EPDM or....?

[AGENT86]

On my newly purchased 2006 Rockwood RLT 8314SS I want to treat the roof now, BEFORE any leaks begin. It hasn't ever had a leak, the original owners caulked the seams/fittings, etc., but, it doesn't appear to have ever had any coating applied over the rubber roof.  I've been reading through all the papers & manual that came with the trailer, but haven't found anything that specifically covers how to re-seal the roof, or what product to use.

I purchased a couple tubes of DICORE. One is a SELF-LEVELING LAP SEALANT, the other is NON-LEVELING/NON-SAG caulk.  The self-leveling, I plan to use on the roof, around all the fittings, and seams. The non-leveling, around all windows, fittings on the sides. Does this sound correct?

On the rubber roof itself, it's a bit different than any of the other trailers I looked at, while searching for just the right tt to buy. Where all the others had a smooth rubber surface (often covered with wrinkles & blisters) and was rather loose in areas, the roof on my Rockwood is tight, not a wrinkle or loose area that I can find. The surface of the rubber has a light texture to it, which is the material itself, not from a coating that was rolled over it, or anything like that.

I want to be sure to use the proper coating. I see this stuff advertised here, called EDPM. That seems to be the stuff I should use. If it is, is it the ONLY coating I should use, or, is there other coatings that may be equal to, or even better than, this EDPM? Also, I see there are two types, one WITH a catalyst, one without. Do I have to use the one WITH the catalyst?

Should I apply the caulk on the roof BEFORE or AFTER I apply the coating? I see that the current caulk/sealant on the roof is starting to crack. It's not all the way through, but, I need to take care of it before it gets to a point it begins to allow water into my tt. And, finally, what's the best way to clean the roof before I do all this work? It's not terribly dirty, compared to a lot of the others I looked at. No growth, no mold or mildew, but, the caulk is stained with contaminates, again, not nearly as bad as a lot of the units I looked at before I bought this one.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

You don't need to coat EPDM "just because". It is waterproof and will remain so for many, many years. Unless you can see the weave of the backing material, meaning the EPDM rubber surface is gone, I would not recommend applying a coating. The seams are where leaks come from, so just inspect the seams at least annually and touch up any suspect areas.

If you insist on applying a coating now, it must be a type compatible with EPDM rubber. EPDM is a type of material, not a brand name, and there are several brands of roof coatings that are compatible with it. Some require a primer pre-coat to make it compatible, while others work OK right out of the can. Either works fine. Some brands are: Liquid Roof, Kool Seal RV, Dicor Ruber Roof Coat

 

[Ernie n Tara]

With a light colored roof, it may not even be EPDM, but fibreglass or similar. In any case, Gary's comments are spot on.

Ernie

 

[COMer]

I have a 2008 Rockwood and my rubber roof looks just like the one you describe.  My manual says to wash and treat it every three month's which seems pretty silly.  I do it yearly and wash it according to instructions and then spray a roof protectant on it.  I check the seams each year for any caulk going bad and treat with self leveling Dicor.  If needed, I will repair a seam with Eternabond tape.  I expect it to last a long time if a branch doesn't fall on it and I keep cleaning it faithfully.  I use a pressure washer (very carefully after checking seams) and it does very well and is quick.

 

[wackymac]

My 2002 Fleetwood motorhome has a similar looking roof and according to the literature that came with it the roof material is TPO.

 

[AGENT86]

You don't need to coat EPDM "just because". It is waterproof and will remain so for many, many years. Unless you can see the weave of the backing material, meaning the EPDM rubber surface is gone, I would not recommend applying a coating. The seams are where leaks come from, so just inspect the seams at least annually and touch up any suspect areas.

If you insist on applying a coating now, it must be a type compatible with EPDM rubber. EPDM is a type of material, not a brand name, and there are several brands of roof coatings that are compatible with it. Some require a primer pre-coat to make it compatible, while others work OK right out of the can. Either works fine. Some brands are: Liquid Roof, Kool Seal RV, Dicor Ruber Roof Coat

I see. O.k., then, I will perform an in-depth inspection, and if all is as good as it appears, I'll just clean & then hit all the caulked seams/seals, etc. I do recall that the previous/original owner told me the roof had a 12 year factory warranty. I don't expect it to last that long without some type of treatment/re-coating. Perhaps at the nine or ten year mark. Thank you for the reply & information!

 

[AGENT86]

I have a 2008 Rockwood and my rubber roof looks just like the one you describe.  My manual says to wash and treat it every three month's which seems pretty silly.  I do it yearly and wash it according to instructions and then spray a roof protectant on it.  I check the seams each year for any caulk going bad and treat with self leveling Dicor.  If needed, I will repair a seam with Eternabond tape.  I expect it to last a long time if a branch doesn't fall on it and I keep cleaning it faithfully.  I use a pressure washer (very carefully after checking seams) and it does very well and is quick.

I'm still reading through the manual. It's pretty generic, covering a wide range of Rockwood trailers, including motor homes. If I may ask, how do you like your Rockwood, any inside tips/info you may have about the Rockwood brand? I was reading a site, where folks wrote in about their Rockwood/Forest River experiences, and it wasn't too flattering. However, most of the issues were somewhat minor, IMO. Things like failing cabinet hinges, loose interior trim after running down the road a ways...nothing horrible, really.

Myself, I'm impressed with how solid & tight my Rockwood is built. Compared to a lot of other brands I looked at while shopping around, it was one of the best ones  I looked at. I do have several cabinet doors, overheads, that the lift-arm is broken on. Easy fix, and I think, what many of the complaints were. To me, though, that just isn't that big a deal.

 

[AGENT86]

With a light colored roof, it may not even be EPDM, but fibreglass or similar. In any case, Gary's comments are spot on.

Ernie

Thanks for the reply, I'm going to contact the company itself, to be 100% certain what the material is, plus, I have a few other questions to ask them.

 

[AGENT86]

My 2002 Fleetwood motorhome has a similar looking roof and according to the literature that came with it the roof material is TPO.

I'll contact the company to be 100% certain. I appreciate your input.

 

[COMer]

Quite sure you are describing a rubber roof.  With good maintenance it should last you a long time.  Clean and watch the seams.

The longer I have my Rockwood, the more I like it.  I hear about other people's problems and realize that I have avoided most of them.  Just little things that you fix and move on.  I think it is well worth the money I paid and stacks up well against other trailers in it's price range.  We have lived in ours for about six months each year and all major components have held up well.  I'd buy another with no reservations.  Good luck with yours.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I would expect a EPDM rubber roof to last 12-20 years with adequate maintenance, which just means occasional cleaning. No special "treatments" required. Even an encounter with a low tree branch is just a patch job, i.e. closing a tear with Dicor lap sealant or Eternabond tape. The thing you want to strenuously avoid is any leak at a seam, allowing water to get underneath. That can rot the wood substrate, loosen the adhesive for the rubber sheeting, and cause interior damage as well.