Liquid rubber and eternabond five years after. Advice?

[Kahoona]

Hi
Five years or more ago we redid our roof with the original Liquid Rubber and Eternabond tape. The Liquid rubber was said to last five years and it has. For the most part it may still be good but rather than touch up I believe I will re-coat. This is partly because "mistakes were made" that first time. Overall the parts I did right have held up and the combination of rubber and tape reduced maintenance to near zero.

The Eternabond tape:
We taped the front and rear cap joints and then put the rubber over the tape and up to the joint molding. We also taped the side top joints but ran the rubber over those joints and down about five inches to cover the original rubber to where it ends. We taped around the vent hatches and ran the rubber up over the tape for at least two inches. I had just secured the top mountings of the ladder so rather than remove it I covered it with tape and then rubber.
The tape has held up very well except for where it did not stick. I cleaned the roof with Simple green but did didn't use a solvent before the tape went on. I had some spots where it peeled up. Some leaked. The tape did not do well at all covering the ladder mounts or any curved surfaces. It separated and leaked at the ladder mounts.



I plan to remove that area. I have to remove the ladder and repair some bad wood beneath it anyway. I really dislike the way that the ladders are attached at the top. Hard to keep sealed. I may drill oversize holes and fill them with fairing compound before re-drilling smaller holes for the screws. It is an old boaters trick.

The Liquid rubber:
It has held up well. There are places where it developed a heavy texture but it did not leak. It did not hold up on the tape though. It does not stick well. Perhaps I should wipe the tape top with alcohol before the rubber goes on? Where the rubber erodes on the tape there is a definite crack or void at the edge of the taps. There is old roof under there but still...



I believe this area is leaking



This part is just due to laziness on my part. I did not want to remove my 2 15w solar panels and I figured that they had good roof under them which would not receive sun or rain damage so I went around them. Not smart but I got away with it. This is the original 2002 roof showing.



You can also see some tape patches.These are places where the tape did not stick.

Tentative plan:
I already pressure washed with simple green on a low pressure. I need to remove loose tape. Re-tape those places. Cut out around the ladder mounts and fill with fiberglass and/or epoxy filler. I assume that I can then put rubber over it and bed in the ladder mounts. I need to remove excess caulk. It is all Dicor self leveling. I really should jack up the AC to get the roof under it. I plan to run the rubber right up onto the vertical parts of the hatches. I have the large covers that go over the hatches too. What people tell me may change the plan.

Questions I could use advice on:
Am I wrong to put the eternabond tape on first? It has worked well for me but which is correct?

How critical is removal of the AC? There is only one of me and I also am afraid of rain here in S. FL getting in while I wait for the roof to dry.Can I use a brush to get the roof under it as far as I can instead?

I have 2 100w Solar panels. They are supposed to be installed using well nuts

Shop Standard (SAE) Well Nuts at Lowes.com!

They require drilling a good sized hole in the roof but they are designed to expand and prevent leaks. I am considering using the dicor caulk to seal the area when actually screwing on the panel supports. I expect that they would be installed after the roof is poured. Does this sound right to you? Has anyone used these.

Should I caulk the small holes caused by #8 screws from previous solar installations before roofing or just cover and fill with the roofing?

Do I need to remove all of the old self leveling caulk or just enough to make it flat (or none?)

If you made it this far I thank you. If you have an answer I thank you a lot! I will take lots of pictures as the repair proceeds.

[BFlinn181]

Instead of 'Liquid Rubber' I'd use Dicor self-leveling caulk. It stays flexible and seals joints that could move with temperature change quite well. I clean the surface with Acetone before applying EternaBond and never had an issue with it.

[Kahoona]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

Instead of 'Liquid Rubber' I'd use Dicor self-leveling caulk. It stays flexible and seals joints that could move with temperature change quite well. I clean the surface with Acetone before applying EternaBond and never had an issue with it.

I should have been more specific.

Liquid Roof, Epdm Liquid Roof for Roof Leaks Repair and roof coatings

[MrNiceGuy]

I wish I could provide some help. I would very much like to thank you for sharing your project. I am sure I will learn a lot. Good luck and Thanks again

[barmcd]

Most people seem to use the eternabond tape over the top of everything after a selfleveling caulk.

[69Stang]

When I did my roof with Liquid Rubber I was going to put Eternabond around the items on the roof first like you did. I emailed Eternabond and they said it would be fine. I also emailed Liquid Roof and they said you can't do it unless you cover the tape with something first. I can't remember what the "something" was, but I'd email Liquid Roof and see what they recommend.

I did not remove the A/C's when I applied the Liquid Roof. I applied it as far under it the A/C's as possible. I later had to replace the seal on the rear A/C and the roof looked really good where the A/C was. If you're a stickler, remove the A/C's and install new seals when re-installing.

[tomwalt]

I did E'bond tape around the ladder with the same results you had. So I carefully scraped the off the old Tape and Dicor until I got to clean Dicor sealant then applied this: EternaCaulk High-Performance Sealant
The EternaCaulk settled out nicely to seal it all up - 4 years later it is still white/dry inside.

I have 5 gals of Liquid Roof here now and will watch this post for others experience. (thank-you 69Stang for your insight)

[Kahoona]

Originally Posted by 69Stang

When I did my roof with Liquid Rubber I was going to put Eternabond around the items on the roof first like you did. I emailed Eternabond and they said it would be fine. I also emailed Liquid Roof and they said you can't do it unless you cover the tape with something first. I can't remember what the "something" was, but I'd email Liquid Roof and see what they recommend.

I did not remove the A/C's when I applied the Liquid Roof. I applied it as far under it the A/C's as possible. I later had to replace the seal on the rear A/C and the roof looked really good where the A/C was. If you're a stickler, remove the A/C's and install new seals when re-installing.

Thank you very much for this answer. I checked the Q&A section on the website and it says "Great question yes it can you do need to lightly sand the eternabond first and put a layer of contact cement on it and let the contact cement dry first before applying the liquid epdm" This is a great help. Thanks.

Regarding the AC I did the same as you years ago and the old roof seems fine still. The Florida sun doesn't shine there. I already removed the tape and bolts that hold my AC earlier today. I noticed that they were slightly loose. The gasket doesn't seem to be crushed like it should be. This AC is new within a year and I don't think they tightened the bolts enough to crush the gasket. I will measure the thickness and check with the maker to see if I need a new one. I will stick a fit of wood under it to help get the brush under it and leave it at that.
Thanks

[Kahoona]

Originally Posted by tomwalt

I did E'bond tape around the ladder with the same results you had. So I carefully scraped the off the old Tape and Dicor until I got to clean Dicor sealant then applied this: EternaCaulk High-Performance Sealant
The EternaCaulk settled out nicely to seal it all up - 4 years later it is still white/dry inside.

I have 5 gals of Liquid Roof here now and will watch this post for others experience. (thank-you 69Stang for your insight)

That stuff looks interesting. I don't know how bad it is under there. If it is only enlarged screw holes then I will do that. If it is bad rot then I have more to do. I'll post when I get there. That sealant looks good. Did it self level? Did it remain a little soft like regular Dicor or did it harden?

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by barmcd

Most people seem to use the eternabond tape over the top of everything after a selfleveling caulk.

The ones I've seen show using the Eternabond tape and then Dicor over the edges.

[tomwalt]

Originally Posted by Kahoona

That stuff looks interesting. I don't know how bad it is under there. If it is only enlarged screw holes then I will do that. If it is bad rot then I have more to do. I'll post when I get there. That sealant looks good. Did it self level? Did it remain a little soft like regular Dicor or did it harden?

Yes, it self leveled and remained pliable. My RV has been kept outside its entire life. The Dicor on mine is a little coarse/cracked on top. The EternaCaulk self leveled out much smoother. I like it and will use it again if needed.

Good info in this post - thanks to all for the contributions.

I was thinking about mixing up 1 gal of Liquid Roof to do the edges and around the roof penetrations. Then, after this sets (maybe even the next day), mix up the rest for rolling on the flat part of the roof.

Is this a good idea or not??

[Podivin]

For my leaky roof ladder;
I disconnected the ladder at the top (and suddenly had that 'stranded' feeling)
cleaned off the years of 'stuff' that had been applied in that area
put a strip of eternabond UNDER where the ladder attaches to the roof
coated the screws threads with dicor before I put them back in the roof
put dicor on top of the screw heads and around the outside of the ladder mounts.

It's only been a few months, but so far no leaks. Like the OP I'm in Florida, so there has been lots of rain to test for leaks.

[69Stang]

Originally Posted by tomwalt

Yes, it self leveled and remained pliable. My RV has been kept outside its entire life. The Dicor on mine is a little coarse/cracked on top. The EternaCaulk self leveled out much smoother. I like it and will use it again if needed.

Good info in this post - thanks to all for the contributions.

I was thinking about mixing up 1 gal of Liquid Roof to do the edges and around the roof penetrations. Then, after this sets (maybe even the next day), mix up the rest for rolling on the flat part of the roof.

Is this a good idea or not??

I wouldn't wait until the next day because they say it sticks better to itself when still wet. I had to use the primer, which turned to to be a huge PIA. I bought a 5 gallon bucket and 2 one gallon cans of the Liquid Roof. I then used almost a gallon to do the edges and around all the items on the roof. Then went back and rolled out the other 5 gallons. I still have 1 gallon left and am going to go back and do some thin areas I've spotted.

I'd recommend you divide your roof length by how many gallons you are going to apply and put lines across the roof denoting 1 gallon areas. Then when you roll it out pour out of the 5 gallon into a 1 gallon container and roll that into the area you marked off. This ensures you end up with approx. 1 gallon per area. I was scared I'd roll to much and get to the end and not have enough left.

I also taped off the front and rear to give me clean edges. Remove the tape while the liquid is still wet. If you have a nearby tree that's losing leaves I'd apply it somewhere else. You'll end up with leaves and bugs stuck all in the liquid.

Not counting the primer, it took me about 3 hours and ended up finishing in the dark because I had to wait on the primer to set up enough to walk on. The first time I walked on the roof the primer was so sticky it pulled the soles off my old tennis shoes.

[YC1]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R2RNQOG/ref=biss_dp_sa1

I have used this in place of eternabond and it looks new after 6 years. It can be coated or painted if you really want to. It wraps around pipes etc. You can get various widths of course. Buy a 1 inch wide roll and do a test.