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Old 03-29-2022, 01:28 AM   #1
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Alternative Roofing Materials

I have never been a fan of the rubberized roofing on our Voltage. And now, after 10 years the roof needs some work and I'm considering an alternative type of material. I just don't know yet what "type" I'm going to use. Several years ago the back corner of the roof got a tear from a low hanging tree branch at a campground and I didn't do the best job of sealing it up. We ended up with a section of the roof decking needing to be replaced. I pealed back the EPDM and replaced the OSB (plywood), reglued the EPDM and put the correct patch material over the tear. All appeared to be fine after that.

Then two years ago I found a considerable soft spot under where the roof ladder is mounted. Apparently the DICOR type sealer around the mounts had leaked. I just cleaned the spot and applied more sealer to stop any additional leaking and damage. Now its time to get serious about fixing it and rather than just peal it back and repair the decking like I did on the other side I want to remove the entire ladder mount since we don't use it anyway. This means I need to patch the 4 mounting holes. So, instead I am considering pulling up and replacing the entire roof.

The question is replace it with what? I am not interested in paying a ridiculous amount of money to have someone else do the job. This will be a DIY project of which I am quite capable. I am intrigued by the direct roll-on or spray on roofing material that is available. The online videos and adds make it look easy enough and the roofs sure look good when they are done. But how well do they hold up and how long do they last? One of the materials I've looked at is Crazy Seal (https://crazyseal.com/rv-roofs/). I like that this material can be applied directly over the wood roof deck of the RV as I would like to remove all of the EDPM and start clean.

Has any one replaced their roof with something other than EDPM or TPO rubber, preferably something that can go directly on the wood deck? If so, what product did you use and how has it worked so far?
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Old 04-02-2022, 09:06 PM   #2
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Great question. Many products can withstand the constant sun on an RV roof BUT it's the lack of flexibility to twist and turn as the RV is traveling on the road that makes most products useless for RV roof repair.

In 2015 when a tree limb tore my roof, the above was explained to me by the dealership service department. So I replaced the entire roof.

I'd love to know if there's a reliable product to patch a EDPM tear that will also hold up to the rigors of travel.
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Old 04-02-2022, 11:47 PM   #3
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eternabond tape

I've had good luck with eternabond tape, when properly applied. You need to follow all the instructions for prep.
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Old 04-03-2022, 07:15 PM   #4
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WoW! No users of anything else yet.

Over 220 views of the post so far and not a response from anyone that has used any type of alternative roofing. This is really a surprise to me. I thought for sure I would be inundated with recommendations.

The "Crazy Seal" coating I'm favoring offers a 50 year warranty which is unreal. I found the original article about Crazy Seal that got me interested several years ago. I've attached the pdf of the Trailer Life magazine article that featured it back in May of 2020.
Attached Files
File Type: pdf Crazy-Seal-Trailer-Life.pdf (3.79 MB, 65 views)
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Old 04-03-2022, 10:08 PM   #5
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https://www.homedepot.com/p/8-ft-Cor...E&gclsrc=aw.ds
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Old 04-19-2022, 09:57 PM   #6
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Sorry so late in seeing this post

Washed my 2011 - 38 ft. Colemen 5th wheel EPDM roof to get the loose gunk off, then painted the whole roof with white Flex Seal. Used 3 gal and part of a quart in two days with a brush and 4" roller. It sealed a few tiny holes caused by tree branches and made the roof look brand new. It dries to a hard rubber consistency. Did this last fall. Pulled it to FL and let it bake in the sun, then back to PA - 3k miles. So far, so good, looks just like the day I finished painting it. Cost: about $240 with the military discount at Lowes and HD and my aching back.

Also been using the Flex seal tape and spray cans of rubber seal to fix some tree branch holes in a couple slide out covers and my awning. The vinyl awning is so old the vinyl is starting to peel from the backing. Have been able to stem the need for total replacement using a combination of white and grey spray cans to blend with the original colors so far. Just my experience with Flex Seal.
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Old 07-05-2022, 12:10 AM   #7
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New to the group and to RV ownership, but have enough common sense to know that the roof was the first thing I wanted to look at when I purchased my 2018 Coachman Atlas 3132ML. Water is not a RV's friend and can cause a LOT of damage. I came across the EternaBond tape (mentioned by @leisuresolar above) and have read a lot of good reviews but wondered about Flex Seal (mentioned by @KECoats above) mainly for its rubber texture when dried - per the adds and info. While I haven't used either yet, I am thinking that a combination of both may be a solid solution to a water tight roof. EternaBond tape along the edges and around the air, vents and others items and then Flex Seal over the main portion of the roof to provide that solid watertight barrier. As for Crazy Seal and the main topic in this thread, no knowledge of it and not one I even looked at - sorry.
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Old 07-05-2022, 03:54 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Insta-Gator View Post
New to the group and to RV ownership, but have enough common sense to know that the roof was the first thing I wanted to look at when I purchased my 2018 Coachman Atlas 3132ML. Water is not a RV's friend and can cause a LOT of damage. I came across the EternaBond tape (mentioned by @leisuresolar above) and have read a lot of good reviews but wondered about Flex Seal (mentioned by @KECoats above) mainly for its rubber texture when dried - per the adds and info. While I haven't used either yet, I am thinking that a combination of both may be a solid solution to a water tight roof. EternaBond tape along the edges and around the air, vents and others items and then Flex Seal over the main portion of the roof to provide that solid watertight barrier. As for Crazy Seal and the main topic in this thread, no knowledge of it and not one I even looked at - sorry.

I'm pretty sure that FLEX SEAL is not a good long-term solution for an RV roof. EternaBond is just that, very LONG term and great for sealing vents and edges as well as other products specifically manufactured for RV roofs. Other products from the same company that manufactures EternaBond are made to be removed and replaced. Some are self leveling and others stay where they are put. but they can be removed in case you need to replace a fan or AC.

https://www.thervgeeks.com/flex-seal-for-rv-roof/

Oh, almost forgot, have you ever seen an RV going down the road and the roof was blowing up like a balloon?
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Old 07-06-2022, 10:28 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by franktafl View Post
I'm pretty sure that FLEX SEAL is not a good long-term solution for an RV roof. EternaBond is just that, very LONG term and great for sealing vents and edges as well as other products specifically manufactured for RV roofs. Other products from the same company that manufactures EternaBond are made to be removed and replaced. Some are self leveling and others stay where they are put. but they can be removed in case you need to replace a fan or AC.
Yeah, that's what I figured... nothing is ever easy anymore. Ad for the balloon not so much an RV, but have seen older style cars doing it....
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Old 07-13-2022, 10:34 PM   #10
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I've always wondered why aluminum is not a more prevalent roofing material. Can't be torn and would last almost forever. I understand the added expense at time of installation but there would be very little maintenance going forward. Might even gain a couple of hundred pounds of cargo capacity. In my opinion a manufacturing upgrade well worth the cost.
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