Community Forums

bgdavis64 · 12-09-2012, 09:09 PM

hello all i'm a newbie to the rv world. I just bought a 99 southwind 35s. The tv antenna was destroyed when i bought it. I purchased a Jack's fixed mount antenna. when i was getting the old antenna off it ripped up the rubber roof liner. I glued it back down and installed the new jack antenna. I live 50 mins away from a rv dealer so i used some indoor outdoor caulk. To make it even better it started to rain as i was finishing up. I went to town with the caulk really laid it on thick. I now have it covered with a trash bag as it is pouring rain out now. Is this general caulk ok? I plan on going up to get some rubber rv roof coating as soon as i can. Question is did i just ruin my roof?

Mr_D · 12-09-2012, 09:20 PM

Problem with silicone caulk on a RV roof is that it won't stick very well or last very long and is almost impossible to remove well enough to get anything else to stick. I don't use it and neither do most RV factories as their testing/repairs have confirmed the previous statements.

Gary RVRoamer · 12-10-2012, 07:43 AM

A general purpose caulk is probably ok as long as it isn't silicone-based. Latex, urethane, etc. work adequately on a rubber roof.

If the caulk you used was a silicone type, I would remove it as best I could and then wipe off the residue with a cloth dampened in mineral spirits. Do not put a lot of mineral spirits on the rubber itself - it will loosen the adhesive underneath. Or buy a special silicone caulk remover such as Motsenbocker's.
Silicone Remover from Motsenbocker's Lift Off | The Home Depot - Model 411-45

In any case, you did not ruin your roof. Silicone is a pain to work with or around in the future, but it doesn't actually harm anything.

bgdavis64 · 12-10-2012, 05:35 PM

thanks for the info guys! I did not use silicone. i know that stuff is picky on what it is used on. i did get some elastrometric roof coating from lowes. I did not put that on i think i read some where on here how thats bad for rubber roofs. Does anyone know if there is a roof coating that u can get at a lowes that will work. I just hate driving an hour to get some when its called something else that i can get at a local hardware store.

wanderso · 12-10-2012, 06:09 PM

Well, there is always Amazon.

. Depending on the application, Dicor self leveling caulk is usually what is used. In this case due to the rip, you may want to supplement with eternabond. Dicor also sells rubber roof repair options.

wa8yxm · 12-11-2012, 12:20 PM

The first question you should ask is "Who makes rubber roofs for RV's?
Answer: Dicor

Now, From there you can reach a conclusion as to what works best on them.

And there I have two answers.

For small things, Dicor (What else) for large holes (Say something punchured the roof) Eternabond is ... Well, well named.

With proper prep. the bond between that stuff and your Dicor roof is dang near Eternal.

Tileman · 12-13-2012, 07:33 AM

Mr. D you are correct. I'm in the sealent industry. Hardware store silicone rubber is "Acetoxy". That means "Acid Cure". It can be corrosive to metal, and it adheres to a limited number of surfaces. Your comment about RV manufacturers is also correct. I've delt with them. They ask "What's the cheapest/" never "What is best". My entire RV roof is coated in silicone rubber. The product I used is a special compound. It adheres to almost anything, metal, rubber, plastic, fiberglass etc. It's UV resistant, and contains a fungicide that resists mildew and mold. It should last about 50 years.

MSHappyCampers · 12-14-2012, 10:44 AM

I would recommend the Dicor 502-LSW self-leveling sealant. you should be able to find it at most RV dealerships. The 501-LSW would be the next choice, but it does not "flow" as well. Good luck & God bless!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

cenfl · 12-15-2012, 05:48 AM

Quote:

The product I used is a special compound. It adheres to almost anything, metal, rubber, plastic, fiberglass etc. It's UV resistant, and contains a fungicide that resists mildew and mold. It should last about 50 years.

Please share the brand name of the "product" you used. A 50 year life span sounds just about right.

poorgreg · 12-15-2012, 08:25 PM

I rolled on a product called GACO ROOF. It is silicone based and warranted 50 years. So far i am very happy with the results, no more leaks, no more chalking. They have a test kit so you know it will properly stick before you buy the product. 5 gallons covered my 35 ft motorhome with a half gallon to spare. $240 for a 5 gallon pail. Awesome product. Much better than the Dicor I used on the last trailer. I even covered the tops of the fiberglass caps and around the vents. The key is to remove all loose caulk, and clean , clean, clean. Best product I found .