✨*PRODUCTS FEATURED IN THIS VIDEO:✨ ✅Eternabond Tape 50' x 6" amzn.to/3aWrsKs ✅Eternabond Tape 50' x 4" amzn.to/3NeadFX ✅Eternabond Tape 50' x 2" amzn.to/36YQWUV ✅Camco Water Brush amzn.to/3vBir1k ✅Eternabond Primer amzn.to/3aYIs2z ✅Roller amzn.to/39PLQ2a 📺 *THE ONE YEAR UPDATE VIDEO* ua-cam.com/video/f4YXYYWWtbA/v-deo.html 📺 *THE TWO YEAR UPDATE VIDEO* ua-cam.com/video/FZzLNorRAmo/v-deo.html RV Roof Maintenance - In this episode we will show you how to stop wasting time and money on lap sealant on your travel trailer / 5th wheel / camper or any RV roof and start using Eternabond Roof Seal as a permanent solution. UPDATE: I am getting a few comments that Eternabond MAY NOT BE USED TO COVER SEAMS AND SEALS and THAT IT IS ONLY MEANT FOR TEMPORARY ROOF MEMBRANE REPAIRS, because that's what they saw on the internet. That is actually *not true* at all. The following is a statement directly from the Eternabond website: "Did you know RV roof seams require yearly maintenance? Use RoofSeal over factory roof seams one time and never do roof seam maintenance again! More than 25 high-end RV manufacturers now use EternaBond products in the manufacturing of their dream machines to ensure their customers will truly have a weather tight, leak-proof RV." Want to check out the products shown in this video? Here they are: #rvlife #eternabond #eternabondtape ✨⭐ *OUR FAVORITE RV ACCESSORIES* ⭐✨ *ESSENTIALS:* ✅ Camco Rhino Flex Sewer Hose & Elbow Kit amzn.to/3wxaiyG ✅ Camco 90 Degree Clear Sewer Elbow amzn.to/3eezBe7 ✅ Camco RV Water Filter amzn.to/3VzcMqi ✅ Rubber Wheel Chocks amzn.to/3v0lL5I ✅ Hughes Watchdog 30 Amp Surge Protector/EMS amzn.to/3hAmgCy ✅ Hughes Watchdog 50 Amp Surge Protector/EMS amzn.to/3HKrpm1 ✅ Liquified RV Tank Treatment amzn.to/3ksg1Ck ✅ Tire Minder TPMS amzn.to/3mjuBg0 ✅ Water Pressure Regulator amzn.to/3m3ZFzZ ✅ Rubber Gloves 6 Mil amzn.to/3XNo7Dc ✅ Collapsible Water Hose amzn.to/3SvNubw *MAINTENANCE:* ✅ Boeshield T-9 Rust Preventative & Lubrication amzn.to/3sjcjMx ✅ Eternabond Roof Tape amzn.to/3Ad290J ✅ Geocell Proflex Sealer amzn.to/3KGMOyb ✅ Road Tool Kit amzn.to/41NIQKj *INTERIOR:* ✅ Camco Cross Bar Door Handle amzn.to/3o8WWS5 ✅ Shower Caddy amzn.to/3bdU80W ✅ Soap Dish amzn.to/3pKheSn ✅ Oxygenics Shower Head (White) amzn.to/3nhDMYW ✅ Oxygenics Shower Head (Brushed Nickel) amzn.to/2O8YcYC ✅ Perfect RV Paper Towel Holder amzn.to/3tZxd1K ✅ Dimmer Switch amzn.to/3rQdfFD ✅ Sliding Door Latch amzn.to/3EkpTT0 ✅ Puppy Paw Hook amzn.to/2N9JaRV ✅ Foldable Storage Bins amzn.to/3tIp01f *EXTERIOR:* ✅ X Chocks amzn.to/3m3ck2i ✅ Carmtek 10 Digit Keyless Entry System amzn.to/3t4IMpB (see the video here: ua-cam.com/video/KcEUgsDw6kk/v-deo.html) ✅ Low Point Drain Valves amzn.to/3Jd6adb *OUTDOOR GEAR:* ✅ Blackstone Griddle 22” amzn.to/3MDDiL0 ✅ Blackstone Griddle 28" amzn.to/3eBnOuD ✅ Outdoor Gravity Chairs amzn.to/3Sb1p4M ✅ Ground Mat amzn.to/41u3wXg 💥 Sign up for our FREE Newsletter: view.flodesk.com/pages/6497c6a9d1998fa8c7623e9f ✨⭐ *MORE RV ACCESSORIES ON AMAZON* ⭐✨ www.amazon.com/shop/rvtipstravels 💥 *NEW TO OUR CHANNEL?* Check out our catalog: ua-cam.com/users/RVTipsTravelsplaylists 🙏 *If you want to help support our channel* you can donate here: www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=J2KKM9NR3BJJA ✨⭐ *DISCOUNT CODES TO SAVE MONEY* ⭐✨ 🔨 Learn how to *repair & maintain your RV* like I did w/ this COMPREHENSIVE training course: rvtechcourse.com/?ref=rvtips&travels 🚐 *10% off RV Snappads!* rvsnappad.com/discount/RVTT10 🛌 Get *25% off your RV Mattress* by Brooklyn Bedding at rvmattress.com/rvtips Use discount code: rvtips 📡 *GPS Tracking for your RV!* www.wheresafe.com/rvtipsandtravels Get 10% off by using discount code: RVTIPS10 If you find a dead link, let us know & we’ll send you an RVTT sticker! 📺 Want to see more RV videos? Please *SUBSCRIBE & CLICK THE BELL ICON* 🔔 so you're notified when we release new videos! *Follow us* on social media: 📸 Instagram instagram.com/RVTipsAndTravels 🕺 Facebook facebook.com/RVTipsAndTravels We may receive a small commission for purchases made through the affiliate links above. There is NO additional cost to you when purchasing from our links & it helps cover some of our material and equipment costs to make these videos. *We GREATLY appreciate your support!*
Hi! Short Pro-tip, While applying the tape it makes for a little better bonding to the existing surface if you use a heat gun (on low setting) to apply a small amount of heat to the surface and/or tape especially during cooler temps., also using a small rubber roller to press it down helps in flat areas. Hope you find this helpful! Safe travels everyone!
acetone is a good cleaner, but it will damage the vent covers and skylight cover. i had a viewer comment and send me photos, so that is something i am going to mention in the 3 year review this summer.
I just recently procured a roll of this from the company that installed my patio cover and I was thinking at the time this might work good to seal the roof on my Travel Trailer so I am glad I found this video. They told me to clean the area good with denatured alcohol before applying the tape.
As a licensed RV Service Tech for 10 years, I can say yes this stuff is amazing. But read where he says "Permanent". That's a fact. Even in high heat. Sadly many people don't read the part about cleaning it well before installing it. Those little wrinkles can act as funnels, putting water in underneath. We always finished off the tape with a lap sealant just to make sure. Because we have to use a razor blade to remove the bad spots that DIYers "fixed". The lap sealant is easy enough to peel off in 5 years or so if you use a thin bead, then simply reseal it again. Also, over time if the roof wasn't properly cleaned, wind will work the edges loose, making a scoop for rain while travelling. Do a good cleaning in the first place and it will last.
thanks for the comment Dan. I will agree with you 100% on cleaning and proper application, and I probably didnt stress that enough in this video, but I will be doing a follow up video this spring. It has held up perfectly. Thats an interesting idea about running lap sealant around the edge of the eternabond since if it does fail, i would assume it would be at the edges. and a small amount would be easy to remove and reapply as you said. Thanks for your input and adding to the video.
I used Eterna Bond on my rv about 5 years ago. Used Acetone to clean surface before applying tape. It worked great! Also used a wooden wallpapering roller to smooth out tape after applying. A heat gun or hot sunny day is a must also.
As you say, "it's not a beauty show", however I believe it's important to look halfway decent considering the TT roof is where I strap my mother in law when she travels with us.
Simple green is a great cleaner! As a commercial roofer I recommend that you round all the edges on the corners of the tape. It makes it harder for the tap to come up.
So , using Simple Green on the lap sealant will suffice instead of soap and water? I have heard some people use Acetone for a cleaner, that seems a little harsh to me….
I watched this video a couple years ago. I followed exactly what you did. Uber cleaned the areas needed for tape application…applied as you did. It took me a full day plus few hours next day…as it was early December and weather was cooler and moisture set the night before. Three years later and the roof is holding just fine
I used to work at Morgan Corporation building box trucks and I used this on my roofs. It is an amazing product! Take your time time putting it on, because once it's down, it's down. You will not get this off again. Best roof sealer you can get!
Very familiar with this and similar products different names. Roofer 33 years. Should always use primer. That extra step can divert a problem. Your roof looks great.Great job!
Thanks for this. My rented house was destroyed in a hurricane 2 years ago, I've been living in my fifth wheel and fighting leaks by myself since. I think you may have made my future a little brighter.
@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS thanks. My skylight that I've "repaired" three times is leaking again as I type this, and worse. Like I was just up there two days ago, and thought I finally got it. Nope. It's pretty disheartening. I'm a disabled vet, and it's killing my back but what else can I do but try something new, right? I just put the tape in my Amazon cart. I'll get it the first when I get paid, this video makes me have hope
I have an older camper and suffered a leak at the front that rotted wood and became an ant farm. Still working on the repair but in addition to the roof repair with eternobond, I found some 1 or 1.5 inch and I used that instead of caulk to seal all possible cracks. I probably will never use caulk again. Unless your a pro at putting on a bead, the tape looks much nicer.
Something that would be very handy for this application is a rubber roller used to apply sound deadening material like DynaMat. The rollers can help save your thumb and generally allow you to put more, and even, pressure down.
I’ve used rollers for years applying dynamite. They do work great, but I can apply more pressure with my thumb because as you start to push down on a roller it eventually starts rolling one way or the other. Using your thumb definitely takes much longer though. Thanks for watching and commenting my friend.
Painters blade. The plastic ones they use for wallpaper. You can get short ones perfect for this. His technique of peeling the plastic 6 or 8 inch at a time is as essential as the cleaning. I will be looking at this stuff for sure.
During the 60 MPH Winds I had to Stop the Video to tell you how much your LOOK cracked me up! This LOOK simply made my day. This is a great video and you're Great! Thank you!
Helpful video. Back in the late 70’s, I sealed a 18.5’ travel trailer roof with a thick silver metallic roofing paint that I saw on house trailers. Never had to mess with it again and it reflected the hot Florida sun. Didn’t look bad either.
Great idea - I need to re-do this where I can; it's been a few years and this popped up at a good time. Once you have the Eternabond down, a terrific roof sealant all over is Henry's Tropicool 887 roof paint. It will stick to the EPDM or other roof material, but not to the Eternabond since it is 100% silicone. Any overlap onto the tape will simply peel off, but is "sealed" into any microscopic nook and cranny spaces between the tape and roof. I did one coat in summer 2017, one in summer 2018, and after washing it still looks brand new. The two together are a great waterproof solution!
used flashing tape last time i redid a roof, worked great. although due to money and time, we were moving so i couldn't do the most important part of a really bad roof, replace the roof beams, etc., so every repair i made was bypassed by a sagging roof and water found its way in through every roof opening anyway. so my tip is to check roof carefully and if there is damage from water causing rot, or sagging spend the time and money to replace everything before you ever bother doing anything else or you will regret it.
Great video Ross! I completely agree with regarding Eterna Bond as it is a great product and I used it on my previous RV and I used a J-Roller to flatten it out. For my recent trailer, 2 years after I purchased it, I coated with the Dicor rubber roofing product and it is an amazing product and my roof remains cleaner and does not stain as easily compared to the original membrane.
Hey Paul, good to hear. This is a very polarized modification. Some people do it and love it. Some people say it doesn’t work. I wasn’t the first to do it so I did plenty of research before making this video. It’s important to apply correctly, but it will outlast the rig if done correctly.
Great video, i am a newbie to the RV world and i find all ur tips helpful. Our RV is 1 yr old when should i be concerned about inspecting the roof and thinking about this type of application? Thanks again for all ur useful guidance at this stage we are just sponges.
@@ashleysmith5306 whether you do this mod or not, roof inspection should be a regular thing. I usually climb up there after EVERY trip to do a visual inspection. As far as the age of your rig, that doesnt really matter. what matters is that the sealant is in good condition and solid. if its not, it needs to be removed and reapplied then left to cure for 30 days. application is important, the surface needs to be solid and clean, and applying the tape needs to be a slow process to get it flat.
I live in Florida. I found if left in sun the Eternabond tape backing will not come off very easy. Put it in freezer for about 30 minutes and it peels right off. I use a hand held roller on the tape as I apply it to make sure that it is stuck well.
I did this to a big part of my roof, brand new 5th wheel too. Only thing I'd say is remove the caulk that's there first. It adds a ton of time and work, but it's worth it for the bond and the looks.
This stuff works like a charm. I'm not kidding, once you use this, it's on there FOREVER. I painted my roof with Henry's Tropicool 887....I'll never have to paint my roof again and in Summer it will stay much more cool. Thanks for the vid!
So my van is notorious for leaking in between the walls.. I used this tape and it was awesome but the ends did come up a bit so I also used magic roof on the top of it and I honestly have had not one issue since I cannot speak highly enough about this combination and the magic roof sticks great to the eternal Bond! I did the gutters as well so they wouldn't leak underneath as they do.. then I got aftermarket gutters and put them on and my roof has not leaked once!! Hallelujah
Thank you for info. Never owned a RV before so at 79 years old I’m learning about the one I now live in. It’s 5 years old and I haven’t been up on the roof yet. But I surely will get this tape and be up there following your instructions.
Eternabond tape is awesome! I sealed a 5th wheel roof we owned with it. I sold the 5th wheel 12 years later and the tape was still keeping the roof sealed and holding strong.
Depending on how old the trailer is, if it's older I'd suggest replacing the strips covering the screw heads on the outside edges before doing this. I own a 2017 trailer and they where already failing.
@@hogroamer260 They make these RVs so cheap it's unreal . I just got my rockwood roo in May and already having to replace my whole awning assembly for the second time!
Thanks Started doing mine today at 92F. Too hot. I will finish when it is below 82F. At least the front edge of my class C is done. That really needed it!
This video is excellent. We did this a year ago before this video came out and it has held up FLAWLESSLY. If you think putting "tape" over sealant as he suggests is misuse of this product, you would be incorrect. The manufacturer has an 18 year warranty on this tape, and they also claim this tape can be used as a permanent solution. Until you have this stuff in your hands, you dont realize how durable and sticky it is. Everyone should do this to their roof as it will probably outlast the RV. Great video Ross.
This tape is awesome. And yes it’s sticky if you get it on you ain’t getting it off. I actually used the 6 inch wide across the top of my awning where the sun hits and it worked great. I will be doing my roof next but I have to replace a skylight that my son cracked stepping on it and my vent fan for my bathroom because it doesn’t stay shut. After that I will seal my roof.
Does your vent come open during driving? Instead of replacing the vent itself, I'd recommend adding a maxx air cover. Then you can leave the bathroom vent open without worrying about rain getting in and don't have to worry about it coming open while driving because its covered. I just did this and it's worked great. And it saves having to risk opening the roof and possible leaks after.
The man is right about what he's doing I've been doing it this way for years. When I get a new cargo trailer and I have several of them I clean it. I put the Lowe's aluminum and black tar like tape, tar facing down to the metal or aluminum roof depending on which cargo trailer I buy. After I put it on and let it dry for a day. I paint it with the white coat you can get it at Home Depot it's the Henry's brand it's thicker than regular paint. And do not shake it too much the lid blew off at home Depot when they put it in the 5 gallon paint shaker and made a big mess. Of course start to the back of trailer and work your way to the front so if the wind catches it it will drift right over your edges. Its the type of peel and stick aluminum and black tar like tape I buy at Lowe's it will not break down it's probably the same thing as a E turn a Bond tape. I'm just not sure about the eternal Bond brand I think that's an RV type of stuff. Sorry about the spelling not sure on how you spell eternal Bond tape. Also the tape I use at Lowe's is flexible and I've been using it for years. And it's one of the first things I do when I get a new cargo trailer. But for some reason about half of the roofs are still white and look good and some of them I have got like a black algae on them. I need to clean the black looking algae off the top and if that doesn't come off just coat them again. White of course stays cooler and seals the roof also. White is the coolest color out of all the cargo trailer different colors because I've put my hands on them in the middle of the summertime to see and feel the difference. And white on a cargo or race car trailer is a lot cheaper to fix than the colored ones. Also the aluminum and black tar like tape I use it's almost impossible or very difficult to get the tape off of the roof or project you put it on. So before you stick it make sure it's planned out.
I had an improperly built roof seam split and I’ve learned a lot in repairing after the camper place tried to rip me off. That tape is awesome and I’ll not be without it again.
I believe mine was built improperly as well. We should talk. My TT is only 5 yrs old and the front roof seam is leaking. Thinking about using this stuff because I guess insurance won't cover leaks and I don't have an extra $4500 laying around.
@@cbkb983 I went in and put a 4x1 board then screwed the roof to it. I caulked that including the screws. I then used 3” tape and then 12”. It’s overkill but that’s a lot of money like ya said we are trying to protect
this product is also used for mobile homes we spent the money and put this stuff down on our 16x80 and our roof is durable,it laughs at hail, been on there for 4 years no leaks high wind ,it even holds in high wind,the stuff is sticky sticky,and he is right don't get lazy ,if you want incredible results clean the area with lacquer thinner or acetone,and its on there for good,worth the money and the trouble
Our repair guy told us to clean surfaces with alcohol before using the Eternabond tape on any scratches or gouges or around vents or possible leaks on any of the flat surfaces, then use self leveling caulk around the edges. Works like a dream. Wouldn't use self leveling on any problems over the edge. Remember it says "self leveling". You don't want it to run down the side of your rig.
I have used primer and found that clear rubbing alcohol works better and a hole lot less expensive. Especially if you use a nylon brush and car wash soap and then use either a fairly low pressure washer or a garden hose and rinse thoroughly let air dry and reclean with light amount of alcohol and clear rag
great suggestion Tom, will be doing an update this year and will mention using alcohol as a final prep cleaner. It makes sense, and even though my application is still sticking strong, I agree some alcohol would be a good idea to use as a final prep.
@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELSAlcohol attacks rubber (like window tracks-ask me how I know!😂), so I think using alcohol on a rubber roof might be a very bad idea….
I had 12 rolls of 6" x 75' ice and water shield used in building construction given to me. It sticks to almost anything and provides an impenetrable water barrier around doors and windows etc....I believe it's basically the same stuff as you are using.
Ice and water shield is not compatible with Creosote • Diesel Fuel • Gasoline/Oil • Hydrocarbon Solvents • Pentachlorophenol • Polysulfides • EPDM* • Flexible (plasticized) Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)* • Uncured Neoprene* • TPO The water shield will draw the plasticizers out of the membrane leaving it brittle and unrepairable. It also has no UV protection and will readily breakdown in direct sunlight. I strongly advise against using that as a roofing material.
As a contractor ice and water shield has to be covered within 30 days. In areas with a lot of sun and heat from the sun ice and water shield is not going to work high temperature will make the black ice and water shield literally will slide off as the adhesive melts. In some parts of the country ice and water shield can't be used.
Ice and water shield is only about 5 mil thicker. Plus it’s meant to be applied as an underlayment. Meaning it’s got minimum UV protection because it’s built to be placed under shingles. Plus it’s black, which will turn your RV into an oven. Not really sure where you’re getting your info from but ice and water shield is a horrible idea for rvs.
I’m a roofing contractor and I just bought my first RV and I got it cheap because it has roof issues. I thought to myself that I’ll just put some eternabond on it and that will take care of it. Then I thought maybe I should just check UA-cam and see if there are other options that work better. Apparently I had the right idea to begin with.
Another eternabond tape lover here but I would caution it's use around vents and sky lights. I recently had a hail storm take out every vent cover and sky light on the roof of my trailer and I can't imagine how difficult the repair would have been if I had to remove eternabond tape instead of removing the old lap sealant. Just some food for thought.
You can razor knife the eternabond right where it meets the lap sealant, remove and reseal, then tape over existing eternabond. Pretty simply actually.
Shouldn't have to remove the sealant or the vent frame. Just replace the plastic cover. They are available for most if not all brands of vents. I've replaced several when they get old and brittle.
That would make it worse to remove for sure, as ToolMan56 Tenn says, you can replace just the plastic lid. When it comes to removing any roof flanged fixture its like doing the impossible! Been there done that ! Try air conditioner shrouds people seal around with elastomeric sealant so thick you will break the shroud off removing it. Costing around $130 for a new one ! Sky lights I've never dealt with, although I've got one over my shower that has fine cracks or scratches in the outer part thats exposed to the elements. Not sure if its easily replaced. It has two clear acrylic pieces to it. Basically sun damage over the years from 2007 to now. Like I'd joke to my customers when I was in the appliance repair business "nothing lasts forever!". Lol. I could only get away with that with certain customers that I knew. Some will take that and use it against me and the company I worked for!
Use a heat gun to remove the Eternabond as well as any sealant. I had to remove the solar roof gland and used a plastic putty knife and heat gun and the sealant peeled right off.
This tape does work really well and is very sticky! But if You plan on keeping your RV for many years or the rest of your life like i am. This Eternabond Tape has a life span of about 6 years before is starts breaking down. The white outside layer will start to deteriorate and start to come off. The adhesive part of the tape seems to still be holding up fairly well. It definitely can't be removed without taking the roofing material off with it.
Eternabond warranty is 15 years. It will definitely not break down after 6 years. I’m on year 3 and it looks the same as it when installed. In the 2 year update I show a photo of someone with it after 9 years. Theres many other tapes that are similar to eternabond but not the same. How do you know what you’ve seen was actually an eternabond product?
Dawn dish-soap is a great cleaner as well. I'm about to apply this tape to my rv... we'll see how it holds up to the Minnesota weather. Thank you for the helpful video!
I use that stuff to tape down my flexible solar panels. No holes in the roof, and holds them down better than drilling brackets into the roof. Also cut a thin strip to tape down power wires routed to the panels.
I just bought this. Got an 88 RV with a metal roof. Looks like they only ever messed with the edges of this baby. I'm gonna seal them up good with this eternabond stuff. Look forward to not having to mess with it much.
I was getting my TT ready for the Spring-Summer travel season and thought I'd reseal the vents & other roof openings with lap sealant. Until I saw this video. I used Eternabond when I installed my TOGO WiFi-Router unit a few years ago and also made a quick roof repair after an incident with a low hanging tree limb so I'm familiar with the product. 2 inch along the sides (overlapping the roof/side seam) and 6 inch front and back covering the existing lap sealant. And all the vents, skylights, A/C units, ladder, etc. now have a great seal without adding to the existing layers of lap sealant. Applying during a 97* day was a little challenging but after rolling out the few wrinkles, the Eternabond is sealed. Thanks for the video.
Great job, Ross, from first-timers here. I can envision me leaving a lot of wrinkles using Eternabond for the first time, so would likely have to follow up with some beads of sealant around any trouble spots.
Had to check the video out with the comments I saw on Facebook. The nay - sayers do get you views! Very interesting and hadn’t heard of doing this. However more importantly - well presented, very nicely edited and straight forward. Good work! Heck I even subbed.
I did this when I put my fantastic fans in and it worked out great. I had this idea to tape over everything before but never got around to it. Probably need to revisit that idea again.
I met a couple with a vintage travel trailer 10 ft long typical of those manufactured in the 60s. The brand is Jet. They have owned it 10 years and has always leaked. They just put a tarp over it and that seems to work for them.
I'm getting ready to put my RV away for the winter. Its going to be stored outside and it will be exposed to snow. I was going to put the rubber sealant on the roof but this seems like a really good option that will preserve the roof life. Thanks for sharing.
It works, I wouldn’t have done it myself if it didn’t. As long as it is properly applied, it will probably outlast your RV. Thanks for watching and commenting bud.
About a year ago, I reroofed my fifth wheel trailer with flexseal paint. It worked like a charm, however, nothing other than flexseal paint will stick to flexseal paint. Flex seal spray and flex seal tape will not stick to flex seal paint nor will Eterna- bond tape, even when the spray primer is used. I wanted to carry something in my Rv supply container to repair any leaks that might occur while on the road. After trying those three different products on my RV at home, I settled on a small can of flexseal paint and a new paint brush. To further elaborate, I applied three coats of flexseal paint to my RV, each one drying for 24 hours before the next application. $450 in material plus my labor instead of $7000-$10,000 to have the roof replaced by RV specialists.
I'm a new rv'er! have a 2010 fuzion 35 ft. & have leaks, especially around the skylights & vents! Will definitely get that tape cause I'm not a part-time rv'er! it's my only home!
You should remove the sealant first, make sure that’s the cause of the leak. I wouldn’t use eternabond over a leak for these purposes. You really should try to fix the leak first. Then reseal, let sit for a month, then apply eternabond.
Great video. I had a leak in my cab over bunk area. Wasn't satisfied with the caulks available so I found the tape and I'm satisfied. I used a wallpaper seem roller to roll surface and edges it worked perfect.
I’m just taking a guess but I’m going to assume that the RV manufacturers don’t want their RVs to last a long time. That wouldn’t be very good for business
Nah, they don't care about that. Most people keep upgrading (for size and new features) or downsizing their RVs plus new RVers make for a decent enough market even during lean years. Plus they can even make money on trade-ins if they are still in good shape.
I had the same idea but used a different product-heat shield tape from Heat Shield Products. It, too, is super sticky but adds the advantage of reducing interior temperatures by 75-95 percent of the ambient, provided you cover the entire roof with it. Interior now requires much less A/C and seems to remain cooler longer. Don’t know how it would compare price wise. There is one downside. Because it’s very shiny, I have had some campers complain that the reflected light bothers them. All I can suggest is that they lower their sunshades!
We used Flex-Seal rubber paint on our TT’s roof a couple of years ago and it has held up like a champ, even in the TX sun. It cost about 1/5th what the RV places wanted to charge us and was very easy to apply. Just clean the roof really well and apply. Allow to cure for approx 24hrs and you’re good to go.
is the flex seal enough to seal up the components? I think you would still need to seal up the areas where there are components like vents, and AC equipment.
@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS we sealed up to, and over, the seams around the antenna, vents, etc. basically anywhere we could reasonably reach with a roller or brush. So far, no leaks.
I did my seems with fiberglass 3 years ago and it still awesome. After the fiberglass dried I pressure washed the whole roof and then I painted it with a rv rubberized coating. Good for life.
Thanks for the great video. I just purchased a very low use Rockford 5th Wheel and need to keep it water proof as I live in it. I watched another video where the guy said one of the main reasons for leaks that destroy the RV is from leaving the slides out and the rain and then sun light cause the leaks. Well how does that compute with. folks like me that live 24/7? I certainly cannot bring my slides in every few days.
There are seals for when the slide is open and closed. If you treat your slide seals a couple times a year you should have no problems. Use this: amzn.to/3kQo1JG
Best stuff ever. I have an old truck camper with a metal roof. It has two lateral seams in that roof, and it started leaking about 12 years ago. I bought some Eternabond and covered those seams, and it hasn't leaked a single drop since. I swear by it. A few things to know though - apply it when it's warm out - I'd say at least 70 degrees. I read once that you can apply it down to 40 F but below that you should use the primer. I would not do that. Wait until it's at least 70. It will stick like nothing you've ever seen in your life, and no primer needed. Also every time I've used it (also put it on my 5th wheel) I've washed the area, let it dry and then went over it with acetone just to make sure it is grease and oil free. Get a hand-held roller to apply pressure to it as you lay it down. The pressure is what activates the bonding. Apply a good amount of pressure everywhere you put it. After it has been applied, avoid putting things on it or walking on it. It can be damaged and will easily be deformed if, for example, it gets walked on, even years later. And as far as the leading edge of it being affected by freeway winds - that is definitely a thing. A friend had some on the back of his motorhome and after several years it was peeling up from all the wind exposure. To avoid that, run a bead of caulk right along the leading edge to deflect the wind from it. You may need to reinspect and redo the caulk every few years but you only have to worry about the leading edges. Quick job. In my opinion, anyone who buys an RV should take it home and immediately apply Eternabond to the roof - along the edges, around vents, etc. you will never have to worry about roof leaks if you do that.
all great info, thanks Gary, glad to see you again too. what are your thoughts on removing the lap sealant altogether and using Eternabond as it is intended... a factory sealant in replace of lap sealant? I might be doing this on our next RV.
Another great video. Thanks, Ross!! I was recently up on the roof of our 2150RB when I pulled off the cover and dewinterized (thanks for that vid too). Everything looked good but I'll definitely keep this in mind.
About a year and a half ago, we had all of our seals replaced at the same time. Our dealer did it and it was super-expensive. That's why I like your video.
Great video and tips. Yes can't stress PreCleaning enough. I think Deco makes a great cleaning product that works in pressure washers.I was wondering if after you apply the tape can you apply a rubberized sealer over it where it overlaps the tape itself because I'm looking at a 21 year older RV that needs sealing and taping for all edges plus around the vents, fans etc. sounds like it might be better than caulking. Though I might need to remove old failed caulk too. No leaks just showing it's age even for a fiberglass model. And as Dan Ermel points out some DIY jobs can be a pain to fix later. Thanks for your video's after 55 years of TENT Glamping and saying never would I imagine wanting an RV....and a few years into my 70's & oops I've changed my mind. Looking forward to having new adventures and taking responsiblity of the new toy. I'm keeping the tents though hard to let them go. Yet anyway.
I put 4 inch stuff on our RV. Used a 2 inch steel roller to apply it. To get rid of air bubbles, I used an intra muscular syringe. Has a smaller opening for piercing skin. Painless B12 injections. lol. Eternabond will mail samples. I believe Eternabond was developed to seal underwater pipes.
@@hector5404-b9o Where's that Picture Hector? I'm checking seals on my TT we bought in Jan. 21'. I'll install E-Bond this year or next depending on the condition of seals...and yours. 🙂
Hey everyone, I have photos from Hector with the 9 year update. I will be posting a video at some point soon with those photos. Anyone else who has don’t this years ago and wants to send pictures please send them to rvtipsandtravels@gmail.com
I did this BUT, like in your photos, I had wrinkles which allowed water into wrong areas. It was probably operator error. I either stretched the tape or I didn't clean enough. After you've applied it, go back up and inspect it periodically until you know its working.
Absolutely awesome very informative very professional I appreciate all of the time and effort that you put into this please keep us updated on all things About RVs you’re awesome have a great day
I put this down some months ago before seeing this video. I prepped it with my pressure washer then let it dry out good. I painted the other areas with rubber flex paint from Lowe’s comes in 5 gal buckets but needs a couple good coats
I also had my roof recalled from winnebago. The dealer put this on the sides. Tried to tell me winnebago said to do it. It looked like crap and I think 1 guy put it on, everytimehe went up and down the ladder it was crooked and wrinkled. Thankfully a call to winnebago and they had to take it back and redo it. So nice job you did. 👏 👍
What If like to know is why can't manufacturers take responsibility for weather proofing their own vehicles. A salesman told me " they all leak, it's just a matter of when". My last two have leaked and ai am aware of many others too, one being in a 6 month old caravan. NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!!
Jaz, people think "tape" and immediately assume its a temporary fix, despite Eternabond themselves claiming its a permanent fix that they warranty for 18 years. I cant wait to do the 1 year review video to show how its holding up.
You wash your roof like I would - have not had the chance yet - bought new 2022 GD Imagine 2600RB with a rusted undercarriage and it is still being repaired. This is a great video and will go watch the update. Via Tech Tuesday NRVTS most recent "Top 5 RV tech questions. You asked, we answered!" it recommends not to use brushes and says "Clean is very important. But scrubbing is just as bad as not cleaning." I know everyone will have opinions, but I found it interesting. Also says if you clean the roof clean the whole trailer because the roof cleaning just runs down the side; make a day of it. This youtube segment also recommended using something that will not cause a lot of rubbing on the seals, such as a parts cleaner like CRC brake cleaner to clean the roof seals - wipe on dab off; AND to make sure whatever you use is not a petroleum product because that will eat rubber. Again, interesting. It did recommend Simple Green and water, and no high pressure hose.
FlashTape is used for roofing also We call it "Forever Tape." Sticks to everything permanently. It comes in Black ,Clear, and cloth texture which is very easy to use. Can purchase at Lowe's hardware. 30 ft cost about 30 dollars and so on it comes in larger rolls up to 90 ft
I just did this. I have found that if you buy one of those small screen door installer rollers (The kind that pushes the rubber grommet into the screen slot) it does wonders on pushing the tape up against the lap sealant.
Eternabond had been holding the back corner of our RV on for 4 months. Yes the whole fiberglass chunk broke off when someone hit us. Fortunately we had a roll of this stuff and we’re able to do a quick fix on a busy road. I’m not looking forward to removing it though. RV repair places are seriously booked out and I haven’t been able to reach anyone.
I'm putting in new vents and I'm going to use the butyl tape on the new vent...screw it down and not using the lap sealing...just putting this awesome tape right down on the vent frame and over each of the screw heads. Having the lap sealing underneath the tape is overkill.
Hey Ross good video! 👍🏼Been thinking about doing this myself. I love Eternabond tape. I may do the outside edges. My fear of doing the vents is trying to get it off when I need to replace one or upgrade. Oh and I see you have the dreaded grand Design black lines on your roof. If you wanted to remove those my video on how to clean those black lines is on my maintenance playlist. Obviously just for beauty like you said.
The nice thing about Eternabond is that you don't have to do any scraping at all. With a heat gun you just remove the vinyl backing, unscrew the old vent and install the new one, then apply a new piece of Eternabond right over top of the previous piece. It bonds to itself super strong - it's kinda crazy to see bc it's so instant and so permanent. I hope this puts your mind at ease. It's been 3 years since I first used it, and I'm still incredibly impressed. If I could afford to cover my whole damn roof in Eternabond, I'd do it in a heartbeat. This stuff is amazing.
I'm not bragging. I just want to make a point. I built my own pickup truck camper. It's pretty rough by commercial but for a home-built it looks pretty good I always appreciate form over. So after experiences with commercial units, I decided to eliminate wood and holes in my roof.Failures usually happen with a leak in the roof or side seam. Once a unit fails at some critical point, it is not very likely that it can be permanently fixed. With delamination and rotting wood the units usually get sold.
I like that you made it clear that using the Eterna Bond tape was you choice, and not the only choice. :-) Clearly you have seen subscribers, "Dine" , on their hosts! Over all I liked the video. Well stated, though I would have used the primer. You have to know me to see why ! ;-)
Its really amazing how RV manufacturers haven't come up with a roof that lasts for a decent period of time. The roof leaking on an RV is usually the demise of the whole RV having to be basically scrapped for junk. The amount of damage that a leaking roof causes is exponential. The first main question you ask when buying a used RV, "does the roof leak?" Its hard to find one that hasn't leaked at one time or another if its 10 years or older. I have dealt with the typical elastomeric sealant and the kind that has fiber particles in it. Usually its a silver color with the particles and its a step better than the regular white sealant. The last time I sealed my roof was about 3 years ago on my 37' Keystone Everest 5th wheel with 4 slide outs. I used a totally different product than the white elastomeric sealant. I used Tropi-Cool silicone sealant. A friend told me about it. They used it on an aluminum sheeted patio roof. After researching this product I found that its mainly used by RV owners. This is another one thats important to clean the whole roof throughly. I used TSP known as Tri-Sodium Phosphate. It comes as a granular powder you mix in a bucket of water. Can be purchased at most grocery stores in the cleaning chemicals section or your home improvement center stores. I know its great for prepping a surface to be painted. Like concrete paint for porches you should wash the porch with TSP before you apply paint. It can cause the paint to bead up like theres wax or oil on the surface. TSP eliminates that. So after cleaning with a roof brush on a wooden handle similar if not identical to the one Ross uses here, I cleaned the entire roof with TSP and a garden hose to rinse off. After it dried on a warm day I did this, I used a brush to apply the silicone sealant around all the fixtures, vent pipes and edges. Sides, front and rear caps. Then I used a roller that looked like fleece for rough surfaces. I rolled the sealant onto the roof starting at the front working to the back. This sealant is called a self leveling product. I assume that means it blends together with each lap well so it will appear as a smooth continuous coating. Silicone sealant is the same type of material like you use to seal things around the home like windows. It is unique in the fact that it dries in the presence of moisture. So leaving it to cure overnight is best. I put another coat on the following day. I did notice little black debris on the roof in the morning. Closer look and it was gnats that got stuck when it was drying overnight. They became fossils with the second coat. Lol 😆 I believe there were some more on the second coat also. Only affected the appearance and like Ross said, its not a beauty pageant! 😔. Now, one thing with my trailer and Keystone has had issues with other models is the edges and the transition of the end caps being a problem for leaks. I noticed mine to be rather rough as if water has gotten underneath previously and started to lift the edges a little. Not a good sign, although I haven't had any noticeable leaks. I live full time in my RV, so I would know if it was leaking inside. This tape here on this video sounds like a great way to reinforce the roofing job by installing around all these problem areas. I wonder if its like "flashing tape" they use in construction on the edge of house roofs. Like where you use the metal strip angle to keep water out of the edge of the wood sheeting. Theres a rubber adhesive backed roll that comes in widths like 10" to 12 ". Its super durable. I think the Flex-Seal company uses the same product except they call it some sort of miracle seal tape. I might get some of the tape used here and try it. One thing with the silicone sealant is you can't use other types of roof coatings on it. You use the same stuff if repairs are needed. This sealant was about $275-$290 for a 5 gallon bucket that actually says it has 4.5 gallons of product inside. There was plenty to do 37 foot roof. I havent done the four slide out rooms yet. I figured to move the rooms half way out and apply from inside the RV. Let it cure really well before putting the room all the way then finish it out to the outside edge. I could have an issue with the silicone rubber coating gripping the rubber slide out seal when moving the rooms in/out. I may need to use some silicone spray on it. I do know it really grips your shoes and when crawling around on the roof your skin grips to it. Not like its sticky. More like good traction. If you were on a steep A-frame roof, this would be what you'd want so you don't slide off. Best traction you can get with silicone rubber. Anyway I hope this helps people and if anyone has used Tropi-Cool and had good or bad results let me know about your experiences with it. I think using the tape shown here will be a great compliment to the sealant. Great video, thanks for your time in making great videos with the tips you provided us. Added information edit here: Recently with the hot 🔥 weather here in Southern California one of my air conditioner fans has the typical siezed up motor shaft situation. (Coleman Mach). So a friend went up on the roof for me at night, when it was cooler to work on. When he was done up there, he said it was extremely slippery walking around. I just wanted to let people know, when the roof is wet, be careful it becomes very slippery. The dew moisture from the night made it wet. My friend said he had to be really careful getting back to the ladder and getting positioned onto it to get down. When its dry, its probably the best gripping surface around. When its wet, its probably the slippriest (👈is that a real word?🤔lol) surface around! Thank you all for the kind compliments on here. As one person said, "have I thought about using concrete?". Well, he may have a good idea 💡. It would not have the slippery situation and be much safer. 🤔🙄
Honestly Kathleen, if your roof membrane itself is clean and free of debris it should not need a coating of anything. It should hold up. However if your membrane is older and starting to degrade, Let me reach out to my friends with older rv’s and see what they used. Hang tight I’ll get back to you.
@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS thank you for the quick reply! it is a 2016 prowler, we had it outside, not in the. pole barn when we had driving rain and a bit got in the ceiling. We cannot see a tear or rip anywhere! We are going to order this tape and wrap it. I thought that you needed to Eterna bond tape and then also roll on a sealant coat of something... I wasn't able to see the products on my phone, now I can see - ordering! Let me know if you recommend anything to protect the rubber roof itself. Thanks!
@@katbas44 do you know what material your roof membrane is made of? might be TPO or EPDM? will need to know that before recommending a coating product.
@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS so... we got the products from the links - the 2" eternal bond.. is it supposed to be silver/aluminum? Also... best way to cut it (the tape) without getting stuck together.. Your link looks like its white 2" but this is 2" silver that came from the actual link.
@@katbas44 they changed the link at amazon. i sent you the correct link in the other comment you left. return the silver tape. ugh, sorry, sometimes amazon does things without telling us.
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📺 *THE ONE YEAR UPDATE VIDEO* ua-cam.com/video/f4YXYYWWtbA/v-deo.html
📺 *THE TWO YEAR UPDATE VIDEO* ua-cam.com/video/FZzLNorRAmo/v-deo.html
RV Roof Maintenance - In this episode we will show you how to stop wasting time and money on lap sealant on your travel trailer / 5th wheel / camper or any RV roof and start using Eternabond Roof Seal as a permanent solution.
UPDATE: I am getting a few comments that Eternabond MAY NOT BE USED TO COVER SEAMS AND SEALS and THAT IT IS ONLY MEANT FOR TEMPORARY ROOF MEMBRANE REPAIRS, because that's what they saw on the internet. That is actually *not true* at all. The following is a statement directly from the Eternabond website:
"Did you know RV roof seams require yearly maintenance? Use RoofSeal over factory roof seams one time and never do roof seam maintenance again! More than 25 high-end RV manufacturers now use EternaBond products in the manufacturing of their dream machines to ensure their customers will truly have a weather tight, leak-proof RV."
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This was an AWESOME VIDEO !!!.BRAVO.!!! Love this stuff! ...just never thought to use it on my roof, lololol STAY AWESOME!!!
Why not use truck bed spray. Water tight and tough.
Hi! Short Pro-tip, While applying the tape it makes for a little better bonding to the existing surface if you use a heat gun (on low setting) to apply a small amount of heat to the surface and/or tape especially during cooler temps., also using a small rubber roller to press it down helps in flat areas. Hope you find this helpful! Safe travels everyone!
Since I do some crafting, that small rubber roller idea was the first thing that popped into my head when I watched the Eternabond application.
Great idea!!!!
clean the surface using a rag with acetone should also help
acetone is a good cleaner, but it will damage the vent covers and skylight cover. i had a viewer comment and send me photos, so that is something i am going to mention in the 3 year review this summer.
I just recently procured a roll of this from the company that installed my patio cover and I was thinking at the time this might work good to seal the roof on my Travel Trailer so I am glad I found this video. They told me to clean the area good with denatured alcohol before applying the tape.
As a licensed RV Service Tech for 10 years, I can say yes this stuff is amazing. But read where he says "Permanent". That's a fact. Even in high heat. Sadly many people don't read the part about cleaning it well before installing it. Those little wrinkles can act as funnels, putting water in underneath. We always finished off the tape with a lap sealant just to make sure. Because we have to use a razor blade to remove the bad spots that DIYers "fixed". The lap sealant is easy enough to peel off in 5 years or so if you use a thin bead, then simply reseal it again. Also, over time if the roof wasn't properly cleaned, wind will work the edges loose, making a scoop for rain while travelling. Do a good cleaning in the first place and it will last.
thanks for the comment Dan. I will agree with you 100% on cleaning and proper application, and I probably didnt stress that enough in this video, but I will be doing a follow up video this spring. It has held up perfectly. Thats an interesting idea about running lap sealant around the edge of the eternabond since if it does fail, i would assume it would be at the edges. and a small amount would be easy to remove and reapply as you said. Thanks for your input and adding to the video.
Thanks for the tips
Lance Trailers use eternabond tape for all roof connections and they leak like a sieve
@@kyleguldager Are you saying not to use it In your opinion, are you saying its not good and will leak?
He’s saying it works great, but application and cleaning is important. And it’s difficult to remove.
I used Eterna Bond on my rv about 5 years ago. Used Acetone to clean surface before applying tape. It worked great! Also used a wooden wallpapering roller to smooth out tape after applying. A heat gun or hot sunny day is a must also.
Thanks for sharing Mike.
Or white gas.
As you say, "it's not a beauty show", however I believe it's important to look halfway decent considering the TT roof is where I strap my mother in law when she travels with us.
🤣🤣🤣
lol
Haven’t you considered the pass thru storage? That way you can’t hear her yell on the roof when it rains.
😂😂😂...does she Know she's strapped up there? 🤣🤣🤣
🤣
Simple green is a great cleaner! As a commercial roofer I recommend that you round all the edges on the corners of the tape. It makes it harder for the tap to come up.
Great tip buddy!
How to get widow bjinds down in nomad cap trailer
So , using Simple Green on the lap sealant will suffice instead of soap and water? I have heard some people use Acetone for a cleaner, that seems a little harsh to me….
Acetone or denatured alcohol is actually fine.
@@thumperpaul acysol body solvent is an industry standard for cleaning and prepping rv sealants.
I did this to an old leaky RV with Eterna Bond tape. Worked perfectly. Still was not leaking when I sold that RV.
I watched this video a couple years ago. I followed exactly what you did. Uber cleaned the areas needed for tape application…applied as you did. It took me a full day plus few hours next day…as it was early December and weather was cooler and moisture set the night before. Three years later and the roof is holding just fine
good to hear, thank you for sharing!
We ALMOST gave up on purchasing an RV due to what we saw with damage from sealing gone bad!
THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS INFORMATION
Our pleasure!
I used to work at Morgan Corporation building box trucks and I used this on my roofs. It is an amazing product! Take your time time putting it on, because once it's down, it's down. You will not get this off again. Best roof sealer you can get!
Very familiar with this and similar products different names. Roofer 33 years. Should always use primer. That extra step can divert a problem. Your roof looks great.Great job!
Thanks Doug!
Thanks for this. My rented house was destroyed in a hurricane 2 years ago, I've been living in my fifth wheel and fighting leaks by myself since. I think you may have made my future a little brighter.
I'll let you know
Sorry to hear that
@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS thanks. My skylight that I've "repaired" three times is leaking again as I type this, and worse. Like I was just up there two days ago, and thought I finally got it. Nope. It's pretty disheartening. I'm a disabled vet, and it's killing my back but what else can I do but try something new, right? I just put the tape in my Amazon cart. I'll get it the first when I get paid, this video makes me have hope
@@daniaann did it work
I have an older camper and suffered a leak at the front that rotted wood and became an ant farm. Still working on the repair but in addition to the roof repair with eternobond, I found some 1 or 1.5 inch and I used that instead of caulk to seal all possible cracks. I probably will never use caulk again. Unless your a pro at putting on a bead, the tape looks much nicer.
Something that would be very handy for this application is a rubber roller used to apply sound deadening material like DynaMat. The rollers can help save your thumb and generally allow you to put more, and even, pressure down.
I’ve used rollers for years applying dynamite. They do work great, but I can apply more pressure with my thumb because as you start to push down on a roller it eventually starts rolling one way or the other. Using your thumb definitely takes much longer though. Thanks for watching and commenting my friend.
Painters blade. The plastic ones they use for wallpaper. You can get short ones perfect for this. His technique of peeling the plastic 6 or 8 inch at a time is as essential as the cleaning. I will be looking at this stuff for sure.
Eternabond sells them as well
Curious if a heat gun would help with the air bubbles and creases.
@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELSIsn’t applying dynamite with a roller somewhat dangerous? 😂
During the 60 MPH Winds I had to Stop the Video to tell you how much your LOOK cracked me up! This LOOK simply made my day. This is a great video and you're Great! Thank you!
Glad you appreciated my sad attempt at comedy Gerald! Thanks for commenting bud.
@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS I bust up laughing during the sad moment too, the music was awesome. LOL. Thanks for the laugh.
good to know some folks get my humor!
Helpful video. Back in the late 70’s, I sealed a 18.5’ travel trailer roof with a thick silver metallic roofing paint that I saw on house trailers. Never had to mess with it again and it reflected the hot Florida sun. Didn’t look bad either.
I was getting a little nervous about getting a trailer but now it’s a lot less. Thanks for all the tips.
Glad to help!
Great idea - I need to re-do this where I can; it's been a few years and this popped up at a good time. Once you have the Eternabond down, a terrific roof sealant all over is Henry's Tropicool 887 roof paint. It will stick to the EPDM or other roof material, but not to the Eternabond since it is 100% silicone. Any overlap onto the tape will simply peel off, but is "sealed" into any microscopic nook and cranny spaces between the tape and roof. I did one coat in summer 2017, one in summer 2018, and after washing it still looks brand new. The two together are a great waterproof solution!
thanks Sue!
used flashing tape last time i redid a roof, worked great. although due to money and time, we were moving so i couldn't do the most important part of a really bad roof, replace the roof beams, etc., so every repair i made was bypassed by a sagging roof and water found its way in through every roof opening anyway. so my tip is to check roof carefully and if there is damage from water causing rot, or sagging spend the time and money to replace everything before you ever bother doing anything else or you will regret it.
Great video Ross! I completely agree with regarding Eterna Bond as it is a great product and I used it on my previous RV and I used a J-Roller to flatten it out. For my recent trailer, 2 years after I purchased it, I coated with the Dicor rubber roofing product and it is an amazing product and my roof remains cleaner and does not stain as easily compared to the original membrane.
Hey Paul, good to hear. This is a very polarized modification. Some people do it and love it. Some people say it doesn’t work. I wasn’t the first to do it so I did plenty of research before making this video. It’s important to apply correctly, but it will outlast the rig if done correctly.
@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS i could not agree with you more. Keep it up with the very useful content. 🙏
Great video, i am a newbie to the RV world and i find all ur tips helpful. Our RV is 1 yr old when should i be concerned about inspecting the roof and thinking about this type of application? Thanks again for all ur useful guidance at this stage we are just sponges.
@@ashleysmith5306 you should inspect your roof regularly. I do so at least twice per year.
@@ashleysmith5306 whether you do this mod or not, roof inspection should be a regular thing. I usually climb up there after EVERY trip to do a visual inspection. As far as the age of your rig, that doesnt really matter. what matters is that the sealant is in good condition and solid. if its not, it needs to be removed and reapplied then left to cure for 30 days. application is important, the surface needs to be solid and clean, and applying the tape needs to be a slow process to get it flat.
I live in Florida. I found if left in sun the Eternabond tape backing will not come off very easy. Put it in freezer for about 30 minutes and it peels right off. I use a hand held roller on the tape as I apply it to make sure that it is stuck well.
Good to know! the backing is a pain to remove in any weather lol.
I did this to a big part of my roof, brand new 5th wheel too. Only thing I'd say is remove the caulk that's there first. It adds a ton of time and work, but it's worth it for the bond and the looks.
You never see roof from ground. Waste of time removing sealant
Take your time installing, it’s tough to remove, but will work as stated in the video. 3 years here no problems.
Is eternabond similar to the tape used on race cars after damage during the race.
This stuff works like a charm. I'm not kidding, once you use this, it's on there FOREVER.
I painted my roof with Henry's Tropicool 887....I'll never have to paint my roof again and in Summer it will stay much more cool. Thanks for the vid!
Did you paint over the edges of the tape with the roof paint?
As a brand new camper owner, thank you so much I think you just saved me a ton of stress and headache.
Glad it helped Kody. Thanks for commenting!
So my van is notorious for leaking in between the walls.. I used this tape and it was awesome but the ends did come up a bit so I also used magic roof on the top of it and I honestly have had not one issue since I cannot speak highly enough about this combination and the magic roof sticks great to the eternal Bond! I did the gutters as well so they wouldn't leak underneath as they do.. then I got aftermarket gutters and put them on and my roof has not leaked once!! Hallelujah
Good to hear!
Thank you for info. Never owned a RV before so at 79 years old I’m learning about the one I now live in. It’s 5 years old and I haven’t been up on the roof yet. But I surely will get this tape and be up there following your instructions.
Glad to help! Here is the 1 year update: ua-cam.com/video/f4YXYYWWtbA/v-deo.html
Working outside the box, love it!
Glad you like it!
Eternabond tape is awesome! I sealed a 5th wheel roof we owned with it. I sold the 5th wheel 12 years later and the tape was still keeping the roof sealed and holding strong.
Thanks for sharing!
Depending on how old the trailer is, if it's older I'd suggest replacing the strips covering the screw heads on the outside edges before doing this. I own a 2017 trailer and they where already failing.
Correct, anything you are putting eternabond down on should be in good condition.
I had to replace some on my 2020 trailer already. If I ever put this tape on, I would try to cover as much of that crap as possible!
@@hogroamer260 They make these RVs so cheap it's unreal . I just got my rockwood roo in May and already having to replace my whole awning assembly for the second time!
Thanks Started doing mine today at 92F. Too hot. I will finish when it is below 82F. At least the front edge of my class C is done. That really needed it!
This video is excellent. We did this a year ago before this video came out and it has held up FLAWLESSLY. If you think putting "tape" over sealant as he suggests is misuse of this product, you would be incorrect. The manufacturer has an 18 year warranty on this tape, and they also claim this tape can be used as a permanent solution. Until you have this stuff in your hands, you dont realize how durable and sticky it is. Everyone should do this to their roof as it will probably outlast the RV. Great video Ross.
Thanks Scott, and yes thanks for mentioning those things. I wouldnt have make a video if this tape didnt hold up.
Wow. Thank you!!
Thaanks
This tape is awesome. And yes it’s sticky if you get it on you ain’t getting it off. I actually used the 6 inch wide across the top of my awning where the sun hits and it worked great. I will be doing my roof next but I have to replace a skylight that my son cracked stepping on it and my vent fan for my bathroom because it doesn’t stay shut. After that I will seal my roof.
Does your vent come open during driving? Instead of replacing the vent itself, I'd recommend adding a maxx air cover. Then you can leave the bathroom vent open without worrying about rain getting in and don't have to worry about it coming open while driving because its covered. I just did this and it's worked great. And it saves having to risk opening the roof and possible leaks after.
Great video and you did a great job placing the tape in all the right places.
Thank you! Cheers!
The man is right about what he's doing I've been doing it this way for years. When I get a new cargo trailer and I have several of them I clean it. I put the Lowe's aluminum and black tar like tape, tar facing down to the metal or aluminum roof depending on which cargo trailer I buy. After I put it on and let it dry for a day. I paint it with the white coat you can get it at Home Depot it's the Henry's brand it's thicker than regular paint. And do not shake it too much the lid blew off at home Depot when they put it in the 5 gallon paint shaker and made a big mess. Of course start to the back of trailer and work your way to the front so if the wind catches it it will drift right over your edges. Its the type of peel and stick aluminum and black tar like tape I buy at Lowe's it will not break down it's probably the same thing as a E turn a Bond tape. I'm just not sure about the eternal Bond brand I think that's an RV type of stuff. Sorry about the spelling not sure on how you spell eternal Bond tape. Also the tape I use at Lowe's is flexible and I've been using it for years. And it's one of the first things I do when I get a new cargo trailer. But for some reason about half of the roofs are still white and look good and some of them I have got like a black algae on them. I need to clean the black looking algae off the top and if that doesn't come off just coat them again. White of course stays cooler and seals the roof also. White is the coolest color out of all the cargo trailer different colors because I've put my hands on them in the middle of the summertime to see and feel the difference. And white on a cargo or race car trailer is a lot cheaper to fix than the colored ones. Also the aluminum and black tar like tape I use it's almost impossible or very difficult to get the tape off of the roof or project you put it on. So before you stick it make sure it's planned out.
So you have to go to Lowes and Home Despot even though they are basically the same? Couldn't you just go to Harbor Freight?
I had an improperly built roof seam split and I’ve learned a lot in repairing after the camper place tried to rip me off. That tape is awesome and I’ll not be without it again.
It’s great stuff! Thanks for commenting!
I believe mine was built improperly as well. We should talk. My TT is only 5 yrs old and the front roof seam is leaking. Thinking about using this stuff because I guess insurance won't cover leaks and I don't have an extra $4500 laying around.
@@cbkb983 I went in and put a 4x1 board then screwed the roof to it. I caulked that including the screws. I then used 3” tape and then 12”.
It’s overkill but that’s a lot of money like ya said we are trying to protect
this product is also used for mobile homes we spent the money and put this stuff down on our 16x80 and our roof is durable,it laughs at hail, been on there for 4 years no leaks high wind ,it even holds in high wind,the stuff is sticky sticky,and he is right don't get lazy ,if you want incredible results clean the area with lacquer thinner or acetone,and its on there for good,worth the money and the trouble
thanks for sharing!
Our repair guy told us to clean surfaces with alcohol before using the Eternabond tape on any scratches or gouges or around vents or possible leaks on any of the flat surfaces, then use self leveling caulk around the edges. Works like a dream. Wouldn't use self leveling on any problems over the edge. Remember it says "self leveling". You don't want it to run down the side of your rig.
I always use alcohol when doing projects, this sounds like a 12 pack project to me.
I have used primer and found that clear rubbing alcohol works better and a hole lot less expensive. Especially if you use a nylon brush and car wash soap and then use either a fairly low pressure washer or a garden hose and rinse thoroughly let air dry and reclean with light amount of alcohol and clear rag
great suggestion Tom, will be doing an update this year and will mention using alcohol as a final prep cleaner. It makes sense, and even though my application is still sticking strong, I agree some alcohol would be a good idea to use as a final prep.
@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELSAlcohol attacks rubber (like window tracks-ask me how I know!😂), so I think using alcohol on a rubber roof might be a very bad idea….
I had 12 rolls of 6" x 75' ice and water shield used in building construction given to me. It sticks to almost anything and provides an impenetrable water barrier around doors and windows etc....I believe it's basically the same stuff as you are using.
Ice and water shield is not compatible with Creosote
• Diesel Fuel
• Gasoline/Oil
• Hydrocarbon Solvents
• Pentachlorophenol
• Polysulfides
• EPDM*
• Flexible (plasticized) Polyvinyl Chloride
(PVC)*
• Uncured Neoprene*
• TPO
The water shield will draw the plasticizers out of the membrane leaving it brittle and unrepairable.
It also has no UV protection and will readily breakdown in direct sunlight. I strongly advise against using that as a roofing material.
As a contractor ice and water shield has to be covered within 30 days. In areas with a lot of sun and heat from the sun ice and water shield is not going to work high temperature will make the black ice and water shield literally will slide off as the adhesive melts. In some parts of the country ice and water shield can't be used.
The commercial roofing stuff is even thicker and better than eternabond. It's made for industrial buildings ect. The RV stuff is weak
Ice and water shield is only about 5 mil thicker. Plus it’s meant to be applied as an underlayment. Meaning it’s got minimum UV protection because it’s built to be placed under shingles. Plus it’s black, which will turn your RV into an oven. Not really sure where you’re getting your info from but ice and water shield is a horrible idea for rvs.
I’m a roofing contractor and I just bought my first RV and I got it cheap because it has roof issues. I thought to myself that I’ll just put some eternabond on it and that will take care of it. Then I thought maybe I should just check UA-cam and see if there are other options that work better. Apparently I had the right idea to begin with.
Are you planning on doing the whole roof or just the edges?
Another eternabond tape lover here but I would caution it's use around vents and sky lights. I recently had a hail storm take out every vent cover and sky light on the roof of my trailer and I can't imagine how difficult the repair would have been if I had to remove eternabond tape instead of removing the old lap sealant. Just some food for thought.
You can razor knife the eternabond right where it meets the lap sealant, remove and reseal, then tape over existing eternabond. Pretty simply actually.
Shouldn't have to remove the sealant or the vent frame. Just replace the plastic cover. They are available for most if not all brands of vents. I've replaced several when they get old and brittle.
That would make it worse to remove for sure, as ToolMan56 Tenn says, you can replace just the plastic lid. When it comes to removing any roof flanged fixture its like doing the impossible! Been there done that ! Try air conditioner shrouds people seal around with elastomeric sealant so thick you will break the shroud off removing it. Costing around $130 for a new one ! Sky lights I've never dealt with, although I've got one over my shower that has fine cracks or scratches in the outer part thats exposed to the elements. Not sure if its easily replaced. It has two clear acrylic pieces to it. Basically sun damage over the years from 2007 to now. Like I'd joke to my customers when I was in the appliance repair business "nothing lasts forever!". Lol.
I could only get away with that with certain customers that I knew. Some will take that and use it against me and the company I worked for!
Use a heat gun to remove the Eternabond as well as any sealant. I had to remove the solar roof gland and used a plastic putty knife and heat gun and the sealant peeled right off.
This tape does work really well and is very sticky! But if You plan on keeping your RV for many years or the rest of your life like i am. This Eternabond Tape has a life span of about 6 years before is starts breaking down. The white outside layer will start to deteriorate and start to come off. The adhesive part of the tape seems to still be holding up fairly well. It definitely can't be removed without taking the roofing material off with it.
Eternabond warranty is 15 years. It will definitely not break down after 6 years. I’m on year 3 and it looks the same as it when installed. In the 2 year update I show a photo of someone with it after 9 years. Theres many other tapes that are similar to eternabond but not the same. How do you know what you’ve seen was actually an eternabond product?
A heat gun, a paint scraper, and some mineral spirits and Eternabond comes right off.
Dawn dish-soap is a great cleaner as well. I'm about to apply this tape to my rv... we'll see how it holds up to the Minnesota weather. Thank you for the helpful video!
Thanks for the comment!
I use that stuff to tape down my flexible solar panels. No holes in the roof, and holds them down better than drilling brackets into the roof. Also cut a thin strip to tape down power wires routed to the panels.
Same idea as flashing tape we use in Reefer container repair we use in the port. GREAT IDEA AND INFO!!
thank you!
Prep will always and forever be more important than the project being completed.
I don’t disagree with you Mark. Here is the 1 year update: ua-cam.com/video/f4YXYYWWtbA/v-deo.html
Wait, what? Okaaay... Perhaps you should just prep then and don't bother completing the project...
I just bought this. Got an 88 RV with a metal roof. Looks like they only ever messed with the edges of this baby. I'm gonna seal them up good with this eternabond stuff. Look forward to not having to mess with it much.
I was getting my TT ready for the Spring-Summer travel season and thought I'd reseal the vents & other roof openings with lap sealant. Until I saw this video. I used Eternabond when I installed my TOGO WiFi-Router unit a few years ago and also made a quick roof repair after an incident with a low hanging tree limb so I'm familiar with the product. 2 inch along the sides (overlapping the roof/side seam) and 6 inch front and back covering the existing lap sealant. And all the vents, skylights, A/C units, ladder, etc. now have a great seal without adding to the existing layers of lap sealant. Applying during a 97* day was a little challenging but after rolling out the few wrinkles, the Eternabond is sealed. Thanks for the video.
thanks for watching and commenting Craig. Its nice not having to reseal every year!
Great job, Ross, from first-timers here. I can envision me leaving a lot of wrinkles using Eternabond for the first time, so would likely have to follow up with some beads of sealant around any trouble spots.
just take your time, you will be fine.
Had to check the video out with the comments I saw on Facebook. The nay - sayers do get you views! Very interesting and hadn’t heard of doing this. However more importantly - well presented, very nicely edited and straight forward. Good work! Heck I even subbed.
Ryan, you win my favorite comment of the month. Appreciate the positive response and glad you enjoyed. Thanks for subbing too!
I did this when I put my fantastic fans in and it worked out great. I had this idea to tape over everything before but never got around to it. Probably need to revisit that idea again.
I used eternabond tape on my old RV works great I used an inexpensive wooden wall paper roller to work it in
Good to hear, thanks for watching.
I met a couple with a vintage travel trailer 10 ft long typical of those manufactured in the 60s. The brand is Jet. They have owned it 10 years and has always leaked. They just put a tarp over it and that seems to work for them.
I'm getting ready to put my RV away for the winter. Its going to be stored outside and it will be exposed to snow. I was going to put the rubber sealant on the roof but this seems like a really good option that will preserve the roof life. Thanks for sharing.
It works, I wouldn’t have done it myself if it didn’t. As long as it is properly applied, it will probably outlast your RV. Thanks for watching and commenting bud.
I appreciate you posting this video. I haven’t purchased an RV yet but I want to learn everything I can before learning the hard way!
Our pleasure!
About a year ago, I reroofed my fifth wheel trailer with flexseal paint. It worked like a charm, however, nothing other than flexseal paint will stick to flexseal paint. Flex seal spray and flex seal tape will not stick to flex seal paint nor will Eterna- bond tape, even when the spray primer is used. I wanted to carry something in my Rv supply container to repair any leaks that might occur while on the road. After trying those three different products on my RV at home, I settled on a small can of flexseal paint and a new paint brush. To further elaborate, I applied three coats of flexseal paint to my RV, each one drying for 24 hours before the next application. $450 in material plus my labor instead of $7000-$10,000 to have the roof replaced by RV specialists.
i believe its silicone based, thats why nothing sticks to it, but glad you got it done! Thanks for the information!
I'm a new rv'er! have a 2010 fuzion 35 ft. & have leaks, especially around the skylights & vents! Will definitely get that tape cause I'm not a part-time rv'er! it's my only home!
You should remove the sealant first, make sure that’s the cause of the leak. I wouldn’t use eternabond over a leak for these purposes. You really should try to fix the leak first. Then reseal, let sit for a month, then apply eternabond.
@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS thank you 4 responding to my delima! Most people don't take the time to text a helpful hint! thank you friend
Great video. I had a leak in my cab over bunk area. Wasn't satisfied with the caulks available so I found the tape and I'm satisfied. I used a wallpaper seem roller to roll surface and edges it worked perfect.
Thanks for the info, appreciate the comment Neil.
Just a quick thought . You could probably use a rolling pin to press it down more evenly !!
I’m just taking a guess but I’m going to assume that the RV manufacturers don’t want their RVs to last a long time. That wouldn’t be very good for business
Correct! Just like why doctor's don't want people cured.
Nah, they don't care about that. Most people keep upgrading (for size and new features) or downsizing their RVs plus new RVers make for a decent enough market even during lean years. Plus they can even make money on trade-ins if they are still in good shape.
Except Airstream
All about cost I'm sure.
I’d agree Mark. Everything on our planet is built to a spec where manufacturers can be profitable while being competitive.
I've always used Tremco Vulkem 115, never had any problems for over 30 years. They have a variety of colors and it's the $hit!
👍
I had the same idea but used a different product-heat shield tape from Heat Shield Products. It, too, is super sticky but adds the advantage of reducing interior temperatures by 75-95 percent of the ambient, provided you cover the entire roof with it. Interior now requires much less A/C and seems to remain cooler longer. Don’t know how it would compare price wise. There is one downside. Because it’s very shiny, I have had some campers complain that the reflected light bothers them. All I can suggest is that they lower their sunshades!
Do they complain if an airstream parks next to them too ?
Did you literally cover the whole RV roof with the tape?
We used Flex-Seal rubber paint on our TT’s roof a couple of years ago and it has held up like a champ, even in the TX sun. It cost about 1/5th what the RV places wanted to charge us and was very easy to apply. Just clean the roof really well and apply. Allow to cure for approx 24hrs and you’re good to go.
is the flex seal enough to seal up the components? I think you would still need to seal up the areas where there are components like vents, and AC equipment.
@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS we sealed up to, and over, the seams around the antenna, vents, etc. basically anywhere we could reasonably reach with a roller or brush. So far, no leaks.
I did my seems with fiberglass 3 years ago and it still awesome. After the fiberglass dried I pressure washed the whole roof and then I painted it with a rv rubberized coating. Good for life.
What kind of fiberglass?
@@jaidynmartin5565 wondering the same!
What kind of rubberized coating?
Thanks for the great video. I just purchased a very low use Rockford 5th Wheel and need to keep it water proof as I live in it. I watched another video where the guy said one of the main reasons for leaks that destroy the RV is from leaving the slides out and the rain and then sun light cause the leaks. Well how does that compute with. folks like me that live 24/7? I certainly cannot bring my slides in every few days.
There are seals for when the slide is open and closed. If you treat your slide seals a couple times a year you should have no problems. Use this: amzn.to/3kQo1JG
Best stuff ever. I have an old truck camper with a metal roof. It has two lateral seams in that roof, and it started leaking about 12 years ago. I bought some Eternabond and covered those seams, and it hasn't leaked a single drop since. I swear by it.
A few things to know though - apply it when it's warm out - I'd say at least 70 degrees. I read once that you can apply it down to 40 F but below that you should use the primer. I would not do that. Wait until it's at least 70. It will stick like nothing you've ever seen in your life, and no primer needed. Also every time I've used it (also put it on my 5th wheel) I've washed the area, let it dry and then went over it with acetone just to make sure it is grease and oil free. Get a hand-held roller to apply pressure to it as you lay it down. The pressure is what activates the bonding. Apply a good amount of pressure everywhere you put it.
After it has been applied, avoid putting things on it or walking on it. It can be damaged and will easily be deformed if, for example, it gets walked on, even years later. And as far as the leading edge of it being affected by freeway winds - that is definitely a thing. A friend had some on the back of his motorhome and after several years it was peeling up from all the wind exposure. To avoid that, run a bead of caulk right along the leading edge to deflect the wind from it. You may need to reinspect and redo the caulk every few years but you only have to worry about the leading edges. Quick job.
In my opinion, anyone who buys an RV should take it home and immediately apply Eternabond to the roof - along the edges, around vents, etc. you will never have to worry about roof leaks if you do that.
all great info, thanks Gary, glad to see you again too. what are your thoughts on removing the lap sealant altogether and using Eternabond as it is intended... a factory sealant in replace of lap sealant? I might be doing this on our next RV.
I used a dry sponge to press the tape down after applying and rubbing it down. Works really well
👍
Another great video. Thanks, Ross!!
I was recently up on the roof of our 2150RB when I pulled off the cover and dewinterized (thanks for that vid too). Everything looked good but I'll definitely keep this in mind.
Thanks Eric, I also didn’t do it when it looked good, but this year was the year I started noticing some sealant degradation.
About a year and a half ago, we had all of our seals replaced at the same time. Our dealer did it and it was super-expensive. That's why I like your video.
@@ericwilcox2442 yup, lap sealant dries out and cracks over time. im interested to see how this looks at the end of the camping season.
Excellent point on taping the sides. Thanks for this RV Life hack! Thanks
Great video and tips. Yes can't stress PreCleaning enough. I think Deco makes a great cleaning product that works in pressure washers.I was wondering if after you apply the tape can you apply a rubberized sealer over it where it overlaps the tape itself because I'm looking at a 21 year older RV that needs sealing and taping for all edges plus around the vents, fans etc. sounds like it might be better than caulking. Though I might need to remove old failed caulk too. No leaks just showing it's age even for a fiberglass model. And as Dan Ermel points out some DIY jobs can be a pain to fix later. Thanks for your video's after 55 years of TENT Glamping and saying never would I imagine wanting an RV....and a few years into my 70's & oops I've changed my mind. Looking forward to having new adventures and taking responsiblity of the new toy. I'm keeping the tents though hard to let them go. Yet anyway.
You can seal over eternabond if you want, that is mentioned in the follow up video: ua-cam.com/video/f4YXYYWWtbA/v-deo.html
How do you remove tape if need to for a bigger repair, I don't think you would want multiple laayers
I put 4 inch stuff on our RV. Used a 2 inch steel roller to apply it. To get rid of air bubbles, I used an intra muscular syringe. Has a smaller opening for piercing skin. Painless B12 injections. lol. Eternabond will mail samples. I believe Eternabond was developed to seal underwater pipes.
HB Fuller actually makes a lot of different products, its a HUGE company backed by science.
Nine years on the Eternabond on my TT’s roof. If I told you I put it on at the beginning of this season you’d have no reason to doubt me.
thanks for the input Hector, would you be interested in having some of your pictures and name featured in a follow up video I am doing in the spring?
@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS My TT is covered for a long winters nap but I can send you pictures in the spring.
@@hector5404-b9o Where's that Picture Hector? I'm checking seals on my TT we bought in Jan. 21'. I'll install E-Bond this year or next depending on the condition of seals...and yours. 🙂
@Hector Bravo was wondering if you could send some pictures of your roof to rvtipsandtravels@gmail.com
Hey everyone, I have photos from Hector with the 9 year update. I will be posting a video at some point soon with those photos. Anyone else who has don’t this years ago and wants to send pictures please send them to rvtipsandtravels@gmail.com
I did this BUT, like in your photos, I had wrinkles which allowed water into wrong areas. It was probably operator error. I either stretched the tape or I didn't clean enough. After you've applied it, go back up and inspect it periodically until you know its working.
I was able to get the wrinkles flat, and if you can’t, you can go over with another piece of eternabond.
Absolutely awesome very informative very professional I appreciate all of the time and effort that you put into this please keep us updated on all things About RVs you’re awesome have a great day
Thanks JR, 1 year update video being released tomorrow.
I put this down some months ago before seeing this video. I prepped it with my pressure washer then let it dry out good. I painted the other areas with rubber flex paint from Lowe’s comes in 5 gal buckets but needs a couple good coats
👍
I also had my roof recalled from winnebago. The dealer put this on the sides. Tried to tell me winnebago said to do it.
It looked like crap and I think 1 guy put it on, everytimehe went up and down the ladder it was crooked and wrinkled. Thankfully a call to winnebago and they had to take it back and redo it.
So nice job you did. 👏 👍
thanks Robert
What If like to know is why can't manufacturers take responsibility for weather proofing their own vehicles. A salesman told me " they all leak, it's just a matter of when". My last two have leaked and ai am aware of many others too, one being in a 6 month old caravan. NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!!
The faster an RV falls apart, the sooner they can sell a new one. It’s financially to their advantage NOT to make it right the first time!
thanks for watching!
thanks for watching!
Great video. Glad to see more people doing this and showing how good an idea it is.
Jaz, people think "tape" and immediately assume its a temporary fix, despite Eternabond themselves claiming its a permanent fix that they warranty for 18 years. I cant wait to do the 1 year review video to show how its holding up.
You wash your roof like I would - have not had the chance yet - bought new 2022 GD Imagine 2600RB with a rusted undercarriage and it is still being repaired. This is a great video and will go watch the update. Via Tech Tuesday NRVTS most recent "Top 5 RV tech questions. You asked, we answered!" it recommends not to use brushes and says "Clean is very important. But scrubbing is just as bad as not cleaning." I know everyone will have opinions, but I found it interesting. Also says if you clean the roof clean the whole trailer because the roof cleaning just runs down the side; make a day of it. This youtube segment also recommended using something that will not cause a lot of rubbing on the seals, such as a parts cleaner like CRC brake cleaner to clean the roof seals - wipe on dab off; AND to make sure whatever you use is not a petroleum product because that will eat rubber. Again, interesting. It did recommend Simple Green and water, and no high pressure hose.
Gotta love the GoPro mount on the roof!
Joshua, you are the first to comment on that! Looking forward to actually using it... June!
FlashTape is used for roofing also
We call it "Forever Tape." Sticks to everything permanently. It comes in Black ,Clear, and cloth texture which is very easy to use.
Can purchase at Lowe's hardware. 30 ft cost about 30 dollars and so on it comes in larger rolls up to 90 ft
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I just did this. I have found that if you buy one of those small screen door installer rollers (The kind that pushes the rubber grommet into the screen slot) it does wonders on pushing the tape up against the lap sealant.
The rollers definitely help. I’m going to post a 1 year follow up at the end of the year. Thanks for watching and commenting bud.
Thx!
Eternabond had been holding the back corner of our RV on for 4 months. Yes the whole fiberglass chunk broke off when someone hit us. Fortunately we had a roll of this stuff and we’re able to do a quick fix on a busy road. I’m not looking forward to removing it though. RV repair places are seriously booked out and I haven’t been able to reach anyone.
Great video, thanks. I will be doing this in the spring for sure!
Thanks for watching Norm.
I'm putting in new vents and I'm going to use the butyl tape on the new vent...screw it down and not using the lap sealing...just putting this awesome tape right down on the vent frame and over each of the screw heads. Having the lap sealing underneath the tape is overkill.
Hey Ross good video! 👍🏼Been thinking about doing this myself. I love Eternabond tape. I may do the outside edges. My fear of doing the vents is trying to get it off when I need to replace one or upgrade. Oh and I see you have the dreaded grand Design black lines on your roof. If you wanted to remove those my video on how to clean those black lines is on my maintenance playlist. Obviously just for beauty like you said.
Thanks Chris. Makes for a long afternoon but worth doing. Yeah, I got to get those streaks cleaned. They come back every year. 🙁
The nice thing about Eternabond is that you don't have to do any scraping at all. With a heat gun you just remove the vinyl backing, unscrew the old vent and install the new one, then apply a new piece of Eternabond right over top of the previous piece. It bonds to itself super strong - it's kinda crazy to see bc it's so instant and so permanent.
I hope this puts your mind at ease. It's been 3 years since I first used it, and I'm still incredibly impressed. If I could afford to cover my whole damn roof in Eternabond, I'd do it in a heartbeat. This stuff is amazing.
I'm not bragging. I just want to make a point. I built my own pickup truck camper. It's pretty rough by commercial but for a home-built it looks pretty good I always appreciate form over. So after experiences with commercial units, I decided to eliminate wood and holes in my roof.Failures usually happen with a leak in the roof or side seam. Once a unit fails at some critical point, it is not very likely that it can be permanently fixed. With delamination and rotting wood the units usually get sold.
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for the video!
Do you know if it sticks to wood?
I need to seal a delicate spot on an houseboat.
Greetings from Berlin
It does stick to wood. Thanks for checking in from across the world!
Gorilla brand has a similar tape. Can be used under water also.
thanks for watching and commenting!
Always kept a roll in the camper. Stuff works flawlessly, looks like factory when your done.
agree 100% with you. Thanks for commenting Nathan!
I like that you made it clear that using the Eterna Bond tape was you choice, and not the only choice. :-) Clearly you have seen subscribers, "Dine" , on their hosts!
Over all I liked the video. Well stated, though I would have used the primer. You have to know me to see why ! ;-)
Its really amazing how RV manufacturers haven't come up with a roof that lasts for a decent period of time. The roof leaking on an RV is usually the demise of the whole RV having to be basically scrapped for junk. The amount of damage that a leaking roof causes is exponential. The first main question you ask when buying a used RV, "does the roof leak?"
Its hard to find one that hasn't leaked at one time or another if its 10 years or older. I have dealt with the typical elastomeric sealant and the kind that has fiber particles in it. Usually its a silver color with the particles and its a step better than the regular white sealant. The last time I sealed my roof was about 3 years ago on my 37' Keystone Everest 5th wheel with 4 slide outs. I used a totally different product than the white elastomeric sealant. I used Tropi-Cool silicone sealant. A friend told me about it. They used it on an aluminum sheeted patio roof. After researching this product I found that its mainly used by RV owners. This is another one thats important to clean the whole roof throughly. I used TSP known as Tri-Sodium Phosphate. It comes as a granular powder you mix in a bucket of water. Can be purchased at most grocery stores in the cleaning chemicals section or your home improvement center stores. I know its great for prepping a surface to be painted. Like concrete paint for porches you should wash the porch with TSP before you apply paint. It can cause the paint to bead up like theres wax or oil on the surface. TSP eliminates that. So after cleaning with a roof brush on a wooden handle similar if not identical to the one Ross uses here, I cleaned the entire roof with TSP and a garden hose to rinse off. After it dried on a warm day I did this, I used a brush to apply the silicone sealant around all the fixtures, vent pipes and edges. Sides, front and rear caps. Then I used a roller that looked like fleece for rough surfaces. I rolled the sealant onto the roof starting at the front working to the back. This sealant is called a self leveling product. I assume that means it blends together with each lap well so it will appear as a smooth continuous coating. Silicone sealant is the same type of material like you use to seal things around the home like windows. It is unique in the fact that it dries in the presence of moisture. So leaving it to cure overnight is best. I put another coat on the following day. I did notice little black debris on the roof in the morning. Closer look and it was gnats that got stuck when it was drying overnight. They became fossils with the second coat. Lol 😆 I believe there were some more on the second coat also. Only affected the appearance and like Ross said, its not a beauty pageant! 😔.
Now, one thing with my trailer and Keystone has had issues with other models is the edges and the transition of the end caps being a problem for leaks. I noticed mine to be rather rough as if water has gotten underneath previously and started to lift the edges a little. Not a good sign, although I haven't had any noticeable leaks. I live full time in my RV, so I would know if it was leaking inside. This tape here on this video sounds like a great way to reinforce the roofing job by installing around all these problem areas. I wonder if its like "flashing tape" they use in construction on the edge of house roofs. Like where you use the metal strip angle to keep water out of the edge of the wood sheeting. Theres a rubber adhesive backed roll that comes in widths like 10" to 12 ". Its super durable. I think the Flex-Seal company uses the same product except they call it some sort of miracle seal tape.
I might get some of the tape used here and try it. One thing with the silicone sealant is you can't use other types of roof coatings on it. You use the same stuff if repairs are needed. This sealant was about $275-$290 for a 5 gallon bucket that actually says it has 4.5 gallons of product inside. There was plenty to do 37 foot roof. I havent done the four slide out rooms yet. I figured to move the rooms half way out and apply from inside the RV. Let it cure really well before putting the room all the way then finish it out to the outside edge. I could have an issue with the silicone rubber coating gripping the rubber slide out seal when moving the rooms in/out. I may need to use some silicone spray on it. I do know it really grips your shoes and when crawling around on the roof your skin grips to it. Not like its sticky. More like good traction. If you were on a steep A-frame roof, this would be what you'd want so you don't slide off. Best traction you can get with silicone rubber.
Anyway I hope this helps people and if anyone has used Tropi-Cool and had good or bad results let me know about your experiences with it. I think using the tape shown here will be a great compliment to the sealant.
Great video, thanks for your time in making great videos with the tips you provided us.
Added information edit here: Recently with the hot 🔥 weather here in Southern California one of my air conditioner fans has the typical siezed up motor shaft situation. (Coleman Mach). So a friend went up on the roof for me at night, when it was cooler to work on. When he was done up there, he said it was extremely slippery walking around. I just wanted to let people know, when the roof is wet, be careful it becomes very slippery. The dew moisture from the night made it wet. My friend said he had to be really careful getting back to the ladder and getting positioned onto it to get down.
When its dry, its probably the best gripping surface around. When its wet, its probably the slippriest (👈is that a real word?🤔lol) surface around!
Thank you all for the kind compliments on here.
As one person said, "have I thought about using concrete?".
Well, he may have a good idea 💡. It would not have the slippery situation and be much safer. 🤔🙄
Nice post !! 😎👍☘🍺
@@peterfitzpatrick7032 Thank you Sir ! 👍
It existd in Europe. 30 yrs trouble free.
Have you thought about using concrete.
@@welshlyn9097 yes I have, but I found it hard to get the wheel barrow up on the roof. 🤣
I used it on my 5th wheel roof and no more leaks. This stuff is great!
thanks for watching and commenting!
nice and thorough, love this idea.
Thanks for watching man!
Excellent! Short and to the point! Very Good Examples and Explanation! Safe Travels buddy!!
Glad it was helpful!
Did mine a couple of years ago. So far it’s good.
Thanks for the info Mark, and appreciate you watching our video.
So, this should be the first thing I do when I buy a new travel trailer. This seems like a great investment. Thank you for the tip!
Glad to help out! 👍
This looks good - what is a product to use with eternabind tape to coat the rest of the rubber roof?
Honestly Kathleen, if your roof membrane itself is clean and free of debris it should not need a coating of anything. It should hold up. However if your membrane is older and starting to degrade, Let me reach out to my friends with older rv’s and see what they used. Hang tight I’ll get back to you.
@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS thank you for the quick reply! it is a 2016 prowler, we had it outside, not in the. pole barn when we had driving rain and a bit got in the ceiling. We cannot see a tear or rip anywhere! We are going to order this tape and wrap it. I thought that you needed to Eterna bond tape and then also roll on a sealant coat of something... I wasn't able to see the products on my phone, now I can see - ordering! Let me know if you recommend anything to protect the rubber roof itself. Thanks!
@@katbas44 do you know what material your roof membrane is made of? might be TPO or EPDM? will need to know that before recommending a coating product.
@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS so... we got the products from the links - the 2" eternal bond.. is it supposed to be silver/aluminum? Also... best way to cut it (the tape) without getting stuck together.. Your link looks like its white 2" but this is 2" silver that came from the actual link.
@@katbas44 they changed the link at amazon. i sent you the correct link in the other comment you left. return the silver tape. ugh, sorry, sometimes amazon does things without telling us.
Applying a layer of liquid sealant is best. Paint brush and roller.