Re-roofing a camper

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lifelists@earthlink.net - 22 Aug 2006 23:09 GMT

Hi,

I have been keeping my warrior in the barn as we found a leak. Last
summer we had it in the dealers shop for a sealtec test and after much
work the place could not fix it. At this point we are looking into
giving it up or putting a new roof on it.

I would like to keep it for a while longer as we like it but the dealer
was unfamilar ( that is what they said) with how to cover an aluminum
roof.

Has anyone had work like this done and can make a recommendation
for a shop that you used. I am in New England and will be traveling to
Arizona, so will consider options coast to coast.

Thanks in advance,
Jon

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RAM³ - 23 Aug 2006 02:25 GMT

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> Thanks in advance,
> Jon

You have several options available to you:

1. Find, and caulk, the leaks by pressurizing the inside and spraying a soap
solution on the roof - where the bubbles form there's a leak.

2. Take it to a shop that can put a layer of Fiberglass on top. Boat/Auto
repair shops may be your best bet.

3. Take it to an RV Repair shop and have them install an EPDM [Rubber] roof.

4. Take it to a Auto/Truck Accessory shop and have them apply a Line-X or
Rhino layer.
4A. Buy the roll-on pickup bedliner kit and do-it-yourself.

5. Take it to an Auto paint-and-body shop and have them ClearCoat it.

I'm sure that others will supply more options. <G>

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Frank Tabor - 23 Aug 2006 02:39 GMT

>> Hi,
>>
[quoted text clipped - 31 lines]
>
>I'm sure that others will supply more options. <G>

The easiest, is Cool Seal. The big box hardware stores sell it. It's
the stuff you seal mobile home aluminum roofs with.

Signature

Frank Tabor

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Matt - 24 Aug 2006 19:43 GMT

> >> Hi,
> >>
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> >> Thanks in advance,
> >> Jon

Snip

> The easiest, is Cool Seal. The big box hardware stores sell it. It's
> the stuff you seal mobile home aluminum roofs with.

Even better is RUSCOE Restoration Roof Coat. Made for commercial
application it's a 1 part epoxy, silver color that is literally like
rubber when dry. Put on right it is about 1/8" thick. Last time I
bought 5 Gallons it was around $150. Did my trailer in Nags Head six
years ago and haven't had a leak yet. FWIW.

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Grumpy AuContraire - 09 Dec 2006 16:48 GMT

> > "RAM3" <S31924.nospam@netscape.net> wrote:
> >
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
> bought 5 Gallons it was around $150. Did my trailer in Nags Head six
> years ago and haven't had a leak yet. FWIW.

I used about to very liberal coats of the standard aluminum mobil home
roof coating that formed close to what you described as 1/8". After a
few weeks to allow a thourough drying period, I applied two coats of the
"Cool White" (or similar) rubberized stuff. I make it a practice to
apply a coat of the white stuff at least every other year. Never had
any sort of leak since.

JT

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Randy G. - 10 Dec 2006 20:21 GMT

>I used about to very liberal coats of the standard aluminum mobil home
>roof coating that formed close to what you described as 1/8". After a
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
>JT

I am not commenting on any specific product, procedure, nor your
experiences, but one must keep in mind that anything that is applied
may one day have to be removed. if you apply some sort of thick,
rubbery, tough sealant all over a roof and it still leaks, now what?

I am speaking from limited, but specific experience after spending
some 50 hours removing the reseal job that was done by some supposed
professionals that could not have been much more wrong if they had
tried. They charged the PO over $800 quite some time ago to do a job
that should have cost 1/4 of that if they had taken the time to
actually find the leaks instead of worrying about the next Mercedes
payment. "Fargen bastidges."

I would suggest using products specifically made for RV use. RVs are
subject to the same sort of expansion/contraction and weather exposure
that a dwelling's roof is, but further than that, they are also
subject to flexing and twisting forces that your home is not... I
hope.

Another problem is that there are a lot of RVs, campers, and trailers
that are built on wood frameworks, and by the time you notice a leak
it could have been going on for a year or two- or more. This long-term
leakage will damage the wood frame into which the roof is fastened, so
that a reseal job done now will leak in a sort time and the fasteners
move about, the panels are allowed to float, and the reseal is torn
from the flexing and movement.

Roof repair is worth taking the time to do right, and it can take a
lot of time. see the roof chapter on my website for what I went
through because the job was not done right in the first place:
http://home.surewest.net/frcn/MotorHome/
Even with all that, if I was not worried about approaching rains I
would have put another 20 hours into it.. but that's another chapter.

If a service shop cannot find a leak it's time to find another shop.

BTW- if there's anyone in the Northern Central California area who
knows who owned/operated 'McDonald's travel and Fun Center" I sure
would like to know who they were!

From Randy & Val
1990 30' Rexhal Airex

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