Bob Landry wrote:
The fiberglass or Filon used in RVs is merely thin plywood with a layer of chopped mat and a thin layer of gelcoat sprayed on it , not extremely durable and not nearly the quality of that used in the marine industry. Over a period of time, the effects of UV will still kick in, but it can be minimized by proper care of the exterior surface. This is not an endorsement of the snake oil cleaners and waxes the dealers sell. All that is needed is a good quality wax.
Yes. Though it will take many years for UV to work through that thin coat of Filon enough to cause cracking or delamination. Usually it's factors other than surface UV that cause bulging and cracking. Often - water ingress. (Heat from the sun may cause delamination, by damaging the bond between Filon and plywood, but this is not actual UV and wax won't stop it). I agree that UV protection won't hurt. Won't help much - probably not more than a layer of dust, but won't hurt.
About washing and cleaning (in marine) as a UV protection - I don't think so. Anything on the surface that blocks UV, would help protecting from UV. Dirt and algae will protect from UV. But it may cause a different deterioration due to chemical reaction.
