Spray on Bed Liner Roof coating

[iquilt888]

Evening,
I read an article recently about an outfit, I think in Florida, that is putting spray on bed liner, like the Rhino liner, on RV/Motor home roofs. The article said that once applied there would never be another worry about roof leaks/chalking cracks as there is no chalking any longer. Sounds almost too good to be true????
Has anyone had this done? If so did you have it done by a local shop or did you have it done by the folks in Florida? Are you pleased or disappointed?
I spoke with a local RV shop and was told that the spray on stuff can't be used over a rubber roof. Also that the application had a life-time warranty (whatever that might mean).

[msmith1199]

Don/Shar wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:
Fire Up, how can the rook be completely sealed? There are many things up there stuck in holes in the roof. Are they actually putting this roof over the top of the lips on the vents and AC units? If so, how do you replace those items if you need to? I just replace all my roof vents because they were brittle and falling apart. How could you replace them if they were sealed in?

David from David's permanent Coatings told us if we ever replace an air conditioner, tv antenna or skylight to come back and he would touch up the seal around the items replaced.

This makes more sense. I just wonder how difficult it is to get the screws out that have been sealed over by this stuff? And on the plumbing vents they don't have aluminum flanges, it's all one piece of plastic. I'm not saying anything bad about this roof system, but there are still things up there that could leak.

[Don_Shar]

msmith1199 wrote:
Fire Up, how can the rook be completely sealed? There are many things up there stuck in holes in the roof. Are they actually putting this roof over the top of the lips on the vents and AC units? If so, how do you replace those items if you need to? I just replace all my roof vents because they were brittle and falling apart. How could you replace them if they were sealed in?

David from David's permanent Coatings told us if we ever replace an air conditioner, tv antenna or skylight to come back and he would touch up the seal around the items replaced.

[rgatijnet1]

FIRE UP wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:
Fire Up, how can the rook be completely sealed? There are many things up there stuck in holes in the roof. Are they actually putting this roof over the top of the lips on the vents and AC units? If so, how do you replace those items if you need to? I just replace all my roof vents because they were brittle and falling apart. How could you replace them if they were sealed in?

msmith1199,
Very good questions and points. I asked the very same ones when talking with the supervisor there. His reply: They do clean and prep all the flanges around all the vents and components and then, yes, they spray the roof coating right over the flanges and all the screws etc. That seals everything. As for replacing the roof vent covers, (he explained) in all their years of working on RVs they've never had to replace the main structure of any roof vent. They've only had to replace the actual cover and or, the tilting mechanism. The main structure, (the actual 14" x 14" aluminum flanges, never wear out.

And, he also stated that, if and when "anything" under that coating, i.e. a flanged system, like a skylight over the shower has to be replaced, the coating is "cut" around the perimeter and what ever screw heads and, lifted off. Now, I'm sure it's not as easy as that but, I have no reason to doubt him. When it's done, the roof, is all one piece. It's sprayed right over lap seams of the front and rear caps, roof vents and plumbing vent flanges etc. So, the potential for leak is close to "0". The only way a leak can occur is if a roof vent cover has a crack or, the A/C gasket seal has disintegrated to nothing.

There's companies that are now and have been doing almost the same style of roof coating on business's all over. Only it's more of a Urethane foam coating. Both those and the Rhino lining coating also produce an added benefit of sound deadening during rain etc.
Scott

Scott,
I hear what the supervisor is saying about the aluminum flanges never wearing out BUT, other things do change. FanTastic Fans, which everyone is familiar with as providing excellent customer service, was sold to Atwood in December 2010. They were a major supplier of the vents that a lot of us have on our coaches. A few months ago I needed a part for my vent fan. I was told that they no longer manufacture that part so my choice was to buy and install a completely new vent assembly, or go without. The facts are that according to the roofing supervisor, all you need to do is change certain parts, which is correct ONLY if those parts are still available. In my case, the FanTastic Vent control board was not available so my only choice was to change the entire assembly.
I still think the spray on bed liner is a good product for an RV roof, but it should not be considered to be totally leak proof.

[FIRE_UP]

msmith1199 wrote:
Fire Up, how can the rook be completely sealed? There are many things up there stuck in holes in the roof. Are they actually putting this roof over the top of the lips on the vents and AC units? If so, how do you replace those items if you need to? I just replace all my roof vents because they were brittle and falling apart. How could you replace them if they were sealed in?

msmith1199,
Very good questions and points. I asked the very same ones when talking with the supervisor there. His reply: They do clean and prep all the flanges around all the vents and components and then, yes, they spray the roof coating right over the flanges and all the screws etc. That seals everything. As for replacing the roof vent covers, (he explained) in all their years of working on RVs they've never had to replace the main structure of any roof vent. They've only had to replace the actual cover and or, the tilting mechanism. The main structure, (the actual 14" x 14" aluminum flanges, never wear out.

And, he also stated that, if and when "anything" under that coating, i.e. a flanged system, like a skylight over the shower has to be replaced, the coating is "cut" around the perimeter and what ever screw heads and, lifted off. Now, I'm sure it's not as easy as that but, I have no reason to doubt him. When it's done, the roof, is all one piece. It's sprayed right over lap seams of the front and rear caps, roof vents and plumbing vent flanges etc. So, the potential for leak is close to "0". The only way a leak can occur is if a roof vent cover has a crack or, the A/C gasket seal has disintegrated to nothing.

There's companies that are now and have been doing almost the same style of roof coating on business's all over. Only it's more of a Urethane foam coating. Both those and the Rhino lining coating also produce an added benefit of sound deadening during rain etc.
Scott

[msmith1199]

Fire Up, how can the rook be completely sealed? There are many things up there stuck in holes in the roof. Are they actually putting this roof over the top of the lips on the vents and AC units? If so, how do you replace those items if you need to? I just replace all my roof vents because they were brittle and falling apart. How could you replace them if they were sealed in?

[msmith1199]

rgatijnet1 wrote:
I think it would work fine, but, you still have the usual penetrations that could still leak, such as the AC units, vents, skylights, antenna, etc. As with anything, the surface prep must be right to insure good adhesion of the spray on material.

That's a good point. I have a one piece fiberglass roof and it has never leaked through the solid fiberglass, but it has leaked around the vents and sat dish. So no matter what you put on the roof, those areas could still be a potential problem.

[FIRE_UP]

iquilt888,
I've been pushing these conversion roofs for quite a while now. I've often told folks that if they're really fond of their present coach, have no plans of selling anytime soon, and, are NOT FOND of rubber roofs, then spray on roof is the solution of choice.

We had "booboo" (to say the least) on our motor home recently. Someone moved my house and I backed into the corner of the rain gutter and eve. The place that's doing the work, San Diego RV Center in El Cajon CA, is one of the prime places that does that type of roof coating. I've seen many up close. I've talked extensively with the Service writer on the actual procedure.

The rubber is completely stripped off. The "Luan" underlayment is analyzed for structural soundness and, what's needed in replacement, gets it. The A/C units are removed. All other vents, etc. are taped off. The spray coating is done over the radius on the sides and partially on rear and front.

When done, your roof is "completely" sealed. And there are NO USUAL POINTS TO LEAK! They guaranty it for a very long time. Now, almost all the ones that I looked at, at their facility were "Silver" in color. I asked about that. They stated that there's been some extensive testing on interior temps and that Silver has the best reflective heat capability.

But, for an extra, around $1200, they'll prep and paint the radius's to match the colors of the sides etc. of the coach. The coating itself is between 1/8th and 3/16th inch thick. And, it IS FLEXIBLE! It will move with the coach.

They had several rigs already done when I was there last week and, the word is getting out. They receiving more and more calls and inquiries pertaining to the "Change-over". And, from what I saw, it most certainly was not "OLDER" rigs. Of the ones that were there, there were several newer, full body painted higher end coaches. There was a very nice looking Providence, a Monaco, two newer full body painted Bounders and, several 5th wheels and one travel trailer.

If my roof was not machine buffed, hand polished and waxed, I'd be seriously thinking about it. To me, it's an outstanding solution to any existing and, potential roof issues, especially with rubber roofs. While I did inquire about a price, I didn't pay that much attention to what the answer was 'cause I knew my roof didn't need it. Here is their website, just in case you're interested. There is a video of the roof coating.
Scott

Rhino Roof Coating

[wny_pat1]

iquilt888 wrote:
Evening,
I read an article recently about an outfit, I think in Florida, that is putting spray on bed liner, like the Rhino liner, on RV/Motor home roofs.

You make sure that the company who does it is certified to do roofs for Rhino Liner. Some one here had it done and the Rhino Liner dealer was not certified to do roofs. Found out that Rhino Liner would not warranty it because the person who did it was not certified.

[iquilt888]

Don/Shar
Thanks so much for your response. I would take you up on the phone number and $50 off coupon however Florida is a long haul from CA.

I'm curious if the stuff being sprayed on here in CA is the same chemical make-up as was sprayed on your rig? Hmm something to check out for sure. Perhaps I will give Dave's Permanent Roof Coatings a call and talk to him about his product.

Thanks again for the pleasant, enlightening response.

[Don_Shar]

We went to David's Permanent Roof Coatings in Green Cove Springs, Fl
Love the roof and the fact that I never have to get on top and reseal seam and other places. David said he puts it on all types of roofs.
We called ahead and made an appointment. It is not the same as truck-bed liner that gets hard and brittle. It is a Dow Chemical material that is strong and pliable so it won't crack. David is very nice and professional. He even put on a new skylight and exhaust fan. If interested I can give you his phone number and a $50 off coupon that he gave me to pass out when we got ours done.

[hershey]

Thinkin of doing that to my old screen door..Then I'll stick it in the bottom of my old leaky boat. 🙂

[Community Alumni]

I think the only negative would be additional weight. The Line-X on my long bed pick up added 80-lbs so a coach roof would likely add several hundred lbs.

[rgatijnet1]

I think it would work fine, but, you still have the usual penetrations that could still leak, such as the AC units, vents, skylights, antenna, etc. As with anything, the surface prep must be right to insure good adhesion of the spray on material.

[smlranger]

Sounds like a possibility. When I had my fiberglass fishing boat with carpet that was getting worn, I was going to have that stuff sprayed in the boat vs. replacing the carpet. I traded the boat before getting it done.

My concern would be how well it handles the flexing of the roof. My one piece fiberglass roof does flex some when I walk on it. The bed liner stuff is generally sprayed on steel truck beds which I would seem to be more rigid.

[The_Texan]

He's right, it can't be used "OVER" a rubber roof.......They simply remove the rubber membrane and spray it over the wood roof..... Have several friend who had it done and all a very satisfied with the results and appearance.