Dicor or Eternabond Tape -Which is Better

[Christl]

Hi Folks: Looking for recommendation on which is better to use on covering the seam along the top flat edge of an aluminum roof - eternabond tape or re-caulking with Dicor? The white aluminum roof has a orange peel surface to it. It looks like the original sealing compound is Dicor. I have cleaned the surface of the Dicor caulking and aluminum roof well and could apply a 2 inch strip of Eternabond tape covering the seam and the old Dicor so that the edge of the tape was also on new clean aluminum roof. The alternative is to re-caulk with Dicor? Does anyone have experience with which will provide the better longer lasting seal? thank you for your input. I have used Geocel ProFlexRV and got good results on vertical seams and around lights etc. but have not use Eternabond tape or Dicor yet.
Here are some pictures of the cleaned section of the roof edge.

[Tarkin75]

wintersun wrote:
A lot more prep work for your roof to get it ready for Eternabond (which also requires use of a special cleaner).

That's not true, it's not required, only on certain surfaces and\or conditions.

But, to your point about doing it anyways even with dicor, that kind of precludes it from being "a lot more prep work" IMNSHO.

Later
C

[Tarkin75]

silversand wrote:
Why not order the Eternabond directly from the manufacturer? This will avoid any chance of the stuff being a Chinese knock-off, or being stale-dated.

Well, that's what i'll be doing now, but It's amazon.com not "stupidripyouoffakervsite.com" so you'd expect a bit more "honesty". yes it's in quotes for a reason as i'm not naive. It was the first time i'd bought eternabond, and I don't typically buy everything I buy directly from the manufacturer:)

Later
C

[wintersun]

A lot more prep work for your roof to get it ready for Eternabond (which also requires use of a special cleaner). With Dicor it is still a good idea to go over the existing sealant with naptha or Kleen Strip's Industrial Maintenance Coating Thinner. I have had great results with the Keen Strip product which is available at Home Depot.

Clean off the existing caulking and scrap away excess caulking and then pick a day with temps over 70 degrees to apply the Dicor - the warmer it is outside the more it becomes "self-leveling" after it is applied.

[jaycocreek]

I used Snow Seal mobile home roof coating on my pickup camper/motorhome/travel trailer and fifth wheel. Worked great.

[Mello_Mike]

Tarkin75 wrote:
I wonder how many Eternabond users bought it at the official eternabond outlets.I bought some from Amazon.com thinking eternabond over freshly sealed joints would be the ticket, but the eternabond peeled away doing nothing more than sitting in the driveway. I emailed eternabond and they said they only supply granger and reese, and had no clue who was supplying amazon.com but it wasn't them.

I had to get a refund from amazon and sent all the bull**** back to them in their box. eternabond told me amazon could be using their name and putting it on any old product. And yes, it was shipped and sold by amazon.com not a marketplace seller.

later
C

Good info. I ordered mine on Amazon.com also, but it was through Reese Warehouse, an authorized Eternabond dealer.

[silversand]

The tape I got from amazon sure looked like the real deal though. had the literature, website addresses, etc

Could this stuff have been stale-dated ?? I OFTEN find stale-dated caulking being sold in the 4 hardware stores I buy building materials from. I am not shy, and will bring an arm-full of stale-dated caulking to the store manager, and ask. "what's up dude?"

I don't know f this situation is pure incompetence, or if it is deliberate.

Why not order the Eternabond directly from the manufacturer? This will avoid any chance of the stuff being a Chinese knock-off, or being stale-dated.

The option is putting stale-dated or Chinese knock-off sealants on your RV (unknowingly), and your RV being destroyed by water infiltration perhaps unnoticed, because the product isn't performing per spec.

S-

[Tarkin75]

Christl wrote:

I can't remember who provided the comment about Amazon selling their brand of Eternabond tape but thanks for the comment as I would never have realized this was happening with someone using the same brand name. When you know something works from experience you do not want a cheap imitation.
cheers

That was me, and I can't say amazon isn't selling real eternabond, but eternabond themselves told me over email they only supply grainger and reese for distribution.

The tape I got from amazon sure looked like the real deal though. had the literature, website addresses, etc, etc. But it didn't stick any better than some old school masking tape.

later
C

[Christl]

pjay9 asked the question - You got any pics and details on your crazy glue fix?

I will create a new topic to explain and provide some pics on the use of crazy glue to strengthen wafer board while in place as soon as I get done sealing cracked and badly weathered seams on the roof.

I can't remember who provided the comment about Amazon selling their brand of Eternabond tape but thanks for the comment as I would never have realized this was happening with someone using the same brand name. When you know something works from experience you do not want a cheap imitation.
cheers

[covered_wagon]

deleleted post..... off topic.

[HMS_Beagle]

Bob B wrote:
Has anyone tried the 3M 4200 or 5200 marine sealants?

I will only use 3M polyurethanes on the roof. I prefer 3M 4000 UV which yellows less in the sun. The extra strength of 5200 is usually unnecessary (though I did use it for the solar panel mounts, there being no other fasteners).

However you will not get good results by dribbling it on the outside of a joint, as Dicor is intended (apparently) to be used. Pull off the vent or cover, clean it up, and reseal it properly with polyurethane if you are going to do it. I posted some pictures awhile back you would find with a search. However some seams, like the one in the OP, would be very difficult to open and reseal properly, so you are left with the band aid approaches. Also rubber roof materials may not be compatible with polyurethanes, I have no experience with them.

Regarding longevity, the standard strategy in the RV business is to fix the leaks in the roof (again) every year. This would never be done on a yacht. On my last Bigfoot camper, shortly after my new purchase in 1998 I scraped the mess of Dicor and silicone from the roof and resealed all the vents properly. I sold it last year with no leaks and no roof maintenance, the new owner has not touched it either, 16 years now leak and maintenance free. I am a believer in the old saying, "If you can't find the time to do it right, how are you going to find the time to do it again?"

[pjay9]

Christl wrote:
I was lucky to have been able to fix the wafer board by soaking it with crazy glue. I can't help but wonder if covering Dicor with Eternabond tape would stop the Dicor from weathering so you would have a seal for much longer time?

You got any pics and details on your crazy glue fix?

[Tarkin75]

I wonder how many Eternabond users bought it at the official eternabond outlets.I bought some from Amazon.com thinking eternabond over freshly sealed joints would be the ticket, but the eternabond peeled away doing nothing more than sitting in the driveway. I emailed eternabond and they said they only supply granger and reese, and had no clue who was supplying amazon.com but it wasn't them.

I had to get a refund from amazon and sent all the bull**** back to them in their box. eternabond told me amazon could be using their name and putting it on any old product. And yes, it was shipped and sold by amazon.com not a marketplace seller.

later
C

[Christl]

Hi Members: The discussion amoungst yourselves on this topic has been very useful to me as a new member. There is nothing that makes more work for a TC owner then a leak that has created interior damage or weakness. I discovered a leak last year but to late and now had to structurally improve some internal wafer board. I was lucky to have been able to fix the wafer board by soaking it with crazy glue. I can't help but wonder if covering Dicor with Eternabond tape would stop the Dicor from weathering so you would have a seal for much longer time?

[whizbang]

I have had either a camper or a diesel pusher since 2002. My experience with Dicor is that it will crack and dry out and EVENTUALLY leak.

Once every year I hop up on the roof with the heat gun and scrapper and usually find 4 or 5 feet of seams that are on the verge of failing. 20 minutes with the heat gun and the old caulk is gone. Putting on new Dicor takes less than 10 minutes. My annual roof maintenance is about a half hour.

Yes, I "redo" the roof ever year, BUT NOT THE WHOLE ROOF, only a small section.

Since I started maintaining the roof in this fashion, I have not had a single leak. And this is Seattle.