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Sealing up roof on 1986 Dolphin


Sherri  B

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Need advice here as I don't want to make any mistakes.   My toy has minor water damage in several areas of the rig.  I'm currently in process of restoring the inside myself.   

I purchased a Maxx fan deluxe and a new vent for over the bathroom,  the front over the cab bigger vent looks fairly new, also got a new ac gasket.   I had a guy come out to give me a quote on installing and sealing my aluminum roof.   He suggested a liquid silicone roof after primer.  

Has anyone had a silicone roof put on over the aluminum roof?   Is this the way to go?  

Thanks Sherri 

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Liquid silicone is a non-starter. BUT it may be just a vocabulary problem. Find out the actual product the repair guy wants to use.

People use a liquid epdm coating or a liquid elastomeric acrylic coating

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Pictures of your roof would be very helpful. Never heard of a silicon roof Sherri. You need to track down the sources of your leaks and seal them 1st before painting your roof. Never use silicone on your RV as it's almost impossible to remove if need be! Re-sealing and painting your roof is an involved process. I completely redid my aluminum roof last year. Need to remove all bad caulking and reapply with lap sealant. Eternabond tape and buytl tape are very useful also. No need to apply a primer. Clean the roof with mineral spirits and then paint it. I used a product called Snow Seal for metal. Also just installed a MaxxAir deluxe fan. Your gunna love it! Good Luck! PS just my 2 cents.

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Looks like it has been painted before, has some sagging but even though feels  very solid.   I sent a message to the guy to see what he planned on using, I was just a little concerned that he may be suggesting something that's not good.  I don't want to make more work for myself as I already have a huge job ahead of me.

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I personally wouldn't touch that stuff! Your roof doesn't look that bad. A good scrubbing 1st then strip and re- caulk around all vents and the side channels with lap sealant. If replacing your AC gasket paint that area first then install the gasket. Then apply snow seal paint over entire roof. Takes a few thick coats. You can paint over the lap sealant. I'd apply Eternabond tape over all seams after painting especially that big seam by the AC unit. Where did the leaks originate? Your guy is using a roofing product not designed for use on a metal RV roof. I'd find another guy who is experienced in RV roof repair! 

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It looks like you have a textured metal roof. I would go with the acrylic coating. Applied correctly it has a 10-15 lifespan with proper maintenance.

The silicone label says breathable and water resistant. The acrylic is water proof

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my 2 cents on this...... as I am sure you are already aware, a leaking roof can be the worst imaginable nightmare for these rigs. I had my entire roof replaced last year. cost nearly 5k. and took the shop months to get it back to me. I would only use a product specific for rv use. not suggesting the product you are considering would NOT work. but why gamble when the rv industry have developed roof products that are guaranteed to provide you with a leak proof roof when applied correctly. I would vote to pass on this silicone product. just my opinion of course. joe from dover

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Thanks for all the input, I absolutely can't spend 5k on a roof.  Was hoping this would be an reasonably priced solution.  Back to the drawing board to look for other options.   I still have some time before rain.

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You don't have to spend 5 grand Sherri. All quality supplies shouldn't be more than $200. You don't need a completely new roof it seems!

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The person that you were going to use for the silicone material also offered Acrylic coating. Invest some time with him about which acrylic product he would use. Many of us have used this type of product successfully. Also have your "roofer" check out using liquid EPDM material. This is the stuff...http://www.ebay.com/itm/Liquid-Rubber-EPDM-RV-Roof-Replacement-4-Gallon-15-YR-Guarantee-Free-Shipping-/172621054655?hash=item28310442bf:g:KCUAAOSwTuJYuxYD&vxp=mtr

Your roof appears to be sound you just need to seal it, not rebuild it. 

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Sagging is real genric term. Big question is where and how much. A simple inside post can fix a lot. There several post around here about using a set of exterior cross bars.

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Everything is super dry now, middle of summer central valley in California.   Along with the maxx fan and the vent I also ordered an AC gasket. The person I purchased from said her dad had taken the air conditioner off and sealed the leak and it looks like it has a new gasket but I'd rather not leave it to chance and go ahead and get the AC off and put a new gasket in and make sure that the sealant whatever I may use is all the way under the edge of the AC because there is a sag there.  

I'll have to talk to him some more because of it being an aluminum roof this is what he suggested, I know he uses other stuff too.  He said he's used the silicone on about 15 other rigs and had great results?  I'd actually like to do it myself so I know that it's done right but the ac is definitely beyond my capabilities in lifting it. :(  and time is somewhat of a factor as well it would be nice just to pay somebody and have it done right

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Kinda hard to explain, but maybe you have enough imagination to see things. But look at your layout.

I used a stair rail spindle on top of the counter top to support the roof. Just used a floor jack and a 2x4 to raise the roof, slipped in the spindle and removed the jack.

I used a stair hand rail on the other end of the AC. The hand rail snuggled up next to a dinette seat back. Again the floor jack raised the roof and I cut the hand rail to fit.

 

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My roof sags around the AC also Sherri. Most rigs do. I don't have the skills WME has! I park her on my slanted drive so water doesn't pool around the AC. You can do the roof repairs yourself but it is involved! You're lucky you live in sunny California. I had a h*** of a time re-sealing my roof in N Ohio dodging all the rain. Painting with whatever product you choose is the easy part. Proper prepping is what takes time. If you do it yourself you know nothing is missed! 

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WME that's brilliant,  would love to see a picture.   But yes my imagination can see it.  How would you secure these to counter and roof?

Edited by Sherri B
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The end product was a roof that was raised in the center about 1" above flat. So using the floor jack I raised the roof about 1.5". Cut the spindle to the 1" length, put a small dab of silicone on each end. Lowered the jack and the weight of the roof locked the spindle in place. In 5 years the supports never moved. Za

 

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