White streaks?

[TTD]

What are CC owners doing about white streaks from the roof? (or I guess anyone with a fiberglass roof - which is what I assume I have?)

My roof is very clean, but I'm guessing the material itself makes the white streaks. Part of me wants to wax the roof, but am worried about slipping... not that I go up there often?

To be clear... I am not looking to clean the streaks...the streaks come off the sides of the motorhome very easily as my coach is highly polished. I am trying to avoid having the streaks come down in the first place which I assume means a treatment to the roof itself?

[CoCoDave]

Country Coach recommended 303 Aerospace Protectant in our owner's manual. It works. A little goes a long way. I bought a gallon but should have bought the 16 ounce spray bottle.

The roof's been done a couple of times in the last four years and there are no more white streaks. The streaks are residue from the oxidizing surface on the roof.

It's not hard to put on but it is tedious. I did it once and hired it done once.

303 Aerospace Protectant on eBay

HTH

[TTD]

awesome... i have plenty of that stuff as I use it on my wheels and various rubber parts.

thank you!

[ptburly]

I have had long term success on both my coaches with a sealer product
called PolyGlow. You have to prep the surface but it goes 5 years without
the need to reapply. The key is the prep to get proper adhesion.
Not a white streak since.

Good luck

[ron930cab]

Since it was just gel coat from the factory, mine streaked pretty bad after sitting in the AZ sun. So I had it painted white maybe 8 years ago along with touch ups of any faded front cap/rear cap, the radius on the sides. It is still like new/better than new today. Was expensive I guess at about $3K, but worth it.

[Smitty77]

To add to your fun on getting this more under control. Once the gel coat starts to a certain level, you really need to do a deep cleaning and even a mild polish to remove the outside layer of damage.

When we first got our coach, it was in need of attention, so after some research I ended up:

1) Washing the top with Dawn, and medium stiff nylon brush (Attached to a pole, as my knees just are not what they once were!) The Dawn both cleans of dirt, but also will cut any build up of waxes or other products that may have been applied to the roof over the years.

2) I then did get out my knee pads, and went over as much of the roof that I could with my orbital polisher (One designed for this, not just a rotary action. Mine is a Porter Cable.). I used a product from Zaino called AIO (All in One). It's a mild polish and protectant combined. Areas the buffer could not get, I did by hand.
Z-AIO All-in-one: zainostore.com

3) I also went over this with the mentioned Aerospace 303, which has the UV protection in it

I washed the roof on a Friday after work, and then started the polish and buffer the next day. And after waiting a few more hours, got back up and applied the 303. (I use a Swifter, and put a cloth into it. Sprayed the roof and, used the long handle Swifter with cloth, to apply the 303.)

This sort sets you up with a new baseline, to then keep the roof maintained on a regular basis.

I used the 303 for about 3-4 years, and then before we had solar installed, I had BusKote applied. And that has been on for about 5 years now, and pleased with how it is holding up. Will probably need a maintenance coat after this years travels are over.

Best of luck to you, be safe, have fun,
Smitty

[TTD]

This sounds like there is no "easy fix". Guess I'll be holding off until Springtime as I'm sure the RV Resort I'll be at in the winter probably won't want me doing all these steps on property.

[Old Dinghy]

We had the same problem 13 years ago on our 2003 coach. This was our solution. Easy to roll and paint on, plus the added benefit of being non-slippery. We reapplied it just 3 years ago to make sure we kept coverage, and the results have been great. A gallon just barely does our 42ft Intrigue Ovation, and the bright white color help deflect the heat. Lowes had it, and Home Depot may as well. Safe travels.

Jeff 11630

[Smitty77]

Originally Posted by Old Dinghy

We had the same problem 13 years ago on our 2003 coach. This was our solution. Easy to roll and paint on, plus the added benefit of being non-slippery. We reapplied it just 3 years ago to make sure we kept coverage, and the results have been great. A gallon just barely does our 42ft Intrigue Ovation, and the bright white color help deflect the heat. Lowes had it, and Home Depot may as well. Safe travels.

Jeff 11630Attachment 224691Attachment 224692

Jeff - That's a good approach too. I used to do lots of sailing, so also considered some of the marine fiberglass deck two part coatings instead of the BusKote. But the reason for the BusKote was to try to reduce the impact of the hot desert suns heat gain via the roof. And at that time, BusKote seemed to be the best product to help reduce heat gain. (We have two 15K Penguin II AC units, and when in temps of 110+, every little bit helps on the cooling. We covered out shower solar dome with our sticks & bricks racking install for 4 out of our 5 solar panels. The panels shade the solar dome which also helps on avoiding heat gain, and much quieter in heavy rain and hail too!).

Your solution is a good one to share, as I'm sure the product was more economical then the marine based two part solutions... Thanks for sharing your approach to this.

Best to you, and all,
Smitty

[Smitty77]

Originally Posted by TTD

This sounds like there is no "easy fix". Guess I'll be holding off until Springtime as I'm sure the RV Resort I'll be at in the winter probably won't want me doing all these steps on property.

Hi Tony - If the park does not mind you washing, the washing with Dawn and the mentioned medium stiff nylon brush. Then followed with the application of Aerospace 303, should help reduce the streaking quite a bit.

Then when your in a place that you can do it, get the roof lightly buffed/polished to remove the remaining oxidation of the material, the one step products make this easier. Even TR4 polish and wax, or I'm sure Mothers and Mequiars(SP?) have combo polish protectors available. I still had the Zaino product left over from when we polished out our then new to us T28 Used Bounder's gel coat. Bought three bottles, and only used about 1 3/4 to do the 28' Bounder's sides.

Good luck to you,
Smitty

[techdad55]

Originally Posted by CoCoDave

Country Coach recommended 303 Aerospace Protectant in our owner's manual. It works. A little goes a long way. I bought a gallon but should have bought the 16 ounce spray bottle.



The roof's been done a couple of times in the last four years and there are no more white streaks. The streaks are residue from the oxidizing surface on the roof.



It's not hard to put on but it is tedious. I did it once and hired it done once.






HTH

I use a spray bottle of 303 and a sponge mop. The job is not nearly as tedious and I’m off my knees unless hitting a hard to get spot.

[Chargerman]

I downed my roof with simple green thoroughly then masked around the perimeter so that the coating I was about to apply overlapped onto the paint about 1/4” so that I could help prevent lifting of the clear coat from the edge. I then applied 2 coats of Rustoleum Deck Over Paint after reading about others success on IRV2 with this product. I used a small trim roller and a brush around roof items. 2 quarts did the whole roof. This product has proven so far to be awesome. Looks like I did it yesterday and it’s been 2 years. No more streaks and I don’t have to go is on the roof and wax or apply any other protectant. Just washed the roof before putting the Coach away for the Winter. It was a breeze to do and I am amazed at how good it looks. To me the best solution is one that is long term and keeps me off the roof.

[2 Stroker]

Steven
This must be what you are talking about, I have everything to start on this next spring.
2 stroker


Protecting Your RV's Roof - RV Roof Coating

Popular Common Problems / Posted 2 years ago / 3234 views

Protecting Your RV’s Roof

Over time the gel coated fiberglass roof on your RV can become stained with dirt, mold and other contaminants. You will also notice white streaks showing up on the radius where the roof ties to the sides of your coach. The streaks are actually gel coat particles that are sluffing off from sun exposure damage and it is a process that will continue to erode the fiberglass protective layer which can be depleted in time. Cleaning the roof with one of the many cleaning product available will temporarily alleviate the cosmetic streak problem for about a year or so and then the streaking will re-appear with the gel coat’s continued exposure to the elements. Your roof can also develop cracks that, if left untreated, can result in leaks if the gel coat erosion is severe. Protecting your roof really means protecting the factory gel coat with yet another coating.
There are a number of roof coatings on the market, both do it yourself (DIY) and professionally installed products. This article will focus on a DIY approach.
One key to roof maintenance is not to ignore the roof too long. “Out of sight, out of mind” applies here. When you start seeing the white “chalking” lines on the roof radius, you may want to consider a roof treatment. Left unattended the chalking will get worse over time and detract from the looks of your otherwise spotless RV.
A roof coating procedure developed by a BAC member and used by a number of others, including the author, has shown itself to be successful and durable over time. This application is appropriate for roofs that do not exhibit significant cracks in the surface. For severely cracked roofs, other solutions are available and will be addressed later in the article.
Rustoleum Marine Top Side Deck Paint was developed for use in the marine industry. It provides a glossy surface that is very resistant to UV effects and is not slippery even when wet. It is available at some Lowes and Ace stores and on Amazon. 2-3 quarts are normally sufficient to complete a 2 coat application of a 40-45’ RV roof. In addition to its non-slip attribute, it sheds dirt and debris easily, avoiding a buildup over time, The author has been pleased by the relative cleanliness of his roof following trips of 2 months or more. An additive is available that will increase the roughness of the surface. However, as you add roughness, you provide a surface that will tend to trap dirt and debris. The as applied surface of the paint is not slippery, even when wet, so the author sees no need for any additive.
Materials Needed:

• Rustoleum Marine Top Side Deck Paint https://www.amazon.com/Rust-Oleum-206999-Marine-Topside-1 Quart/dp/B000BZTJT2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482601659&sr=8-1&keywords=rustoleum+Marine+Deck+paint
• Simple Green Detergent https://www.walmart.com/ip/23569739?...&wl13=&veh=sem
• Self-Leveling Dicor (Optional depending on sealant condition) http://www.rvpartsnation.com/rv-exte...JlexoC3Yrw_wcB

• 3M red Scotchbrite Scuff Pads https://www.amazon.com/Scuff-Pads-Sc...rite++red+pads
• Automotive wax and grease/tar remover https://www.google.com/search?q=3m+w...utf-8&oe=utf-8
• Painters Masking Tape (2” recommended)
• 6” paint rollers and paint tray
• Paint Brush (1”)

Surface Preparation:
Determine if you need to remove any of items on the roof; ACs, solar panels, etc. Normally this should not be needed given those areas receive literally no sun damage. A thorough cleaning with a pressure washer should suffice. Inspect the condition of the Dicor sealant used to seal around the roof items. If there are significant cracks you should consider adding another coat of self-leveling Dicor to these areas. Pressure wash the roof with Simple Green to remove the dirt. When dry, lightly scrub the roof with 3M Red Scotchbrite scuff pads. These are available on Amazon, auto paint stores, and some home improvement stores. This will slightly roughen the surface to promote better paint adhesion. Next wash the roof with an automotive wax and tar/grease cleaning solvent available at Walmart, Home Depot, etc. Use plenty of rags. Keep exchanging for a new cloth surface as you wipe areas of the roof down. The intent is to remove surface waxes or oils so the paint will have adequate adhesion. Once the roof is dry, tape the edges where the roof joins the painted areas. Apply the masking tape (2” recommended) so a slight amount of the painted surface is visible. This will enable the roof paint to “seal” the edge of the RV paint’s clear coat and help prevent it from peeling. Also consider taping off roof items like the ACs to protect them from possible over-paint.
The complete prep takes 3-4 hours.
Application:
Apply the paint using 6” rollers available from any paint/home improvement store. Smaller diameter rollers work better around the air conditioner edges and other obstacles. Painting the Dicor sealant around the various roof structures will protect it from UV effects. Use a brush when necessary to cover the Dicor and to get under the edges of structures like ACs and solar panels. The paint is oil based so allow it to dry overnight before applying a second coat. The first coat will appear somewhat rough but the second coat will dry smooth. For added protection you may apply a 3rd coat but 2 coats will normally provide the needed protection and durability.
Other Coatings:
Members have also used Dicor and Rhino Liner products with success. The advantage of these products over a marine deck paint is that they can fill in roof cracks to better prevent leaks over time. However, products like Rhino Liner with a rough surface tend to trap more dirt. Both products will prevent chalki

[Chargerman]

Yes that is it. Highly recommend this and then you can forget about going on the roof.....except to annually check your chalking