Community Forums

Kevin J · 01-16-2013, 07:11 AM

I've been searching, but I haven't been able to find information on what product to use to reseal/recoat a fiberglass roof. I have a Rexhall that has a fiberglass roof that has some "spider" cracks and a number of other small spots that need to be attended to. I would like to apply a complete layer of the proper sealant/coating to it. Any advise? Thank you!

MartinP · 01-16-2013, 07:37 AM

I wouldn't be too concerned about the spider cracks unless the cracks are down to the fiberglass matting. What has happened is the Gel Coat has cracked and the only way that I know to deal with this is to re-apply gel coat to the damaged areas (cracks). As for a sealer/polish you will find a lot of informatiom on this web site on what products people have used, one of which I know is Poly Glow. I have the same spider cracks here and there on the roof of my Rexhall Anthem and as stated above would re-apply the gel coat on those ares using a fine artist's paint brush. You could also give a body shop a that deals with fiberglass repairs a call. Hope this helps.

Martin

pumper9x9 · 01-16-2013, 08:48 AM

Go to the search box at the top of the page and enter "wax roof" you will find a number of threads good luck

MSHappyCampers · 01-16-2013, 09:22 AM

When we bought our Monaco a few months ago it had a leak that I could not determine where it was coming from. I bought a 50' roll of 4" Eternabond roof sealing tape and two tubes of the 502LSW Dicor self-leveling roof sealant and completely resealed everything up there! I used the Eternabond on all the larger openings such as vents, air conditioners, etc., and the Dicor sealant on smaller things like vent pipes, TV antenna, etc. Bingo! no more leaks!

Kevin J · 01-16-2013, 09:35 AM

Thanks for your replies. I'm not as concerned with the spider cracks as much as I am with the other spots. There are quite a few places where it looks like the roofing material (the white surface) has chipped off or just worn out. They are small, but if you look closely, you can see some of the fiberglass "threads" are exposed. I'm afraid water will seep through. I am looking for something that will seal these exposed areas.

Kevin J · 01-16-2013, 09:41 AM

Here are a couple of pics of the problem.

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Kevin J · 01-16-2013, 11:54 AM

Any suggestions based on the pics?

MartinP · 01-16-2013, 12:26 PM

Kevin,

I myself would use fiberglass expoxy resin followed by white gelcoat to colour match with the surrounding white surface.

Martin

Kevin J · 01-16-2013, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MartinP

Kevin,

I myself would use fiberglass expoxy resin followed by white gelcoat to colour match with the surrounding white surface.

Martin

Is this something I could apply to a large area? If I tried to do the damaged spots individually, it would be quite a chore, although I will do it that way if necessary. I would like to apply it with a 3" or 4" paint brush minimum. Thanks for the suggestion. I don't know much about fiberglass, but I would like to repair it properly.

oseberg · 01-16-2013, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin J

I've been searching, but I haven't been able to find information on what product to use to reseal/recoat a fiberglass roof. I have a Rexhall that has a fiberglass roof that has some "spider" cracks and a number of other small spots that need to be attended to. I would like to apply a complete layer of the proper sealant/coating to it. Any advise? Thank you!

Kevin I need to do the same for my 1996 Affinity. The Topside paint refers to the finish applied on a boats upper hull and deck area. Here are some names to search out, West Marine Sea Gloss Pro. Interlux and Petit and I am going to use the one part polyurethane. I just had my deck done with Algrip witch is a overkill for RV roof. Search Topside paint for boats and you will be busy, hope this will help

Tom Buka
1996 Affinity

Clayobx · 01-17-2013, 07:57 AM

I would use 'marine tex' a two part epoxy filler in the exposed areas, yes it is better to fill each one individually.. You may find while preparing the areas that the gel coat will need to be chipped at to dislodge any gel that is delaminating other than what is apparent. Once that is completed the area will need to be sanded with fine paper, then washed with acetone. Now you can apply the marine tex to fill the cavities to original profile. Then I would use Petite TWO part epoxy paint. I have used the one part and 25% of the time it does not 'kick'. The colors most likely will not match due to uv exposure. A simple way is to acetone the area, wipe down, purchase a cartridge of 3m 5200 polyurethane. The 5200 can be shaped with mineral spirits using a plastic body knife. This is an easy effective way of repair. The 5200 is permanent. Past boat yard owner for twenty years. JMO!

MartinP · 01-17-2013, 08:02 AM

Kevin,

I would only use this type of repair for localized spots as you have even though it may be time consuming. You could also use epoxy paint over the resin. The objective is to seal and protect the fiberglass matting from moisture and UV rays. There may be a better alternative, that is why I suggested calling an automotive bodyshop. I hope this helps.

Martin

Gary RVRoamer · 01-17-2013, 08:02 AM

If you are concerned, you could coat it with any elastomeric roof coating, e.g. Koolseal. That will both cover it cosmetically and provide further waterproofing.

The pictures look to me like the roof is already coated with something - that ripple effect doesn't look like the surface of the actual fiberglass. The bottom picture looks like a seam between the fiberglass roof and an adjacent, coated area, perhaps the front or rear cap?

Kevin J · 01-17-2013, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer

If you are concerned, you could coat it with any elastomeric roof coating, e.g. Koolseal. That will both cover it cosmetically and provide further waterproofing.

The pictures look to me like the roof is already coated with something - that ripple effect doesn't look like the surface of the actual fiberglass. The bottom picture looks like a seam between the fiberglass roof and an adjacent, coated area, perhaps the front or rear cap?

The roof has two different textures. I've added another pic below. It's hard to see, but the "textured" part of the roof runs right down the middle of the roof, about the same width as the roof vent. The other surfaces on each side are very smooth. I don't know why it was done this way except maybe the textured part was done so when you walked on the roof it would provide a surface that wasn't as slippery (when wet, etc.).