Community Forums

dpavlosky · 07-28-2019, 06:38 PM

I'm looking for pro's & con's on either one piece fiberglass roof's or the rubber ( tpo) roof. We are looking to make a trade in september & the one dp we are looking at has a tpo roof. The one we have now has a fiberglass roof, as did our last three dp'ers. We haven't had one with a rubber roof since 1998. Anyone out there with a rubber roof on their dp class a have any comments to add please do. I was just wondering if the industry has made any improvements in the area of the rubber roofs. All i can remember is the constant black streaks coming down the side of the rv from the roof and no matter how much i cleaned it, the results were still the same. We will probably on keep this new unit for 5-6 years. We do have another option we will be looking at that has a fiberglass roof put it doesn't have the amenities that the one with the tpo roof.

asuperheat · 07-28-2019, 06:45 PM

Rubber and TPO are diffrent materials. Rubber tends to leave streaks down the side TPO does not do that. Fiberglass can be louder in the rain but would outlast both the rubber and TPO. Had all 3 at one point or another. I would not want rubber again.

grindstone01 · 07-28-2019, 06:46 PM

I can't imagine any roof material having a issue in 5-6 years. If you were to keep the MH for 20 years, than roofing construction should be a consideration. Black streaks should not be a problem with gutters and don't park under trees, or wash the roof afterwards.

Nickd · 07-28-2019, 06:57 PM

If you only keep the coach 6 years it doesn’t matter at all.
They both have pluses and minuses. More of a build quality decision really.

The EDPM rubber roof is quieter in general especially in the rain or hail. It’s best feature is that it flexes with the coach. All coaches flex.

Fiberglass can last longer if costed properly (UV inhibitors in the gel coat/resin) looks better in general and may have a slightly higher resale value.

Most people don’t seem to know, or really care about either material as long as the water stays on the outside.

Teamfoxy · 07-29-2019, 06:21 AM

I have had Fiberglass, TPO, and EPDM. The fiberglass roof on (at least some) Winnebago's is built as a sheet and bent over the corners. Lots of stories about them cracking and even blowing off down the road. The fiberglass roof on my Itasca was replaced with TPO and my current class A has TPO. No problems at all with either. I had a TT with an EPDM roof and it did get chalky and sent streaks of white down the sides. It got damaged easily from tree branches, but that was easily repairable.
The fiberglass roof will be heavier and they do crack over time. TPO will be lighter and is flexible to withstand the inevetable flexing of the "rolling earthquake".

JpalmerCass · 07-29-2019, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teamfoxy

The fiberglass roof will be heavier and they do crack over time.

Do crack or can crack? Using the word do implies an inevitability. Is it your experience that fiberglass always cracks?

Gary RVRoamer · 07-29-2019, 09:18 AM

While TPO is classed as a rubber product by the roofing industry, it is not the RV "rubber roof" material. A rubber RV roof always refers to EPDM membrane, while TPO is a somewhat different material and always called TPO.

The only significant differences between TPO and fiberglass is that TPO can be punctured somewhat more easily (e.g. tree branches) and can get stained by the chemicals in tree leaves or bark, e.g. tannin. Neither is a major worry, in my opinion, and I've owned all types of RV roofing (EPDM, TPO, fiberglass and even galvanized metal). I prefer fiberglass, but would not consider a TPO roof a deal-breaker.

Winnebago has had a problem with its rubber roof construction technique (the rolled edges), but other major companies use different method and have no issues. American Coach, Newmar, Country Coach, Foretravel, etc. all use fiberglass roofing without notable problems.

Alan_Hepburn · 07-29-2019, 12:53 PM

We've had aluminum, EPDM, and TPO over the years. Our current motorhome has a 12 year old TPO roof and with regular maintenance we have had no issues with it. TPO does not cause streaking on the sidewalls like EPDM, and it does not "wear out" like EPDM. I take the time to give the motorhome a bath maybe once every other year and the roof is still the same color as it was when we bought it back in 2007. We have it inspected yearly, and resealed as needed. I would not hesitate to own another rig with a TPO roof.

Teamfoxy · 07-30-2019, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JpalmerCass

Do crack or can crack? Using the word do implies an inevitability. Is it your experience that fiberglass always cracks?

Most polyester resins are brittle and will crack where stressed. If the corners flex, there will be cracking. Do they always leak at the cracks? No, leaks usually come from areas where hardware is attached and sealed with some kind of caulking. The roofs of some motorhomes are one piece and have the edges wrapped around the corners. The joint between sidewalls and roof will flex, so a rigid, brittle material like fiberglass will crack. TPO is flexible and does not.

Some motorhomes have somewhat thicker fiberglass moldings that go along the edges and lap over the roof sheathing. The edge is caulked, but water continually lays over the seam until it evaporates away. When we were looking at older used coaches (10 to 20 years) from several "high quality" builders, I saw evidence of leaks from this type of construction in many of them.

In conclusion, it is not only what material is used, but also how the material is used and maintained that matter.

SKP Kirk · 10-10-2020, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Roe

The reason behind its popularity could be its affordable price and white color. I think so

That and the fact that it doesn't leave white streaks down the sides of the RV as it ages, like EDPM does.

Gary RVRoamer · 10-10-2020, 02:24 PM

I'm another who has owned rigs with EPDM, TPO, fiberglass and metal sheet roofing. Of all those, I like TPO and fiberglass the best, and EPDM the least.

All the membrane materials last well, typically north of 20 years and often 30 or more. Longevity is not a key factor in leaks anyway - most leaks are at seams and protrusions(skylights, antennas, etc). But EPDM is the dirtiest, easiest to stain or discolor, most likely to shed (chalk) streaks down the sidewalls, and most susceptible to puncture damage from tree limbs and such. It's only virtue is that it is the cheapest for the RV manufacturer to utilize. Given a choice, I'd avoid it if at all possible.

dix39 · 10-10-2020, 02:54 PM

I've had all three too and my choice would be (1) metal, (2) glass, (3) rubber membrane. I've never had a problem with metal as long as the "openings" are kept sealed, but that is true for all roof coverings. Glass can be compromised by flexing over time, depending on the thickness of the glass and rigidity of the underlayment. It is more difficult to properly repair than rubber, but IMHO, will last longer than rubber before repairs are needed. A rubber roof is probably easiest of all to repair and there are many products available to facilitate that, but it will probably need some sort of repair before the other two.

Just my opinions. Best of luck with your choice.

Steve

dceggert · 10-10-2020, 03:14 PM

There is also this new "CrossFlex PVC" roof out that is flexible, 2x tougher (puncture and tear) than TPO, and white throughout as opposed to white layers bonded to a black core like TPO. There is info about it at the Dicor website.

So, there is fiberglass, TPO, EPDM, and now this new flexible PVC that has hit the scene since about 2010. Coachmen and Winnebago are using it at the moment which surprises me as I remember Winnebago being fiberglass last time I was shopping.

creativepart · 10-10-2020, 03:31 PM

I know when I bought my Winnebago I was glad to get a "fiberglass" roof rather than the other RVs we looked at with a TPO roof.

HOWEVER, I watch a very talented RV repairman on YouTube called AZ Expert. He does a lot of roof replacements on his channel. Many are TPO or EPDM and many are "fiberglass" mostly on Winnebagos.

The more you watch these roof rebuilds the more you see that the thin fiber reinforced plastic on the WBGO roofs is no great benefit. It's not a bad product, but don't think it's anything like a fiberglass body panel. It's hardly 1/16" thick, it tears easily and is no prize.

Here's a link to a long 3-part video about a WBGO roof replacement due to a faulty repair by some other shop. The links should start you at the point where they tear the old "fiberglass" roof off of the RV and you'll see how thin and fragile it really is.

He has a newer video where he replaced a TPO roof on another brand and it doesn't look like an inferior product compared to this fiberglass roof.

https://youtu.be/XWhQ7rm5Paw?t=1005