Caulking or RTV?

[AzCactusRV]

So I have a bunch of seams in various locations around my RV. I will be sealing them here in the next few months. Would it be better to use a caulking or RTV or something else? What are the pros and cons? It would seem to me the RTV would have a longer durability lifespan than the caulking. Any opinions? Thanks

[Route 66]

Most manufacturers use Dicor Lap Sealant on the roof and on white areas as it is superior to other sealants for RV use.

Use the self leveling on the roof and the non-sag on vertical surfaces.

For painted RVs, clear silicone is used on the painted areas.

[AzCactusRV]

Most of my concern will be on the vertical sides. The drivers door has a bunch of seams, around the entrance door, awning mounts and the front and rear caps. I would like to use a tan RTV for these areas. I will be using PRC (an aviation sealant) around the windows because it will outlast both caulking and RTV. But because it is black it won't look right on the other seams on the colored surfaces.

[Max Hubrich]

Use the dicor product mentioned above, it comes in some colors- You won't be sorry

[nbounder]

Important note : RTV (silicone) cannot take painting real well. Over at Home D'po they sell a line of caulk products by DAP. They say 'siliconized', but that seems to be marketing slime. The DAP cheapos are just that - *rap with a capital C. The better ones are pretty good. They even come in colors!

[Gary RVRoamer]

My preference for general purpose caulking is Geocel Proflex (or Proflex RV), a tripolymer sealer that works well on fiberglass, metal and even EPDM rubber. It is available in clear, white and 8 other colors.

Geocel Corporation - Manufacturer of Quality Sealants, Caulks, and Adhesives Designed for Tough Construction and Repair Applications
Geocel Corporation - Manufacturer of Quality Sealants, Caulks, and Adhesives Designed for Tough Construction and Repair Applications

But for roof seams on a rubber roof, I would use a product specific for EPDM rubber, e.g. the Dicor or Alpha lap sealants. Those will be self-leveling, meaning they flow out flat to cover a seam. Not suitable for vertical surfaces, though.

[lllkrob]

If your going to seal a roof use Eterna Bond tape. That's what it was developed for. Put it on and forget about roof seam leaks.

[dsbike]

If using the PRC you can get different colors in aerodynamic sealants. Some MIL specs are naturally different color. Not sure which is tan, but you may ask your aviation sales rep. After years of a/c sheetmetal I finally have all that PRC off my hands. Don't like using it just for the mess, but it sure does a great job sealing the gaps or edges.

[AzCactusRV]

Originally Posted by lllkrob

If your going to seal a roof use Eterna Bond tape. That's what it was developed for. Put it on and forget about roof seam leaks.

What about the caps where there is a trim strip with screws in it. Do you remove it and apply the tape then reattach the trim strip?

[AzCactusRV]

Originally Posted by dsbike

If using the PRC you can get different colors in aerodynamic sealants. Some MIL specs are naturally different color. Not sure which is tan, but you may ask your aviation sales rep. After years of a/c sheetmetal I finally have all that PRC off my hands. Don't like using it just for the mess, but it sure does a great job sealing the gaps or edges.

Yes it's good stuff. It is used to seal fuel tanks from leaks, fuselage skins from pressurization leaks and withstands 450+ mph head winds. I think it will work on the MH. Never saw the tan stuff but it's worth looking into. Thanks

[AzCactusRV]

Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer

My preference for general purpose caulking is Geocel Proflex (or Proflex RV), a tripolymer sealer that works well on fiberglass, metal and even EPDM rubber. It is available in clear, white and 8 other colors.

Geocel Corporation - Manufacturer of Quality Sealants, Caulks, and Adhesives Designed for Tough Construction and Repair Applications
Geocel Corporation - Manufacturer of Quality Sealants, Caulks, and Adhesives Designed for Tough Construction and Repair Applications

But for roof seams on a rubber roof, I would use a product specific for EPDM rubber, e.g. the Dicor or Alpha lap sealants. Those will be self-leveling, meaning they flow out flat to cover a seam. Not suitable for vertical surfaces, though.

Great, I like it. Perfect for the vertical seems. There is an Ace Hardware in Tucson that carries it. The almond color should work for me. Hopefully they carry it. Thanks for the tip!

[bachler]

I worked in the meraine Industry For years. When we in stalled Parts that needed to be Put it place Steel/aluminum/fiber glass/wood. What ever we would use . a product called 5200. If you were cought using Silicone, You were kindly asked to pick up your check.I hold to that standerd ON silicone or caulk on the exterior of a RV.

[JimM68]

Remember the window frames were only sealed around the top on purpose

[GPW]

Just one question ? If Dicor is so good why does it have to be inspected and repaired yearly ? (as suggested by my RV dealer at a cost of $1200.00 ) I truly believe the RV companies use it because it's quicker and easier for them than using the tape ... Cheaper too !!!
Now having been actually shown the Eternabond in some aging roofing applications , I'm replacing the Dicor on my TT with the RV tape ... Good for me , bad for the RV dealer ... guess I won't be making any more payments on his new Land Rover ...

The Eternabond Tape has also been approved by my RV friend/consultant who works on the large motor coaches ... His recommendation was to prep the surface carefully and thoroughly to receive the tape ... (cleaning )