Great Idea :). I would just add that when doing the top vents to put the back piece down first, then both sides then the front. That way any wind and water do not try to penetrate the seems at 60 mph
I'm a certified Carlisle TPO roofing systems installer. I am appalled that the company that built your RV, didn't weld in proper flashing, to the weldable roof membrane, right from the factory. You basically did what should have been done, only with tape, instead of TPO, glue, and proper membrane termination. Just a tip, for anyone doing this... What is the first place you try, when attempting to peel a sticker, etc., and why? Round all of your corners. Clean, smooth cuts. Use a roller, playing extra attention to any overlaps. And use lap sealant on your edges, especially any joints. Your work will last much longer.
@@mikejunk4285 Yes. that is what it was designed for. Sealing the edge of the laps, in EPDM roofing applications. The adhesive is only intended to hold the layers of membrane together. It will hold out water, for a time, but, that is all.
So basically using the tape is a waste of money and time if you still need lap sealant anyway? I think will just tape the outer edge of mine like he did and just use lap sealant for everything else.
@@mikejunk4285 do whatever you feel suits your needs. I never implied that the tape was useless, I just explained how, and why the guys who answer repair calls, every rainy day, do what they do.
@@Mr.Schitzengigglez I agree. I've used the tape in a few spots as needed and over the years it begins to Crack and dry. It's not permanent or even close to it. Lap sealant is a pain and dries etc. But it offers true protection if maintained. Ultimately I want to get the roof sealed by someof these third party companies.
My one tip is to make sure you don't stretch the tape when applying it. The bond broke down in places where I accidentally stretched the tape just a little bit. All in all this is a great product.
I've removed old tape with a heat gun and a putty knife. That works well but leaves a thin layer of the grey adhesive. I sprayed the remaining adhesive with EternaPrime and applied a fresh layer of tape.
Cleaning the leading edges a little extra will assure perfect seal. I would suggest purchasing a silicone roller, 2", to roll the seam. Rounding all outside corners is a common practice in the roofing industry.
I used to do roofing, and although I never did rv roof tops, the same things apply.. don’t leave an edge or lip that can trap water on top. Most flat roofs leak because it gets trapped. If it flows off the side well, you’ll have less problems.
I'm a big fan of Eternabond. I used it to cover all the seals and even to roof mount flexible solar panels so I didn't have to drill into the roof. 4 years later and still in great shape.
I’m looking for solar. We bought a rig that is prewired for solar but wanting to see if there is an option for us that will save us money vs having it installed at a service center.
Small tip if you can keep the tape cool it’s easier to work with. The hotter it gets the more of pain. I’ve stuck mine in the fridge before just to keep it cool
Seriously one of the most informative videos I’ve seen done out here so far! Once I get my rig, this will be one of the first things I do because I do not want any leaks
Those scraps also work fantastic for patching above ground pools, we put it on the inside so water pressure helps hold, and we use it underwater, ...Yep it sticks underwater
yes it does! We've used it on a kiddie pool full of water. Most of the adhesive doesn't release until pressure is applied so you're good to go underwater.
I did this to a class C I owned about 5 years ago. Almost identical to your video. Worked great and your video explains it well. You don’t have too, but I went ahead and put a bead of lap silent around each of the strips.
I have used and have been very happy with Eternabond tape👍but I have to agree with two other commenters that you should tape the back of the vents first so water will run over the top when driving, and I would caution to never tape over wires when possible😕
I’ve done 3 campers this way. Clean seams with simply awesome from the dollar store or simple green. Then take a white towel with denatured alcohol to clean off any residue left by the cleaner. Then apply tape using a vinyl floor seam roller to get a good bond. Mine lasted for years. Good selling feature. Tape has a 15 year warranty supposedly.
I used Eternabond on my 1992 Toyota MH roof 3 years ago and it is still going strong! Now, I'm trying to convince my husband to let me apply it it our 2007 Arctic Fox roof, on which we are doing a bunch or water damage repair. The water damage doesn't come from the roof though, it comes from all the storage doors and other openings cut into the outside walls and having been primarily kept in a very wet climate for all of it's life. We just acquired it and the damage was not apparent until we had been living in it for a few months. Live and learn. But, yes, Eternabond is the bomb!!
Heck yeah! Leaks are from windows and doors. I have a 1970 travel trailer. We did the roof with flex seal. We then pulled all the windows and used new butyl tape. Then screwed the windows back in. Then clear silicone. Works great!!
Yes‼️After watching numerous videos on repairing and resealing RV roofs, I've come to the conclusion they should just do it in the factory. It looks fantastic!!!
“I’m gonna set this roll of tape up here, so it doesn’t get away.” Me “I’m gonna set this roll of tape up here so it doesn’t . . . damnit, there it goes!”
Great job, RV's are high maintenance you want to do all the prevention maintenance so you'r not dealing with possible leaky problems while your camping. I always had a roll of Eternabond Tape with me for any emergency.
I did the same thing with mine but a bit more in depth.. I removed all the dicore as I could around all the vents, skylight and etc then eternal bonded all the seal points then re applied dicore on all the seams... took off air conditioner, cleaned up real good then eternal bonded where the seal sits and also where the foam guard rests on the roof... I took off the side gutters and top edgings and eternal bonded real well then put thinner strips over the sealed gutters and Edgings then dicored around it... I did the same for my slide outs up top, sides and bottems... took a lot of work but it was well worth it... I also apply uv treatment to the roof 4 times a year after a good treatment with spray and forget to kill moss and mildew and a very good washing afterwards... you can never be too adamant when it comes to rv care and maintenance with the roof and all seals...
When buying the tape, they also sell/ promote a roller to help apply even pressure to the tape. Works great and provides a more professional look . Also I believe they recommend to apply pressure to help activate the adhesive and remove small air pockets that might form whilst laying the tape.
Cut a donut hole into the wide tape and slip it over small vents. No seams. Vents: lay rear strip, sides, then front for stream lined more weather tight fit. Like house window trim. Want it to fit around corners? Trim curves into tape.
Ok one thing I want to add here with the taping. I always tape roofs like laying shingles. Start at your lowest point first and then layer up. This way if there are any gaps the water will go down toward the ground. I see at 11:58 you started layering at the top first, that's not the way to do that.
I plan to use front, back and sides. Use self leveling on vents, ski lights or what might need replace down the road. It would be easier then trying to remove the tape taking chances or ripping the too.
I recently noticed with hurricane season rains and travel trailer being 3 years old that some water staining showed up inside the front area where the lap seem self leveling material is above, it dried and cracked on the roof. Also with the Florida sun burning everything we own it’s taken it’s tole on my roof and the self leveling sealer. I was searching to find the best material to use to fix it, and your video sure helped. I’ve ordered the materials and job 1 is fix the roof. Would have been nice if my dealer had warned me of the required maintenance it would take to prevent leaking when I bought it. Thanks !!!!
I’ve looked at my slowly deteriorating roof and thought of just eternabonding it all. 🙂. Liked your fix. I also added the larger vent covers over my flat vent covers. It protects them from deterioration/hail and you can keep your vents open all the time including when driving.
I did the nose cap yesterday on my 2019 reflection t.t. During my pretrip check I found it had started to separate and I figure another hour or so at hwy speeds it would have really shredded it. I used a full tube of sealant then covered it with 2 strips of 6" tape along the entire nose cap. I think I will be doing the rest at the end of this trip. Great timing for this video. "We Are Daring to Dream ".
@@WanderingWeekends could you maybe explain the roof air unit they didn't show it on videos I've seen. Did you pull it.?? And was there a b ything i need to know about that process
@@philfernandez8600 if it is a one-piece fiberglass roof and there are no termination strips at the front or rear of the coach there is nothing to worry about
@Wandering Weekends, great video! I just used some Eternabond tape on our 32ft TT over the summer. We also used Henry 885 Tropicool Seam Sealer and Henry 887 TropiCool Roof Sealer to totally seal our EPDM roof. It goes right over any existing lap sealant and Eternabond tape. You should consider using the Henry TropiCool products on your roof and post a video about it. Great channel!
Great idea. Thank you. But 1 thing. I wouldn't have trapped the coax cable near 1 of the roof vents. But very good job. Do believe I will be doing this.
Here's my conclusions from watching dozens of videos.....Have fun! TO DO A EPDM RV ROOF: Recommend spray bottle down a 50/50 solution of Simple Green & Bleach, a section at a time, then wait a few minutes and pressure wash off using a 40° fan spray at least 8-12" (depending upon PSI) away from the EPDM roof then let dry 24 hours. The next day, reseal top edges of all the edge trim pieces with non-leveling DICOR sealant, reseal all cracks with DICOR Self-Leveling lap sealant and/or use EternaBond (only where it's really needed) then coat the entire roof with HENRY's Tropicool 100% Silicone white roof coating. It can really be that simple.....JUST 2-3 DAYS OF WORK!
After using an acetone, you need a primer to make glue stick. A primer is used in getting acrylic nails and a primer is used before a dental procedures too. Definitely do not skip the primer. Great learning video. Thank you.
I used Eternabond on my prior trailer, but I removed the old lap sealant first. I figured if it was peeling away it wasn't good to tape to it. I also did the rear edge of an object (vent, skylight, etc.) first, then the sides, then the leading edge. My thought being during travel, wind and rain would flow over the tape and have fewer edges to catch lessening the chance of curling. Great vid; I can feel for ya out in the heat, but I agree with you regarding Eternabond conforming better when it's warm.
Had I only had 4 inch tape removing the old sealant would have been a more attractive option for sure. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment!
tjztyger, think like water, also you should round your corners, corners have a tendency to peel up, when I did commercial roofs inspectors would always check that
Thanks to your info I found while researching, I ended up used it under my new roof as a flashing. From roof deck to fiberglass side walls. And for the flashing on my new skylights instead of lap sealant. I raised my skylights and added a curb. PS it will curve around a skylight with one piece.
I stumbled on your video about towing myths, totally agree with every one!!! We have had 3 trailers, 1 fifth wheel and 1 Class A. Now waiting on our last (Ya right) trailer from ORV. I thought your bullet proofing the roof video was a genius idea!!
I did the same thing to my RV roof 2 years ago. It is so much better to deal with than the Lap Sealant. Good video, hopefully more people will do the same as us.
I’ve not had luck with eternabond so far. I’ve added to some corner joints and it essentially melts off the camper or slides down when it reaches a certain temperature. How have you guys not had this issue??
@@cassandraharrington7189 I applied it to the corners of my Toyota MH a couple of years ago, and haven't had that issue. I am happy with the protection it gives, but wish it looked a little less 'bumpy' around the curves.
@@cassandraharrington7189 I'm planning to paint my little RV, covering the Eternabonded corners. I will be using a primer called Stick-It, which has excellent adhesion to things like fibreglass and plastic, which should work! I have asked on forums about painting the Eternabond, and people who have done it don't seem to have an issue. Hope this helps!
I did this to my RV I also encapsulated all the eternabond in liquid EPDM that you can just paint on I had it left over from painting my roof so I figured what the heck. All the other seals that laid flat I put on self-leveling lap sealant my corner seals were pretty old call me crazy but I put on gloves massaged in a ton of non-sag lap sealant on those and they don't look like they would leak now for about 30 years Also I put some of the non-sag lapse sealant in the seams on the aluminum up front cuz I did have a leak there after doing a water test with the hose and then I got on the inside and look for the leak you was coming in through one of the slats in the aluminum It's kind of a surprising place that you never really see a leak there but it been leaking for a while cause of wood was all rotten I had bust out the wall and fill it back up with insulation. I live in this RV year-round so this might sound kind of like overkill and I know it's kind of MacGyver with the corner moldings but I sure didn't want to go through all that process of ripping those up so I figured I might as well just reinforce them.
Why wouldn't you want to scrape off all of the self leveling lap sealant then use the eternabond tape starting high up on the metal flashing of the vents ,fans, or ac units then work it down towards the rooftop and then away from the vent ect. I would think that would eliminate any possibility of puddling yet make a great seal. I would love your thoughts on that or from any of your viewers.
BIG DAN C. I don’t think it’s necessary with the 6 inch stuff. It would look cleaner but this sealant wasn’t in terrible shape so it’ll add another layer of protection.
Great video! That tape is pretty slick I bet, easy peasy too! Ive always used 5200 fast cure(red) on my roof wall seams and caps, and flex seal clear to completely coat the skylights and 4200(blue) on all roof penetrations, its forever and if need be it can be removed with an abrasive wheel quickly and replaced just as easy. I havent had any "RV roof product" on any of my rvs for decades...4200/5200, clear flexseal in a gallon can, and white marine polyurethane paint for the roof itself which luckily (lol) has always been fiberglass on my rvs
Just the video I needed! I was wondering what I should do because it's coming up on 1 year since I purchased my new TT and I know my roof needs my attention. 👍🏼
I used eternabond on the shower floor of my 5th wheel that was split open. After over three years it was holding good. I used a Shower mat over the tape to make it look better, wife’s advice. 😅
I used this stuff on my very first RV didn't know what I was doing and had a pretty bad leakwhere the thing went from plastic bed thing to the plywood roof it was a class c from 81 that stuff stopped the leak for 8 years but damage was already done That tape is really good and sticky
Did this to my current trailer about 10 years ago and it’s still holding strong. Zero leaks. Ordered a new trailer a few weeks ago and plan on doing the same. Probably this summer at some point. I’ve heard that the lap seal at needs a couple months to totally cure.
Thanks a bunch!! My hubby did the first new roof coating on our 5th wheel this spring (it’s a 2011). Now that the roof looks like new again he is excited about using this stuff, just to make those areas a lot more protected!!
Great job. I'd like to say.. I had a delamination issue right in the front of my 5th wheel. & when I used this to seal the front ? CAP to the side wall while traveling thru a storm to get somewhere I could park an do a "REAL REPAIR" .. I started at the top & STRETCHED the tape as I want down. WOW! IT DOUBLED THE LENGTH & made it appears to be like a moulded plastic (taking the form of the metal strips down the front siddes) it worked & looked SO WELL, its isn't even noticable unless you are up on it!
@@WanderingWeekends it was not Eternabond...it was from a friends hvac company. But yeah, there was a small mistake I made it the bottom & I gave up trying to fix it. It wasn't budging.
It looks great, my only suggestion would be a small roller (wall-paper) or a block to press it securely to the surfaces. Good job though, definately worth the effort
@@daniellefishman6911 the problem with using this on a EPDM roof is if for some reason the tape needs to be removed. If you need a new roof vent for example it will rip the rubber roof and the entire EPDM rubber will need to be replaced. That is in the thousands so I always recommend using dicor or even flex seal that is the proper way to seal an RV roof eterna bond is really only meant for a gash or tear in the rubber roof
Eternabond tape is great, we use it in the industry all the time. But just a word of ⚠️ it does not last forever. We ju as t did 3k worth of work to a guys unit, he thought this would work perfectly for his new skylight install. He got 5 years out of it and it started leaking. Like I said, it works great but don't expect it to last forever.
This was great walk thru of how to reseal with tape. However, you really should have removed the old lap sealant as it will continue to breakdown and become the weak link between your eternabond tape and the roof.
The fastest and ultimate sealant is Ultima or Lexall, I have used it for years. It is clear and you can see where the leak pops, if it ever does. If it does, its your fault for not cleaning it well enough. That sealant is a sticky mess, so I know its adhesive properties are the bomb. Good luck getting it off when you need to.
We are relatively new RV owners (4 years) and now have our second one, a fifth wheel. I have always wondered why we spend big bucks to buy a new RV and then have to start climbing around on top of it re-sealing the roof every six months or so! Your video answered that question perfectly. Our fifth wheel is only 8 months old, but I guarantee you that when it comes time to do it, I will Eternabond it from front to back and side to side! Thanks for the video and look forward to seeing others in the future-just subscribed!
Wandering Weekends Good for you! Our fifth wheel is 8 months old, and the membrane has started deteriorating in several places-mainly on the edge where it bends over and terminates with the molding. I took it to our dealer, who took several pictures and sent to the manufacturer (Jayco). Got a call a couple of weeks ago and they have approved a new roof for our nearly new rig. I was more than shocked, and now a little apprehensive about having “major surgery” done to our camper. Wonder what my chances might be in asking our dealer to not use Dicor self leveling caulk but instead use the Eternabond tape? Your opinion or thoughts on this please. I hate to push my luck, ya know? Thanks!
I would have started at the back and worked forward so all the seams overlap with the direction of the wind when traveling down the road. Just less chance of water being forced up under it.
07:50. If they did it factory, people would not take it to dealer for leak area detection, fix and exorbitant repair cost. Always follow the money. The money is not in sale, it’s in return for dealer warranty repair and future, constant repair, replacement.
Precisely why I don’t listen to a few RV “pros” who talk negatively about this stuff. They need business and this preventative measure takes that business away.
@@timroach9240 I didn't see a need for sealing this cutout at the time. There would never be any standing water as the AC is right at the crown of the roof. I'll further inspect this Spring.
I’ve got a couple of questions that I’m hoping you can help me with: 1. Will using the Eternabound tape, as you have, affect the GD roof warranty?; and 2. How do you find the pinholes in your roof? Wouldn’t they be very small? What would you look for? TIA
Your video is super helpful! Thank you so much for your advice! My fiance and I will be renovating our RV within the next month and this will be a great time saver when we hit the road.
Thanks for the video. I just finished the side seams on my tt. Couldn't believe that a 4 yr old tt would have so many splits and cracks. Of course the 12 yr warranty that Alpha claims doesn't transfer to the 2nd owner. Thanks again for all the videos. Im learning a lot.
My TT is 5 years old and has the same splitting side rail issue shown in beginning of video. I guess they don't have to weld it what that 1st guy on here said. I have been using silicone to fill in the cracks as it pulls apart (approx lady bug size slits here and there) . I think I am going to try the eternabond. What about where the eternabond meets the 4 roof corners though? you just go onto the big dicor blobs on the rear two roof corners?
@@ShopNopen Yes I just glued down the frayed parts of the roof membrane then put the tape down the seem all the way down to the end over the dicor. Once you've got the tape in place then just roll it down with a roller. Be careful with the placement because once it sticks it's hard to get up without tearing the membrane.
A concern I have is.... When covering the plastic trim cover above the gutters. Will this cover get old and brittle/break underneath the EB tape?? And the expanding and contracting of the cover underneath the EB tape has that been a problem? My camper does not have the cover over the screws. Do you think it's ok to cover the screws with the EB tape or should I add the cover and cover it with the EB tape as you did? GREAT VIDEO.
I'm adding this to my Amazon shopping cart buddy! This would come in handy for any emergency situation! I really enjoy your videos keep up the good work!
I had sealed my home roof in 2022 with the pure silicone coating - best product I've seen in my 30+ years as a builder and owner. This year I became concerned for the longevity of my one piece popup camper roof on my truck camper. I just power washed it, taped it up and rolled on the white silicone - BOMBER!....had to be careful to cut in the edges after taping. edge tape had to be folded along the center of the tape to form a dam so as to avoid drips. This stuff is so white, and insulating, water will sit in thin drops for days without evaporating.
Thank you very much for the instruction! At this time I am gathering preparing to reseal and paint the top of my RV. You have helped me decide my approach to part of that the process!
I just had to replace the black vinyl screw cover trim on our 4 year-old trailer. Are you concerned about how to replace the trim with the tape covering it? I have thought about using Eternabond down the sides of our trailer, but I think I would just remove the vinyl trim and run the tape along the bottom edge of the aluminum channel and fold it up over the edge of the roof, letting the tape cover the screws. I would probably need 3" or 4" tape to do this.
RV roof install . Via you tube . Nothing else will match up to TPO and heat welding .also using chemlink / duralink 35 is great for sealing , its not self leveling bs . It’s out door-rated for 30 years . I did a roof on a class C a while back and it hasn’t leaked since
The only thing I would be concerned about is on the sides..I would cover the plastic insert on the gutter or just above it....those plastic inserts do deterate and have to be replaced. So cover it and not worry or dont cover it so you can replace it.
Great video! I would suggest to overlay the tape so that water sheds the seams. Meaning start with the rearward piece of tape and then both sides and lastly the front. This way water sheds as you drive.
Looks good but check the screws along the edge of the roof 90% of mine were rusted in 1/2 on a 4-year-old GD. I replaced them with SS screws with caulk on the treads. just prep before sealant.
I would hate to replace the vent. I just got done replacing my vents after a hail storm. First I put some roofing take to seal it up. That was hard enough to get through.
You should be able to change just the vent cover and use the existing vent frame. Then you don't have to disturb the seal between the vent frame and the roof. It's cheaper to replace just the cover...and a lot less work!
Great video, i just bought a used 2005 class C motorhome and i resealed everything with Flex, but im glad i came across your video and now i inow what to use to prevent any leaks in the future!
TPO roof all the way ! Much better than a white innertube (rubber roof ) ! Fiberglass is best but TPO is great ! Eterna bond is the best and reliable repair .
Great video mate. Just in time for me. I have just replaced my roof and just about to re-install all my vents, a/c, etc. Would you recommend just using a small amount of sealant as a bed between the hatches and the roof and just the Eternabond tape over the top surfaces and screw heads. That way the tape would be lower to the roof and reduce water build up around the inner areas
Eternabond makes a fabric backed tape. If I were doing a new roof I’d apply the fabric backed tape which is designed to accept a liquid sealant such as GacoFlex. You’d then have the best of both worlds.
