The Eternabond Blues......

[Onesweetvan]

I've used Eternabond Tape while patching/ repairing my 20 year old rubber roof and have, initially, been quite impressed with the product. I mostly used it to cover the joint between the aluminum siding and roof membrane after lifting off the rubber to repair some roof sheathing rott. I used acetone to clean all surfaces prior to using the tape.

The last time I worked on the roof was last summer and in the fall, parked in my driveway with much rain, the repairs seemed to hold up well. However on a recent trip the leading edge in both front and rear joints lifted up near the center and caused leaks. No tape residue was left, it came off as though I had never applied it.

Has anyone else had this tape lift off like I describe? What is the cure to prevent this in the future?

Looks like I'll probably redo the whole roof this summer, but I had planned on using Eternabond on the front and rear seams, now I'm not do sure about that.

Any thoughts?

Moved to Tech Issues forum from DIY.

[mlts22]

I've see very good work done using the EternaClean->EternaPrime->EB->EternaCaulk method. EternaClean is good at getting the gunk off. EternaPrime will get the tape to bond even if the surface is dusty or still not 100% clean. EternaCaulk is good as a first barrier to keep the edges of the tape from getting soiled.

I also learned that pushing down by hand is fruitless. You need to roll it down and roll it down hard for it to bond.

One idea I have, but I've not tried it, might be using double-thickness EB tape, which might make things easier.

[westend]

Most failures of Eternabond sealing to any surface are related to the condition of the surface it is applied. If there is sealant under the tape, it may be that Eternabond is not compatible with that sealant. Silicone caulk and any silicone residue will prevent a good bond. Acetone may not remove all of any residue. Oxidation of the surface may loosen the bond also.

[spadoctor]

used it on my last camper...never again!!!

[Bill_T]

Bought a roll of 6" EB tape. A tube of EB caulk came with it. Sealed all the seams as instructed by EB. All looks good for now.

[Onesweetvan]

Thought I should update my story a bit.
We got home from our Christmas vacation, I covered the trailer and left it till just last week. Imagine my surprise, seeing all that Eternabond that had lifted six months earlier, now under the July sun and under the cover had stuck itself to the rubber roof and everything else it touched. I caulked the leading edges and we went camping. Not far but it did rain and we stayed dry. The damage is done however. I pulled the ceiling and insulation in the bathroom off and am letting it dry for the rest of the summer. I'm really not in a roof replacing mood.

[Pangaea_Ron]

I used this first, and had good results.

Eternabond Cleaner Link

[LarryJM]

sjholt wrote:
Like was said before- Clean area with lacquer thinner first.

IMO that is the most critical first step and then you have to lay it and not force it or put it under any stress since the micro sealant will stretch and release if you "pull it" or force fit it. Lastly you have to "roll it hard" to release the micro sealant so it bonds properly. I did my entire roof almost 6 years ago and used close to 80' of the 4" tape and with a lot of other seams have I would guess close to 150' of tape and not a single edge (except for two short sections a total of about 6' total) has lifted and I only caulked the leading edge on the front roof end seam.

Larry

[Onesweetvan]

I did use a roller on some of my Eternabond repairs but can't say for sure if I used it on those in question. At any rate, I didn't just lay the tape down, I pressed hard. I also cleaned everything very well and worked in the hot noonday sun to get maximum adhesion.

However, I find it very strange that twice, a 2' section of a nearly 8' stretch of tape lifted off while the rest stayed put. I'll try Lacquer Thinner if there is a next time, but I seem to think that acetone was also an option. Maybe I'm wrong about that. The trailer is covered now and I'm making plans to replace the rubber roof this spring.

[yankee_camper]

I had the same thing happen to me. Used it on bare aluminum roof to sidewall joints.Cleaned it properly.Rolled it. Parked in my driveway it started to curl up water got underneath the tape and eventually peeled. I have not been impressed. Contacted Eternabond they wanted everything but a roof sample from me before they would replace the what I think was defective tape but I had already ripped it all off and repaired the the rig.Have heard lots of good things about Eternabond but I'm not impressed with it at all.

[Simplygib]

You only need to caulk the leading edge to protect it from wind. I read this somewhere, might have been in the instructions that came with the product. I Eternabonded the entire roof of my truck camper and then caulked the leading edge of each strip. Never had any of it come up in 4 years now. My buddy has some on the top of his Class A - no caulking, and peeling up in several spots.

[sjholt]

Like was said before- Clean area with lacquer thinner first.

[BurbMan]

Eternabond had an issue with a defective batch of 2" tape a while back. I had the same problem where the tape just lifted off. Call EB and describe the problem and they will send you replacement tape. Be sure to use the EB cleaner before applying the tape to be sure you get a good seal.

[TurnThePage]

There were some bad batches of Eternabond a few years ago. The company appears to have stood behind their product and replaced those flawed products as they've sprung up. Dunno if yours qualifies. I've had Eternabond on my RV roof, which is permanently outdoors, for about 9 years now. It's stayed in place very nicely. Aside from some unique bends and corners, I have never considered caulking the edges of the tape. It's supposed to replace that need!

[ScottG]

You have to roll it hard enough to see the grey adhesive starting to ooze out the edges.