marc515 wrote:
I did a lot of re-caulking on the seams on the sides and back of our 3-1/2 year old camper this year.
I'm wondering if it wouldn't be better to cut some Eternabond in something like 1/2" or slightly wider strips, and use it instead of Caulk for all the side/front/rear seams. With all the bouncing around these trailers get, the caulking really doesn't hold up well, and I'm thinking the Eternabond will out last the caulking by many years. Luckily the gray Eternabond looks like a fairly good match.
Have any of you guys done it? Any thoughts?
Thank you
I've used Eternabond in everyway more than probably anyone else here including the front seams on my trailer. If the surface is not smooth you will find the Eternabond hard to install, look good and good adhesion can be an issue. Also, it takes some skill to apply Eternabond to non flat surfaces since pulling or stretching it results in poor adhesion and tenting is an always present problem. This is true for even minor stretching or pulling like trying to lay a strip of Eternabond to a right angle interface and you can't go around corners with it. The micro sealant on the Eternabond tape while EXTREMELY STICKY is very flexible and if you pull on it with a constant tension it WILL RELEASE from the surface it was originally adhered to. In fact I removed the Eternabond on my front seam and used caulk and would recommend you do the same. Eternabond is a fantastic product, but just like everything has it's limitations and one has to be especially careful in it's install with proper surface cleaning and preparation paramount.
Two main areas outside of the roof where I have successfully used the Eternabond is the trim strip on the bottom sides of my trailer where the faring is attached to the sidewalls and along the seams on the vertical sides of my slide out. I have also covered every exterior screw with several methods using Eternabond to prevent any screws from developing "wicking" which along with the top roof corners on all trailers are the two "Achilles Heals" for water damage to start. If a screw is subjected to water it has a high probability IMO of wicking and it's simply amazing the amount of damage just a since wicking screw can cause and if you have a hard sided trailer one has to be extra diligent in maintaining water tightness everywhere.
Now for caulk I know a lot here like the Proflex and a few other Urethene based caulks and I used that on that front seam when I removed the Eternabond, however after only a couple of years the Proflex shrunk and separated from one side of the seam and I had to remove it. I found the Proflex had hardened quite a bit and it is not the easiest to put down a good seam and get it smoothed out properly. Back in about 2008 when I went on my Eternabond frenzy I removed all the caulking on the vertical surfaces on the sides of my trailer and re caulked with the 3M Marine 4000UV quick cure caulking. I just inspected all my caulking and the 3M I installed over 6 years ago still looks great and that is what I used just today redoing that front seam that had the Proflex on it. Based on how well the 3M is holding up that is all that will ever be used on my trailer from now on and would recommend you give it a try. It's not cheap and once you open a tube you need to use it all within a short time since once opened the entire tube will start to cure so it's opened shelf live is short.
I've used one tube of the 3M Marine 5200 caulk on a couple of fittings as a surface secondary seal and along the top foot or so on the vinyl insert molding at the top to help prevent water from getting into the metal insert molding. While the 5200 is neither UV stabilized nor is it meant to ever be removed the stuff I put on so far still looks good so that is an alternative, but use it with caution. Main advantage here is the 5200 is available at a lot of HDs in the small tube and only runs about $5 or $6. I just ordered a spare tube of the 3oz 4000UV and paid almost $12 with free shipping and that was about the best price I have found for the smaller tubes.
The 4000UV caulk I used today on my front cap I have had for like 3 or 4 years and 1/3 of the bottom portion of the tube had hardened so even unopened it has a limited shelf life so if you plan to keep some spare a the ready that is something to remember.
Larry
