Leaky roof

[NatureBoy22]

Hello! 👋🏻

I have a 2004 Trail Lite. Recently noticed a soft spot on my roof. Assuming it came from the bathtub skylight. I removed the skylight, and ended up taking out a bagful of rotted wood. I replaced the plywood boards on the roof that were rotted… and now my question is what is the best adhesive to “glue” back the rubber roof membrane? Once it’s glued back in place I was going to use some EPDM tape, and Dicor acrylic roof coating to top it off.

[rmac04401]

I would use eternabond tape on the seams of the patch. The seal will last as long as the roof.

[Ken-m]

The material itself has to be glued down not just the edges

[rmac04401]

Originally Posted by Ken-m

The material itself has to be glued down not just the edges

That’s a given. I was answering about the edges of the patch. Eternabond would last longer than Dicor.

[Ken-m]

Originally Posted by rmac04401

That’s a given. I was answering about the edges of the patch. Eternabond would last longer than Dicor.

Your right , people think Dicor is a sealant , it's not .

[rsdata]

Natureboy

go to the eternabond dot com website

they have double sided and single sided tapes that will do the job you require

don't use sealants that fail in a few years

[NatureBoy22]

Originally Posted by rsdata

Natureboy

go to the eternabond dot com website

they have double sided and single sided tapes that will do the job you require

don't use sealants that fail in a few years

Thanks for the tip. Are you suggesting to tape down the rubber membrane to the new plywood we laid down, rather than somehow gluing it?

[BRinSCupstate]

We replaced the roof membrane on our old Jayco several years back due to some rot and the EPDM membrane was getting down to black. We used a TPO membrane and glued it with contact cement. Coated both surfaces and rolled it down onto the plywood. I think the tape would be a great idea on seams.

[dustman_stx]

There is a specific adhesive used to glue down the membranes. If you go to a local RV repair facility there’s a chance they’ll have a small amount left over from a roof job they can sell you so you won’t have to buy a full gallon. The Dicor part number for that adhesive is 901BA. There are other brands out there, just make sure it is compatible with your membrane type. As far as the “Dicor”(assuming you are talking about their 501LSX or 551LSX products since Dicor is a company)- it most certainly is a sealant unless you’re somehow redefining the term “sealant”. It will dry out over time and must be touched up. By the way, the “X” at the end of those part numbers is where the color code would go. With that being said, I would use either Eternabond or QuickRoof Extreme tape along those cuts after the roof is glued down.

[dustman_stx]

Upon further inspection- has that roof been coated with something? If it has, and it was a silicon product, you’re not going to get anything to stick to it.

[rsdata]

Originally Posted by NatureBoy22

Thanks for the tip. Are you suggesting to tape down the rubber membrane to the new plywood we laid down, rather than somehow gluing it?

Yes
I am assuming you have not replaced the entire roof but only a section. I put Eternabond on my roof edges, vent edges and skylight edge about 7 years ago and it appears to still be a new install, requiring NO MAINTANENCE.

ended up taking out a bagful of rotted wood. I replaced the plywood boards on the roof that were rotted…

I wrote this back 7 years ago...

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...nce-90060.html

"It quickly repairs torn seams, leaks, and small holes. And, because of its durability, doesn’t require regular maintenance once applied."

Read more here...

https://www.thervgeeks.com/is-eterna...eally-eternal/

See product here... 90% 4+5 star rating on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/EternaBond-Do...75&sr=8-1&th=1

[NatureBoy22]

Originally Posted by dustman_stx

Upon further inspection- has that roof been coated with something? If it has, and it was a silicon product, you’re not going to get anything to stick to it.

Thanks for the info about the bonding adhesive, I’ll look into getting some ASAP.

As far as the roof coating, I did not put anything on it myself. I bought the trailer last year, so I’m not sure what the previous owner used to seal it. If there IS a silicone coating, would priming it before taping it with the EPDM tape work?

[rsdata]

Originally Posted by NatureBoy22

Thanks for the info about the bonding adhesive, I’ll look into getting some ASAP.

As far as the roof coating, I did not put anything on it myself. I bought the trailer last year, so I’m not sure what the previous owner used to seal it. If there IS a silicone coating, would priming it before taping it with the EPDM tape work?

Most RV owners know NOT to put silicon anything on a roof... and caulk in general will eventually shrink, crack and fail.

all you can do is try something and learn from the experience since you bought something used...