My wife and I are brand new to owning a camper. As we brought our used 5th wheel home part of the roof tore. We are moving from NY to South Dakota and planned to live full time in the camper. We have to be in South Dakota by May 1st. So we are in a panic with this tear. It has a Royal Roof EPDM. Is there a way we can patch this until we move and do a full roof replacement after we move?
5th wheel roof repair help
- Thread starter Ste_vencp
- Start date
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Sorry, a patch is just that. Spend the money and either with the help of some friends ot pay someone to strip and reproof it. From what I see it appears the material has not been taken care of and is already dead. A few years ago one mfg was doing spray on bed liner material as a roofing option. You might also look into that as an alternative.
You might look at applying Liquid Roof. It is a permanent fix (20+) years for a fraction of the price. You can search this forum and see positive remarks from those who used it. I put it over my old roof 7 years ago. Took me about 3 hours using a squeegee on a broom handle. Although wet tree leaves stained it over the winter it has held up perfectly.
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Mark_K5LXP
Well-known member
You are soundly in the got nothing to lose category and even if a new roof is in your future, you need to get that covered with something ASAP. It looks "fresh" under there so it appears that the edge was compromised and it caught the wind. That's the good news, you don't have rot to deal with on top of it. You can buy EPDM by the foot and apply a patch over the area, taking care the surrounding area is clean and the sealant you use adheres well. While you're at it, look at the remainder of the roof and goop up any other sections or seams that have gone south. That will buy you the time you need to come up with plan B.
Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
I would NOT try Liquid Roof or similar - it is NOT intended to go directly over the wood substrate. And it will make a subsequent permanent repair more difficult.
You need to get some kind of membrane over that bare spot first. Almost any waterproof membrane will do as a temporary fix, and you can tape down the edges with a roof seam/repair tape (it doesn't have to be the Eternbond brand, though that is a superb product). Given that you are short on time, I'd try local mobile home or RV supply stores and find a suitable piece of membrane (EPDM, TPO, or what roofers sometimes call waterproofing membrane) and a roof tape. My local hardware store carries both, but there are lots of mobile homes in this area. Or you can order on Amazon or Ebay too and hopefully get prompt delivery.
You might also try to temp fix it with overlapping strips of self-adhesive flashing strips. Those are available in aluminum foil flashing or wide waterproof tapes. Multiple 6" or 8" strips should quickly fill in the damaged area. Not sure how easily it would come off again when you do the permanent fix, though.
You need to get some kind of membrane over that bare spot first. Almost any waterproof membrane will do as a temporary fix, and you can tape down the edges with a roof seam/repair tape (it doesn't have to be the Eternbond brand, though that is a superb product). Given that you are short on time, I'd try local mobile home or RV supply stores and find a suitable piece of membrane (EPDM, TPO, or what roofers sometimes call waterproofing membrane) and a roof tape. My local hardware store carries both, but there are lots of mobile homes in this area. Or you can order on Amazon or Ebay too and hopefully get prompt delivery.
You might also try to temp fix it with overlapping strips of self-adhesive flashing strips. Those are available in aluminum foil flashing or wide waterproof tapes. Multiple 6" or 8" strips should quickly fill in the damaged area. Not sure how easily it would come off again when you do the permanent fix, though.
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Rene T
Site Team
Gizmo
Well-known member
This was my recommendation, but Gary beat me to it. You might look into this service
Well, according to Liquid Roof it is intended to go directly over wood if an oil based primer is applied first. At the bottom of this page: Liquid Roof or EPDM Coatings
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Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
I wasn't aware of that until now - just read about it elsewhere as well as here. Live & learn! I'm still a bit skeptical because of seams and maybe imperfections in the substrate, but those can be filled and smoothed. Or maybe cosmetics aren't a factor for you.
Liquid Roof is about the consistency of pancake batter and is applied fairly thick. Seams and Eternabond disappear under it and it has a smooth glass like finish when cured. My only complaint is wet leaves will stain it.
It has only been 7 years since I put it on. I'll let you know how it has held up after 20 years unless it outlasts me
It has only been 7 years since I put it on. I'll let you know how it has held up after 20 years unless it outlasts me
EPDMRubber
Member
| Fixing the roof is necessary before the arrival of winters or humid conditions. These types of weather conditions will increase the chances of leakages or layer breakages because of extreme cold temperature. I had layered my roof with “Butyl Liquid Rubber”. As there are many sealants available in the market but the exclusive feature of this sealant is its refined rubber formula which has the capacity to contract or expand with the change in temperature. This will reduce the risks of leakages due to cracks formed in the roof. Unlike other sealants, it is also available in different colors so you can have multiple options to choose from. For more information, you can visit: Butyl Liquid Rubber - EPDM Coatings |
