Need advice for a ruined roof

Awhile back I bought my first travel trailer. A 98 prowler 24lz. I knew nothing about RV's at the time and made some mistakes. The biggest was that the roof was completely shot when I got it. Almost all of the white chalking has worn off leaving only black rubber over 95% of the roof. The front and rear seams were pulling away from the edges. I tried to repair both seams as best I could using staples and eternabond. The rear seam is looking pretty good but the front seam is not so much. The rubber has actually lifted up from the wood under neath so there are some bubbles and just loose rubber around the seam. I bought Liquid roof to try and coat it but i'm worried about the loose rubber. I feel like having a flexible bubbly spot is not goin to be good. Whats my best option, should I just try and staple the bubbles down before I coat it? Should I cut it back and try and spray adhesive in there before I coat it?

The other problem is that i've found out this liquid roof coating is going to be very difficult for me to install myself. I don't have a place to do the install, i'd have to do it out in the boondocks while camping. Also my roof isn't supposed to be walked on so spreading the liquid roof around would be very difficult having to move a ladder every few feet. I was planning to have a local RV shop where its stored do the install but they are going to charge more than $800 just for the install. So the price of the liquid roof, plus primer, plus install is going to be $1000-$1500. For that cost could I get some other RV shop to do it right and actually replace my whole roof?

The one saving factor I have is that I keep the RV stored in Bishop California in the eastern sierra. The annual rainfall is less than 6" there. So hopefully even if the roof isn't perfect with low rainfall not to much damage will be done.

Live and learn I guess. I knew I was going to make mistakes when buying my first trailer. Just not sure how to proceed from here to try and extend the roof life as best I can. Hoping someone can offer advice.

Bird_Freak
Explorer II
Jan 24, 2015
LarryJM wrote:
BarneyS wrote:
The Eternabond tape has been on every seam on my trailer for the past 8 or 9 years and is still holding like it was just put on there.
Barney

Same experience here and I've used it in about every way possible. The poster that believes it peels up easily hasn't seen it properly installed IMO.

Larry
Used it on one of mine 15 yrs ago and still stuck tight with its current owner. Used across full front seam where cap met roof.
LarryJM
Explorer II
Jan 24, 2015
BarneyS wrote:
The Eternabond tape has been on every seam on my trailer for the past 8 or 9 years and is still holding like it was just put on there.
Barney

Same experience here and I've used it in about every way possible. The poster that believes it peels up easily hasn't seen it properly installed IMO.

Larry
BarneyS
Explorer III
Jan 24, 2015
The Eternabond tape has been on every seam on my trailer for the past 8 or 9 years and is still holding like it was just put on there.
Barney
spoon059
Explorer II
Jan 24, 2015
LevcheG... I'll give you credit as a professional roofer. Obviously Eternabond is a bandaid. Ideally everyone would repair ever rip or tear by stripping the roof down to rafters, laying new plywood, priming and properly securing new EPDM rubber.

In the real world cost comes in to play. It has been MY experience that if the roof is properly cleaned to Eternabond's specs than it is virtually indestructible. I've used it and been very impressed with it.
mayo30
Explorer
Jan 24, 2015
I think the question is you are talking about typical roofs as in the picture you supplied,which we all agree is not the typical RV roof we deal with as rv'ers.My point is your comment about eternabond failing is a generalization of a product which is acceptable in the correct location and correct application of an RV roof.Not even close to the same.Apples and oranges.
LevcheG
Explorer
Jan 23, 2015
@ Mayo and Snoop

Guys - here is a thing - EPDM is a system, not just sheet of rubber. As a system, EPDM has components, accessories, etc. In it's latest version, (past 20 years) essential part of ANY epdm system is "Peel and Stick" Seam Tape and Cover Tape, and Flashing that is activated by EPDM Primer.

Eternabond is NOT part of EPDM system. And although at will stick to rubber, as wells as PVC / TPO and other smooth surfaces it's not made for it, and will NEVER as well as system components.

The reason its "popular" is because it requires no knowledge of using EPDM system, does not require same tools and does not need Primer.

Second reason is cost - roll of eternabang costs what - 40-50 bucks?

Roll of rubber (12"x50') costs $200-270 and you cannot buy in in smaller quantity - only Contractor packs. Same for cleaner / primer - 1 gallon minimum - who needs 1 gallon to install just a few patches?

So RVers and homeowners use eternabond which is easy to install band aid. But it does not mean that eterna works as well as EPDM flashing. It doesn't. So if you were to fix your roof right would you put a band-aid?

In the picture I provided, patches were put on by a roofer. Did he clean the surface - IDK ... but in so many other applications, surface was prepared properly, and eternabang still peeled off eaily...

Look, I advise what I personally (as a roofer) this is best for the roof. The rest is unimportant.
spoon059
Explorer II
Jan 23, 2015
LevcheG wrote:
mayo30 wrote:

What is your source of information,can you provide some evidence of failure,it is always useful to do that when trashing on your first post.

Here is a picture of rubber roof with like 20 holes patched with eternabond. Roof leaked like a sieve, and eternabond patches A) peel off easily B) do not work

I've been doing flat roofs for 12 years now, and have seen 0ver 50 roofs "fixed" this way ... I don't bash - just telling how it is.

PS - that roof was replaced with new PVC membrane with heat welded seams

Do you know how the eternabond was installed? Seems to me that a professional would know that even the best product will fail if not properly installed. If you clean the rubber properly using either eternabond primer cleaner or other proper method and then install it, I think you would have a different outlook.

Its amazing that thousands of users on the internet (you know, the place you come to complain about things) seem to LOVE this product. I have never heard of it failing before. In fact, the eternabond on the roof of my RV has worked perfectly and will not come up, no matter how hard I try.
mayo30
Explorer
Jan 23, 2015
LevcheG wrote:
mayo30 wrote:

What is your source of information,can you provide some evidence of failure,it is always useful to do that when trashing on your first post.

Here is a picture of rubber roof with like 20 holes patched with eternabond. Roof leaked like a sieve, and eternabond patches A) peel off easily B) do not work

I've been doing flat roofs for 12 years now, and have seen 0ver 50 roofs "fixed" this way ... I don't bash - just telling how it is.

PS - that roof was replaced with new PVC membrane with heat welded seams

Of course you would not redo the whole roof with eternabond.Just a comment about lack of evidence of correct roof preparartion and correct Eternabond product.You do know of course from your experience that you don't just sweep of the dust and stick a piece of Eternabond on an old roof and expect miracles.I would be absolutely amazed if those little stickies didn't leak.No problems,just know that over many years of use it works exceptionally well in the correct applications and locations.
Jonnygsx
Explorer
Jan 23, 2015
wrenchbender wrote:
Just a thought, my old Shasta had many, many roof problems and I ended up having it foamed.It was done by a roof foaming contractor.Best decision I ever made.I removed the clearance lights and just left the pigtails. after foaming I reinstalled them with a heavy bead of caulk.No leaks and an insulated roof.

How does that work exactly? They just foam over the rubber membrane?
LevcheG
Explorer
Jan 23, 2015
mayo30 wrote:

What is your source of information,can you provide some evidence of failure,it is always useful to do that when trashing on your first post.

Here is a picture of rubber roof with like 20 holes patched with eternabond. Roof leaked like a sieve, and eternabond patches A) peel off easily B) do not work

I've been doing flat roofs for 12 years now, and have seen 0ver 50 roofs "fixed" this way ... I don't bash - just telling how it is.

PS - that roof was replaced with new PVC membrane with heat welded seams