Eternabonding the windows.....

K_and_I wrote:
From JLConline dot com

Thanks for that. That is what I'm talking about. It's an extra layer of protection against water intrusion.
Another level of protection for wood frames is to paint them. Painting the camper wood frames would be a good way to improve or at least delay the effects of water intrusion.
I've noticed on some new home construction that they've gone one step further and are applying this EB type stuff to the whole house once the sheathing has gone on. Comes in rolls like building paper. So it weather proofs the house, not the siding. Vary smart. That Tyvek stuff is garbage and NEVER applied correctly.

From JLConline dot com

Well, at least one guy read what I said and got it......LOL!
Perhaps it was my use of the house window construction that folks aren't familiar with?
Trying to think of a better way without a drawing to make it clearer, but I don't think I can.....

theoldwizard1 wrote:

Bert the Welder wrote:
Was in the shop today and the rubber/synthetic sticky tape they put around house windows these days got me thinking. Why not do that on RV's?
Wrap the window cutout with Eternabond tape, maybe the 2" stuff, inside the cutout frame and out over the outside. Just enough that it doesn't peek out from beneath the window frame. Then butyl on top to bed the window.

Why bother with the first step. Just butyl tape.

I do NOT believe that ANY caulk/sealant lasts "forever". When you place it between two dissimilar materials and expose it to a "non-sheltered" environment you have two powerful forces acting against it.

All materials heat and shrink with ambient temperature changes. The bigger the change in temperature the more expansion/contraction. This is a very powerful force working AGAINST your caulk/sealant !

Sunlight, especially the Ultraviolet portion of the spectrum, causes material to "breakdown" over time.

IMHO, design seals to accept butyl tape and be easily replaced.

EB isn't a caulk.
It won't be exposed to sun. It's under the frame/trim.
EB is designs to stick to a dissimilar material by design
EB is designed to flex with temp changes and movement
The EB is design for UV exposure, but refer to line #2
Butyl is still being used for it's original purpose of bedding the window and sealing around the screw holding said window in place. It's just bedding on the EB surface or at least the narrow strip that is wrapping around to the campers exterior surface.
Also, the butyl is still going to be a maintenance item. The EB isn't there to replace it, nor effect it's performance as a material. It's there to do what it's designed to do. A durable, tough, long lasting membrane to provide a primary seal to prevent water soaking/wicking into the exposed edge of the camper exterior shell and internal frame/insulation materials. The butyl still performs it's job of bedding the window into a water proof material, preventing water from getting into the camper, as long as it is still within it's functional life span.

LarryJM wrote:

gbopp wrote:
Would the (minimal) thickness of the Eternabond interfere with the window seating properly on the butyl tape?
I'm thinking it could leave a small gap between the window and the side of the RV.
Maybe it would be better to just use the tape they use on houses?

Instead of Eternabond if I was redoing a window I would wrap the opening like the OP suggested with 2"/3" wide aluminum tape. It's extremely thin and would make the opening basically waterproof. You would just have to be careful installing the window to avoid tearing the tape.

Larry

That's why I wouldn't use Alum. tape. Way to fragile. Plus, when a screw goes into it, it doesn't have that "self healing" property that EB has. And Shoving a window into a frame, you are guarantied to tear it. PLUS the Alum. tape won't handle expansion/contraction well.

gbopp wrote:
Would the (minimal) thickness of the Eternabond interfere with the window seating properly on the butyl tape?
I'm thinking it could leave a small gap between the window and the side of the RV.
Maybe it would be better to just use the tape they use on houses?

The E-Tape would be pretty flat like the camper sides and the butyl would still act the same as it would squish down just like it does when applied sans E-Tape. Perhaps having the EB be a bit more recessed back from the perimeter of the window trim/frame so the butyl laps over that edge may be a good way. But I don't think it's needed as water isn't going to get under the edge of the EB if properly applied.

I wouldn't be surprised if the tape used on houses isn't just a different form of EB. Though, due to being covered by all the house cladding and trim, it's not exposed to weather and sun. EB is designed to be exposed to all that, so I wouldn't go and use the house stuff on an RV necessarily. It also may not take as much movement as EB does.

rhagfo wrote:

JIMNLIN wrote:
Should look great with all those 2" wide band aid strips all over the trailer :R. However if resale/looks isn't a issue and the unit will be like a hunters cabin in the woods then looks should be fine.

If you read the OP post, the thought was to wrap like the window frame in a new house. about 1/2" on the side of the opening the rest coming and covering the open space/ insulation.

BINGO! :)

OK... this got misunderstood a bit it seems.....

No Alum. tape was involved.

E-Tape wouldn't stick out past the outside surface of the window frame/trim so not visible, so wouldn't look like a hack job. I used 2" as an example as it's the narrowest I've seen it come in. Not to say it doesn't come narrower, just that's all I've seen. So it your walls are an 1.5" thick, you'd be left with a 1/2" wrapped to the outside wall surface. Not that yours or all walls are that thick, but it's just as an example.....

Bert the Welder wrote:
Was in the shop today and the rubber/synthetic sticky tape they put around house windows these days got me thinking. Why not do that on RV's?
Wrap the window cutout with Eternabond tape, maybe the 2" stuff, inside the cutout frame and out over the outside. Just enough that it doesn't peek out from beneath the window frame. Then butyl on top to bed the window.

Why bother with the first step. Just butyl tape.

I do NOT believe that ANY caulk/sealant lasts "forever". When you place it between two dissimilar materials and expose it to a "non-sheltered" environment you have two powerful forces acting against it.

All materials heat and shrink with ambient temperature changes. The bigger the change in temperature the more expansion/contraction. This is a very powerful force working AGAINST your caulk/sealant !

Sunlight, especially the Ultraviolet portion of the spectrum, causes material to "breakdown" over time.

IMHO, design seals to accept butyl tape and be easily replaced.

gbopp wrote:
Would the (minimal) thickness of the Eternabond interfere with the window seating properly on the butyl tape?
I'm thinking it could leave a small gap between the window and the side of the RV.
Maybe it would be better to just use the tape they use on houses?

Instead of Eternabond if I was redoing a window I would wrap the opening like the OP suggested with 2"/3" wide aluminum tape. It's extremely thin and would make the opening basically waterproof. You would just have to be careful installing the window to avoid tearing the tape.

Larry