Yeah, yeah, been talked about several times....Eternabond Tape

[billybigrigger]

Hello all,

I know this has been talked about several times but I wanted some real world input! I am looking at possibly beefing up front, rear, side and accessory seals on my roof with Eternabond tape. I have a 2018 Grey Wolf 26DBH. I am looking for real world experience of installing Eternabond. I have read positives and negatives. I have heard of a few cases of water being trapped under the tape or roof warranty possibly being voided. Does anyone have any advice or input on these topics? Thank you much in advance!

[Tapex]

Rookie here...I just read, researched, and took the chance of installing! Not much help here. But, I'm willing to stay the course and trust the positive information I've taken in, from all the fellow members on here whose used this product and stand behind it! Good luck!

[billybigrigger]

Thank you tapex, I am a rookie on this subject so welcome any feedback!

[dbledan]

I just recently did mine but I limited it to the sides all around including the cap. I don't plan to do the vents skylights etc mainly because I watched a video of removing it...it will take a heat gun scraper and lots of work. While I do believe in the product I don't see it as useful on a component that may need to be replaced one day. The way this stuff sticks when you install it I don't see it coming off easily so for a permanent solution its great. For a skylight that needs to come off one day no thanks. I will touch up the dicor.

Installation is easy as long as you work in small sections. There is no water getting through unless I did it wrong.

[flhtci2006]

I recommend:
1. Thoroughly clean (I use 99% alcohol) or use a small amount of mineral spirits working a small section then follow with alcohol...rubbing, not Jack or Jim.
2. Cut the section/length you want.
3. Mark the edge of where the eternabond will go with a pencil to keep the tape going in line.
4. Apply primer per instructions
5. Grab the eternabond edge between your thumb and forefinger of both hands, gripped to the right and left side,leaving an open area in the middle. Move one finger thumb set forward and the other set backwards, then reverse and do this a few times very quickly. It will cause the backing to slightly gap in the middle. You can then separate the backing, but just for a short length.
6. Lay the tape across your marked lines but don't let the tape with backing removed touch the roof. Once it touches it is down.
7. With the tape positioned along your lines but just off the roof, lay the backing removed edge down. Work the tape along the marked path, pulling the backing off as necessary and using your hand to smoth the eternabond down in the direction your are working. Go slow and try not to leave gaps, creases, valleys, etc. Keep the tape following your marks.
8. Once down, use a roller to thoroughly seat the tape. If you have any small air pockets, take a pin or edge of a razor blade and put a small hole in the bubble but not into the roof. Work the bubble with your fingers to push air out the small hole you made.
9. Edge seal the tape with Diclor if desired. Some do, some don't. I do.

[CincyGus]

I did my previous camper about year 3. I have the supplies to do my new camper (purchased in fall of 2018) as soon as I quit working 6-12 hour days a week.

If you think of installation as being like painting in that if you want a good end result, the devil is in the details and the preparation, and you do those parts well, you will be thrilled with the product. I won't go into all the details here as there are dozens of threads about doing it properly along with the manufactures website.

Just know that checking the dicor sealant that's already on the camper, removing any that is loose, cracked or damaged, CLEANING the surface extremely well and then applying with a roller to give it maximum activation of the adhesive will serve you well.

There are countless posts of people that have had a decade of success with the product as far as seams not leaking, reduced maintenance (although still do the roof checks). I personally know two friends that have been RVing before I was old enough to drive that swear by it and install it in the first year or two before any issues arise as precautionary.

I've adopted their process and do the same. One of the major reasons is that I've not seen a lot of other products get the kind of unsolicited testimonial support that eternabond does, that it's something I can do myself relatively inexpensively which is a plus in my mind because I know I do pretty solid work when it's protecting my investment. There's not enough long term data in my mind to consider some of the other roof sealant processes and especially at the considerable higher costs. If I'm going to spend that kind of cash, I want a track record that proves to me it's well worth it.

Water damage is high on the list of what kills a campers value. Everything I can do to keep that from happening is worth considering. To me, Eternabond is a high value solution that has plenty of satisfied customers using the same way I intend to.

Good luck in your research and decision.

[bikendan]

After being a member of various RV forums for the past 20 years, i can count on one hand the number of negative Eternabond posts that I've read.
More than 99% are positive.

[billybigrigger]

What width of Eternabond did everyone use in the various areas?

[Tapex]

I cut mine in 3 various sizes for different width applications, as in...4", 3", & 2 1/2" it was measuring, and cutting to fit, the way I thought I'd want it for my project.

[dave961]

4" on front & back seals, along both sides, and around every hole in the roof except the AC (which till eventually fail).

[billybigrigger]

What are you all using to clean and prep the surface? I have read mineral spirits or acetone but I would be worried about getting these products on the roof surface! I was planning on washing the roof with Dawn dish soap and then hitting the sealing spots with denatured alcohol or a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water. Curious as to what everyone else used?

[Tapex]

Originally Posted by billybigrigger

What are you all using to clean and prep the surface? I have read mineral spirits or acetone but I would be worried about getting these products on the roof surface! I was planning on washing the roof with Dawn dish soap and then hitting the sealing spots with denatured alcohol or a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water. Curious as to what everyone else used?

Rubbing alcohol, denatured alcohol, mineral spirits, acetone. Are cleaning products for calking and taking care of your investment [emoji106]

[rsdata]

What are you all using to clean and prep the surface? I have read mineral spirits or acetone but I would be worried about getting these products on the roof surface!

I used mineral spirits on a rag to clean the original calking on the roof, followed quickly by some rubbing alcohol on a rag to take off the mineral spirits from the roof material because it will distort the roof material.
The mineral spirits will quickly clean gunked up caulk and dirt/stains on the roofing material; you really do not need much on a terry cloth and just a bit of rubbing to clean it good as new.

ASK ME HOW I KNOW THAT...
I inadvertently laid the slightly damp spirits rag on the roof as I left to take a break. Four hours later I came back to find an 8 inch wide bubble on the roof under the rag. I kicked myself, and hoped that the problem would go away. I waited 24 hours, and the huge bubble went away 98%. I can still see a little distortion where the bubble was but the membrane is intact, looks good and should not give me a problem.

I used 2" tape to tape the side seems near the gutters and 3" tape on the front and back seams where the membrane meets the molding over the fiberglass. I could have used 4" on front and back, but I thought and still do think that 3" is wide enough and it is a little cheaper. I bought 1 roll of each for my Shamrock 183 and have plenty left over. I also bought some Eternabond caulk and used that on a couple of edges to keep them from coming up especially in the front.

This tape is sticky stuff, but you will get used to using it. It helped that I used a razor blade to cut the tape and to help start to peel the backing material off the tape with the point. I did front and back in one continuous strip, but the sides I laid down using 4 foot long strips starting at the back and overlapping as I went forward.

My advice is to start slow with a short strip of tape on a practice surface. I believe you will quickly fall into a rhythm that you are comfortable with. I stood on an 8 foot step ladder to do the sides and rear, but got up on the roof to do the front.

I did mine almost 5 years ago, and as of last fall last I checked, the Eternabond is still holding strong and looks like it was applied yesterday.

Check out the Eternabond video library. here
https://www.eternabond.com/articles.asp?id=200

[billybigrigger]

How would you guys/gals go about taping the rear of my trailer? Would the tape conform to the arch of the roof?

[rsdata]

Your trailer is not that much different then many others out there. That is not that much of an arch over the width of the trailer. The tape is not that thick. Any bunching that you might need to do on the rear needs to be rolled on aggressively with a wallpaper seam roller or even a large metal spark plug sized socket rolled with your hand. I would only overlap that rear edge by say 1/2 an inch or so to minimize bunching. Probably the 2" size is all that you would need depending on the seam width on the top, giving an inch and a half on the top side.

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by bikendan

After being a member of various RV forums for the past 20 years, i can count on one hand the number of negative Eternabond posts that I've read.
More than 99% are positive.

I haven't been around quite that long but I can't remember a single negative post about it.

[rsdata]

I can't remember a single negative post about it.

here is one... but note since the original post have not heard beck from the OP...

As I mentioned back then I believe there was a prep problem...

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...pe-205492.html

[Tapex]

Originally Posted by rsdata

here is one... but note since the original post have not heard beck from the OP...

As I mentioned back then I believe there was a prep problem...

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...pe-205492.html

X2 [emoji106]

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by Iwritecode

I haven't been around quite that long but I can't remember a single negative post about it.

On another forum that I'm on several long-time members are opposed to its use. Their complaint is that it is too sticky and too strong and almost impossible to remove. To me that is a positive, not a negative! I've been pleased with its performance.

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by billybigrigger

What are you all using to clean and prep the surface? I have read mineral spirits or acetone but I would be worried about getting these products on the roof surface! I was planning on washing the roof with Dawn dish soap and then hitting the sealing spots with denatured alcohol or a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water. Curious as to what everyone else used?

I washed and scrubbed with Murphy's oil of soap (and water) and let dry for a day. Then just before applying the tape I cleaned with lacquer thinner. It is "hotter" than mineral spirits but a bit less than acetone and dries quickly.