resealing roof on poptop,any hints on how to go about it,I have a Jayco 2002 Westport pop top van,it has a join right down the centre of the roof,I have to clean off old sealant and put new on,I have not got a fork lift to suspend myself with,any hints as to how I can do this.
Possum3 said
11:33 AM Jan 1, 2020
Main thing is not to use Silicone RTV, Ensure you get the correct type of SikaFlex (can't remember the number off the top of my head, but one of the old hands on here will know), it costs a lot more but it will seal properly without breaking down causing leaking. Ensure that you clean off all the old sealant, use proper tools and take the time to do it properly.
The way I would do this job (hopefully I don't have to) would be to lay a plank or apiece of 4 x 2 timber lengthwise along each side edge moulding, and then put a short plank across the roof. To stop the 4x2 timbers from falling over, you could make it into a frame with side pieces at each end, or otherwise use 4 x 3 or 4 x 4 timber. It is not easy to reach the centre of the roof, even to clean the caravan, yet alone to replace the sealant.
Cupie said
02:03 PM Jan 1, 2020
Erad's idea using the planks is a good one.
To remove the old sealant I can highly recommend Josco Abrasive Nylon Brushes in an electric drill. They remove the sealant but don't damage the powder coating/paint. Good for dimpled finish sheeting as it removes sealant from the depressions that you can't do with a plastic scraper. Quick too.
I cleaned off the surface with the fluid that AutoPro sell to prepare surfaces for fitting pin striping.
A caravan repairer recommended & sold me Bostic Zbond GP Silicone 616 for the replacement sealant. I chose "off white".
I watched one of his workers who happened to be sealing a roof when I was there .. lucky!
I put 200mm lengths of wide painters masking tape in straight lines either side of the join. Easier to remove the tape later (just before the sealant skins) if it's in shorter lengths. Think a bit before you overlap them so that they will come off easily. ie. Start from the far end so that the first strip that you will be removing sits over the next one. I used a builder's chalk line to get a straight line to tape to.
Apply silicon in about 2 meter sections achieving a good coverage & lightly spray the area (being extra careful not to spray the next uncovered section) with a weak soapy water solution (washing up liquid & water in a spray bottle). This will help get a smooth finish & sealant will not stick to unwanted areas.
Tool off the finished section with silicon (not plastic) scrapers that can be got in packets from Bunnings paint section or Trade Tools.
I used an old carton edge to frequently wipe off excess sealant from the scraper & lots of small pieces of rag to clean my hands & any bits of sealant from the roof or wherever. Throw them in the carton after use as you go. Be meticulous in keeping self, tools & work area free of excess sealant.
Don't be tempted to keep going back over the finished surfaces or using fingers dipped in turps or other solvent. If you want to use your fingers, moisten them slightly with the soapy spray.
After the whole joint is done, carefully remove the strips of masking tape, dropping each into the carton as you go.
A wet finger can be used to carefully tap down any raised edge of the sealant where you didn't taper it off sufficiently with the scraper. But be careful & practice that bit before you start.
My technique improved tremendously by practising the whole process many times on a couple of roughly joined pieces of sheet metal.
I used this technique to replace the secondary sealant on the roof edges of my Jayco. I must say that the second side looked much better than the first despite all my practising. I was tempted to remove it & do it again. But laziness prevailed. Still looks good 4 years later. Better than when new.
-- Edited by Cupie on Wednesday 1st of January 2020 02:09:31 PM
Brodie Allen said
04:47 PM Jan 1, 2020
Have a look at this - I did a van for a friend some 3 years ago because he
could not climb - still looks as good as the day I put it on.
Thanks for all the replies,I will take them all on board and use each comment ,The idea of fabricating a frame is a good idea to stop a calamity happening,I don't bounce as well these days.
Colin Penrose said
09:55 AM Jan 2, 2020
Eternabond is the only way to go. Did my pop top about five years ago and no leaks since. You must make sure ALL silicon and grease is removed. Do it once and do it right. Col
Cupie said
10:12 AM Jan 2, 2020
Colin Penrose wrote:
Eternabond is the only way to go. Did my pop top about five years ago and no leaks since. You must make sure ALL silicon and grease is removed. Do it once and do it right. Col
I don't doubt that this is a good product and it seems to have done a good job for some on here that have used it, but .. in reading their product information this bit caused me to pause
"Most non-accident-caused RV leaks are going to originate at the front and rear roof caps and along the top of the RV side wall, and the seals that are required at every penetration through the roof for air conditioning, antennas, etc. With all of these weak points combined with poor RV roof maintenance (the manufacturers recommend your RV roof be resealed at all seams and penetrations on no less than a bi-yearly basis), and the duress an RV undergoes with every 70 mph run down the highway, is it any wonder that RV roof leaks are so common and one of the most disheartening things that can happen to an RVer, especially in this time of "Mold awareness"?"
This is the first that I have heard of roof resealing having to be done on a bi-yearly basis. Sounds like BS to me. The article goes on to talk about it having to be done on a YEARLY basis. (and 70 MPH runs down the highway! in this time of Mold awareness) You can make your own mind up on that one I guess.
rgren2 said
02:01 PM Jan 2, 2020
SIL works for Jayco, they use Sika Sikaflex 252, can be obtained in white or black.
Brodie Allen said
04:38 PM Jan 3, 2020
rgren2 wrote:
SIL works for Jayco, they use Sika Sikaflex 252, can be obtained in white or black.
Works like BS.
I have had to reseal areas of my roof three times until I got onto Eternabond.
Take care to get the right one. There are a few.
Was so bad that Jco even did a reseal themselves - what a bloody mess - they
piled it on in mountains - so ugly. Looks very professional now.
Cupie said
12:09 AM Jan 4, 2020
Brodie Allen wrote:
rgren2 wrote:
SIL works for Jayco, they use Sika Sikaflex 252, can be obtained in white or black.
Works like BS.
I have had to reseal areas of my roof three times until I got onto Eternabond.
Take care to get the right one. There are a few.
Was so bad that Jco even did a reseal themselves - what a bloody mess - they
piled it on in mountains - so ugly. Looks very professional now.
From my experience, there must have been something wrong with the technique that was used if you had to do it three times. I did mine once a few years ago & it looks very professional & it works too.
I hope that the latest stuff that you used does the job.
rgren2 said
09:48 AM Jan 4, 2020
Brodie Allen wrote:
rgren2 wrote:
SIL works for Jayco, they use Sika Sikaflex 252, can be obtained in white or black.
Works like BS.
I have had to reseal areas of my roof three times until I got onto Eternabond.
Take care to get the right one. There are a few.
Was so bad that Jco even did a reseal themselves - what a bloody mess - they
piled it on in mountains - so ugly. Looks very professional now.
Sometimes I wonder why I try and offer advice. I have used this product on the sills of my caravan and found it to work perfectly. If it didnt work I wouldnt have mentioned it. I did follow the instructions closely.
Cupie said
10:07 AM Jan 4, 2020
rgren2 wrote:
Brodie Allen wrote:
rgren2 wrote:
SIL works for Jayco, they use Sika Sikaflex 252, can be obtained in white or black.
Works like BS.
I have had to reseal areas of my roof three times until I got onto Eternabond.
Take care to get the right one. There are a few.
Was so bad that Jco even did a reseal themselves - what a bloody mess - they
piled it on in mountains - so ugly. Looks very professional now.
Sometimes I wonder why I try and offer advice. I have used this product on the sills of my caravan and found it to work perfectly. If it didnt work I wouldnt have mentioned it. I did follow the instructions closely.
I appreciate your advice. Keep it coming. I had great results with a similar product.
However it is sometimes difficult to get the message across without giving offence when using on line media & that may be a factor in some of the perceived negative replies.
One needs to be very careful in applying sealant or it could well result in an unsightly mess or it not working properly if you don't carefully follow the instructions.. I'm sure that this applies to 'Eternabond' too. I've seen some shockers on roofs where plumbers have used similar products.
Jaybird said
11:10 AM Jan 4, 2020
Eternabond for me. I used this as a precaution as I had read so many posts of the sika seal breaking down. Make sure to follow the instructions to the letter. An easy job that has been on now for 3 years and looks as good as the day it was applied.
grahos said
01:52 PM Jan 4, 2020
Thanks for the continuing comments,as it is on the poptop roof no-one will see it but I do not want to have to do it again.
My other problem is do I need to clean old stuff off with any chemicals or just scrape it off clean with a damp cloth let dry and reseal?
Cupie said
02:21 PM Jan 4, 2020
Graeme ...
If you look closely at my rather long winded earlier response I described how I removed the old stuff.
I used a plastic scraper with the sides rounded off to prevent scratches to remove most of the loose stuff. To finish off I used the Josco nylon brush in an electric drill to remove the rest. Worked a treat.
To prepare the surface for whatever sealer that you choose, follow the technical data sheet that they will undoubtedly provide with the product or at least post on their website.
Jaybird said
12:02 PM Jan 5, 2020
If you decide to use Eternabond go to their web site eternabondaustralia.com.au there are plenty of videos that you can look at that explains all of its uses and instructions.
grahos said
09:09 PM Jan 8, 2020
Thanks guys for the great response to my query,I will post results when I have got the job done,
Your comments are greatly appreciated
Hylife said
03:53 PM Jan 16, 2020
Had a '96 Jayco Westport pop-top for a number of years.
The roof has a very strong outer alloy frame with lighter aluminium cross braces and then the basic 'tin & timber' over the rest.
At home whenever I wanted to clean off the accumulated dirt, bird and bat sh!t, I would just use a step ladder and a long handled soft bristled kitchen broom.
For resealing I would man-handle (with assistance from swimbo) an 8 foot leftover 50x200 laminated beam up a step ladder and lay it east-west on the roof so all my weight was dispersed down the walls.
Great thing about lam-beams is they don't sag in the middle.
resealing roof on poptop,any hints on how to go about it,I have a Jayco 2002 Westport pop top van,it has a join right down the centre of the roof,I have to clean off old sealant and put new on,I have not got a fork lift to suspend myself with,any hints as to how I can do this.
Erad's idea using the planks is a good one.
To remove the old sealant I can highly recommend Josco Abrasive Nylon Brushes in an electric drill. They remove the sealant but don't damage the powder coating/paint. Good for dimpled finish sheeting as it removes sealant from the depressions that you can't do with a plastic scraper. Quick too.
I cleaned off the surface with the fluid that AutoPro sell to prepare surfaces for fitting pin striping.
A caravan repairer recommended & sold me Bostic Zbond GP Silicone 616 for the replacement sealant. I chose "off white".
I watched one of his workers who happened to be sealing a roof when I was there .. lucky!
I put 200mm lengths of wide painters masking tape in straight lines either side of the join. Easier to remove the tape later (just before the sealant skins) if it's in shorter lengths. Think a bit before you overlap them so that they will come off easily. ie. Start from the far end so that the first strip that you will be removing sits over the next one. I used a builder's chalk line to get a straight line to tape to.
Apply silicon in about 2 meter sections achieving a good coverage & lightly spray the area (being extra careful not to spray the next uncovered section) with a weak soapy water solution (washing up liquid & water in a spray bottle). This will help get a smooth finish & sealant will not stick to unwanted areas.
Tool off the finished section with silicon (not plastic) scrapers that can be got in packets from Bunnings paint section or Trade Tools.
I used an old carton edge to frequently wipe off excess sealant from the scraper & lots of small pieces of rag to clean my hands & any bits of sealant from the roof or wherever. Throw them in the carton after use as you go. Be meticulous in keeping self, tools & work area free of excess sealant.
Don't be tempted to keep going back over the finished surfaces or using fingers dipped in turps or other solvent. If you want to use your fingers, moisten them slightly with the soapy spray.
After the whole joint is done, carefully remove the strips of masking tape, dropping each into the carton as you go.
A wet finger can be used to carefully tap down any raised edge of the sealant where you didn't taper it off sufficiently with the scraper. But be careful & practice that bit before you start.
My technique improved tremendously by practising the whole process many times on a couple of roughly joined pieces of sheet metal.
I used this technique to replace the secondary sealant on the roof edges of my Jayco. I must say that the second side looked much better than the first despite all my practising. I was tempted to remove it & do it again. But laziness prevailed. Still looks good 4 years later. Better than when new.
-- Edited by Cupie on Wednesday 1st of January 2020 02:09:31 PM
could not climb - still looks as good as the day I put it on.
www.eternabond.com/
and
www.ebay.com.au/i/303261690409
I don't doubt that this is a good product and it seems to have done a good job for some on here that have used it, but .. in reading their product information this bit caused me to pause
"Most non-accident-caused RV leaks are going to originate at the front and rear roof caps and along the top of the RV side wall, and the seals that are required at every penetration through the roof for air conditioning, antennas, etc. With all of these weak points combined with poor RV roof maintenance (the manufacturers recommend your RV roof be resealed at all seams and penetrations on no less than a bi-yearly basis), and the duress an RV undergoes with every 70 mph run down the highway, is it any wonder that RV roof leaks are so common and one of the most disheartening things that can happen to an RVer, especially in this time of "Mold awareness"?"
This is the first that I have heard of roof resealing having to be done on a bi-yearly basis. Sounds like BS to me. The article goes on to talk about it having to be done on a YEARLY basis. (and 70 MPH runs down the highway! in this time of Mold awareness) You can make your own mind up on that one I guess.
Works like BS.
I have had to reseal areas of my roof three times until I got onto Eternabond.
Take care to get the right one. There are a few.
Was so bad that Jco even did a reseal themselves - what a bloody mess - they
piled it on in mountains - so ugly. Looks very professional now.
From my experience, there must have been something wrong with the technique that was used if you had to do it three times. I did mine once a few years ago & it looks very professional & it works too.
I hope that the latest stuff that you used does the job.
Sometimes I wonder why I try and offer advice. I have used this product on the sills of my caravan and found it to work perfectly. If it didnt work I wouldnt have mentioned it. I did follow the instructions closely.
I appreciate your advice. Keep it coming. I had great results with a similar product.
However it is sometimes difficult to get the message across without giving offence when using on line media & that may be a factor in some of the perceived negative replies.
One needs to be very careful in applying sealant or it could well result in an unsightly mess or it not working properly if you don't carefully follow the instructions.. I'm sure that this applies to 'Eternabond' too. I've seen some shockers on roofs where plumbers have used similar products.
My other problem is do I need to clean old stuff off with any chemicals or just scrape it off clean with a damp cloth let dry and reseal?
Graeme ...
If you look closely at my rather long winded earlier response I described how I removed the old stuff.
I used a plastic scraper with the sides rounded off to prevent scratches to remove most of the loose stuff. To finish off I used the Josco nylon brush in an electric drill to remove the rest. Worked a treat.
To prepare the surface for whatever sealer that you choose, follow the technical data sheet that they will undoubtedly provide with the product or at least post on their website.
Your comments are greatly appreciated
The roof has a very strong outer alloy frame with lighter aluminium cross braces and then the basic 'tin & timber' over the rest.
At home whenever I wanted to clean off the accumulated dirt, bird and bat sh!t, I would just use a step ladder and a long handled soft bristled kitchen broom.
For resealing I would man-handle (with assistance from swimbo) an 8 foot leftover 50x200 laminated beam up a step ladder and lay it east-west on the roof so all my weight was dispersed down the walls.
Great thing about lam-beams is they don't sag in the middle.