof continually depleted it's "white" coating. We'd wash it around 3-4 times a year to get all the dust, dirt, acid rain etc. off as best we could. But, eventually it became about, 85% black due to the White coating simply not adhearing any more.
So, the decision to "Re-coat" was made. I did more research then I care to admit but, I came up with the decision to use the Dicor two part product. It's a simple primer/prep and a coating. Now, based on the instructions, we did it all in ONE DAY! It was a typical summer day in So CAL, (Ramona to be exact) and, around 85-90 degrees. We washed it with soap and water. It dried in about 20 minutes.
We then washed it with the prep/primer and, according to the instructions, we had to "pressure wash" that part of the system off. Well, that part dried in another 20-30 minutes.
Now came the first coat. That stuff is fairly thick. It took it about an hour and a half to dry. Then came the second coat. It was all done around 4:00 in the afternoon. That roof is now seriously better protected than it was even when we bought the thing. And, it was done around 6+ year ago and it looks exactly as good today as it did the day my son and I did it, that long ago. Yep, it's work, and a lot of it. But, it was all done in ONE DAY.
Outstanding protection. Absolutely no white or black streaks from that point on. Your decision.,Below is a picture of the "after". I sure wish I'd have taken some of the "before". Serious difference. And, one more bonus, the coach was fairly cooler due to the added insulation and reflectivity of the new white coating.
Scott
