Category: RV Living

This article is about RV roof coatings and which one is the best to buy.

Which one can drastically extend the life of your RV roof? And really cut down on the maintenance you spend on that roof as well?

So recently I made a video about RV rubber roofs. And you can view that video by clicking here now.

And in that video I included information about how to identify what kind of rubber roof you have. If that’s what you have on your RV.

And I also covered information on how to maintain the roof as well. That’s because RV roof care is vital to the life of your RV.

In fact, it’s the first line of defense against water leaks and water intrusion.

Because if your roof allows water to get into your RV, it can break it down from the inside out. And could eventually destroy it altogether.

Table of Contents

• RV Roof Maintenance – Why Many Don't Do It
• RV Roof Sealant Problems
• Why I Bought Another RV
• The Rubber Roof Problems On My Fifth Wheel RV
• 3 Things I Wanted A Roof Coating To Do For My RV
• A Great Product That Cuts Down On RV Roof Maintenance Time
• RV Roof Coatings – The One I Chose For My RV
• What Roof Preparation Is Needed For RV Roof Coatings?
• How I Applied The Roof Coating
• Before And After Photos Of The Results
• Other RV Roof Coatings You Should Consider
• Conclusion

RV Roof Maintenance – Why Many Don’t Do It

But here’s the sad truth. Very few RVers actually care for their RV roof like they should.

Now there can be various reasons for this. And number one is that the roof is up on top of the RV.

So it’s out of sight and therefore in many cases it’s also out of mind. And they often just don’t think that much about the roof.

Also, it could be that the RV owner doesn’t really know what to do to maintain their roof. And therefore they kind of do nothing because of that.

But in many cases, they just don’t want to get up there and do that kind of work. So the job just gets procrastinated and keeps on getting worse.

Well, RV inspectors like myself find these roof problems regularly. In fact, it’s one of the most common problems that we list on our RV inspection reports.

RV Roof Sealant Problems

Now usually, it’s a problem with the sealant. And we always note where the sealant has started to age.

Very often it has started to crack somewhat and needs to be reapplied.

But in many cases, it has often gone so far and the neglect has happened so long that there’s no saving it.

And at that point the sealant just has to be scraped off and reapplied brand new again.

Well that’s a lot of work, right? However, it’s also a lot of work to maintain the sealant and RV roofing material as well.

So a good question would be – is there a way to lower the required maintenance on RV roofs?

Now I ask that question because I myself am not crazy about going up on RV roofs and doing all of that necessary work.

I mean it’s not something I look forward to. But I do it anyway! Because I know that it’s so important. It’s so vital to the life of my RV!

So is there a way that we can lower all of that effort and time spent on RV roof maintenance?

Why I Bought Another RV

Well, let me tell you what I did to my own RV that could be helpful in this area.

Last year I bought a Grand Design fifth wheel. The purpose is so that we could use it as a home base for our RV travels.

And that’s because Covid-19 taught us a lot of lessons. But one of the best lessons we learned is that it’s a good idea to have a home base.

Even when you’re full-time traveling in an RV. Or maybe, especially if you are a fulltime RV traveler!

So we got the fifth wheel and we put it on a permanent RV lot in Arizona. It’s a 2015 model that has an EPDM Rubber roof.

The Rubber Roof Problems On My Fifth Wheel RV

And the rubber roof is already showing some wearing and age, and as a result it’s darkening.

Now if you watched my video about rubber roofs you know that’s a characteristic of EPDM. As it ages, it very often darkens in color.

And that means that it absorbs more heat and transfers that into the RV. Of course, that’s not a good thing, especially in Arizona.

So I decided that I needed to put an RV coating over the original rubber roof.

3 Things I Wanted A Roof Coating To Do For My RV

And I wanted to accomplish a few things. Number one is I wanted to extend the life of my roof. Who wouldn’t want to do that?

Then number two is I wanted to reflect heat off of that roof better too.

And number three is I wanted to find a way that I could cut down on all the necessary maintenance that I was having to do on RV roofs.

A Great Product That Cuts Down On RV Roof Maintenance Time

Now the good news is that the previous owner of this RV had already started working toward the idea of cutting down on roof maintenance.

So they had used Eternabond tape on several of the seams of the RV. Also around some of the roof equipment, like skylights and vents.

So where the sealant was placed in these areas, they covered it over with Eternabond tape.

And that’s actually a great way to start cutting down on maintenance requirements.

Because Eternabond tape lasts 20 years or more in many cases. And can protect roof sealant from UV damage from the sun that breaks it down.

So it was a good thing when I found that the previous owner had already started to use Eternabond tape on the roof.

But that didn’t solve the problem with the roof material itself being older and aging.

RV Roof Coatings – Here’s One That Works Well

So what coating should I use for that? Well, I started doing a lot of research.

And many RV coatings are made as acrylic based products. In fact, Dicor makes some very good roof coatings that area acrylic based.

And they make coatings for various kinds of RV roofs too. They’ve got a product for rubber, fiberglass and metal.

Now there’s a separate product for each one of them. You don’t use the same product for every kind of roof material made.

But the good news is that there’s lots of great reviews about all of their products. Reviews from people that have used it and had great results.

But the major issue for me was that you had to reapply the product again every few years or so. In order to keep the roof in good shape.

RV Roof Coatings – The One I Chose For My RV

Well, I kept looking and eventually I found a product called Henry’s TropiCool 887 silicone roof coating.

And I found that it comes with a lifetime warranty, and I thought that’s pretty good!

Also it also can be used on almost any RV surface you want to name. And it specifically says that it’s made for high UV and severe weather areas.

So when you’re talking about high ultraviolet situations, that’s Arizona for sure!

And I thought this is really good, that it specifically resists UV damage.

Then I took a further look at the product instructions on the bucket.

And I highly encourage that whatever product you use, look very closely at the instructions and the guidelines they give you!

So the bucket instructions said that it could be used on TPO, EPDM, PVC and on metal roofs.

And here’s the kicker! It can usually be done with a one coat application.

Well, that’s great! Because the Dicor products require a multiple coat application to be effective.

What Roof Preparation Is Needed For RV Roof Coatings?

Then the instructions covered the prep that you need to do on your roof before applying the product.

And the instructions were to just clean the roof with TSP and water. You could use a stiff bristle brush to clean the roof and then hose it off with water.

Or you could use a power washer too. But I recommend that if you’re going to use a power washer, be very careful!

Don’t use high pressure at all. Because you can damage these roofs with really high pressure. So proceed carefully if that what you decide to do!

How I Applied The Roof Coating

Then once you clean the roof thoroughly, allow it to dry completely. And then you can just use a roller, like a paint roller, to apply the product.

Well sure enough, on my rig it was a one coat application. And I found out something else by reading the comments and the reviews that many RV owners have left on Amazon.

Many of them have just gone right over Eternabond on their roof. And they say that it’s worked well for them. So that’s what I did too!

Now let me say this. Whatever product you use, follow the instructions very carefully.

Make sure that you’re using it the way it’s intended to be used. And be safe on RV roofs as well. Take all necessary safety precautions during the process.

Because this kind of work can be very dangerous if you aren’t careful. So if you are not comfortable on RV roofs, then get someone to do it for you.

Before And After Photos Of The Results

Now here’s the proof of the pudding! Let me show you the “before” and the “after” photos on my fifth wheel EPDM roof.

Here’s a picture of the roof after I cleaned it which made it look much better. And the coating has not been applied at this point.

You can still see that there’s darker areas on the roof that are clearly visible.

OK, so I applied the product, and here is the “after” picture of the roof. After applying the TropiCool product from Henry’s.

Now isn’t that a beautiful roof? It’s so bright and white, and that is going to reflect heat so much better now.

So for me, I am very happy with the Henry’s product. And I’m also really happy that this is going to cut down on my roof maintenance too.

Now let m be clear that you don’t have to use Henry’s TropiCool on your RV’s roof though.

Other RV Roof Coatings You Should Consider

Once again, I can highly recommend using Dicor too. It’s a quality product that just didn’t fit exactly what I was looking for on my personal RV roof.

But there’s another fine company called Heng’s as well. And they have great reviews from RV owners too.

The only problem with both Dicor and Heng’s is that you do have to re-apply the product every so often.

But if you decide to use the Henry’s TropiCool 887, let me warn you about something.

And that is that Henry’s makes a lot of roof products. So don’t use anything else if you want to do what I did on my roof.

I used “TropiCool 887”, and that is what you want to look for if you want to do what I did.

And there’s lots of great reviews too from RV owners on Amazon for the Henry’s products. So it does seem to be tried and true at this point.

Conclusion

Now I encourage you do your own research on this subject. And try to determine what’s best for you and your RV before you buy anything.

I just wanted to share with you what has worked well for me in this article.

But you need to choose what works best for your situation and needs.

However, if you want to extend your RV roof’s life, and you want to cut down on your roof maintenance, than getting a really high quality RV roof coating is a great way to do that!

Have safe and happy RV travels my friends!

This article is going to be talking about EPDM vs TPO RV rubber roofs. Which one is best your RV roof?

And of course, an RV roof is critical for you to enjoy your RVing adventures.

Because it does so many things to provide a comfortable experience as you travel and camp.

But perhaps the most important job is sealing out water intrusion that can ruin your RV.

Now there’s four main types of RV roofs that are the most common ones you’ll see.

And that is rubber roofs, PVC, fiberglass, and aluminum. But this article is only going to talk about rubber roofs.

And one reason for that is rubber roof material is by far the most common material used in RVs.

Table of Contents

• EPDM vs TPO
• The Pros Of An EPDM RV Roof
• The Cons Of Having An EPDM Rubber RV Roof
• EPDM vs TPO – The Pros OF TPO RV Roofs
• The Cons Of TPO Rubber RV Roofs
• What Kind Of Rubber Roof Is On Your RV?
• Here's How To Find Out What Your Roof Is Made OF
• EPDM vs TPO – Maintain Your Rubber Roof
  • • Roof Maintenance Point #1
    • Roof Maintenance Point #2
    • Roof Maintenance Point #3
    • Roof Maintenance Point #4
    • Roof Maintenance Point #5
• Conclusion

EPDM vs TPO

So what we’re going to do is compare the two main kinds of rubber roofs. And that’s EPDM versus TPO.

Also, in case you’re wondering, all those letters stand for something. They stand for words that are really long and hard to pronounce.

So we’re just going to use the easier acronyms today, EPDM and TPO.

And we’re going to compare them against one another and discuss the pros and the cons of each kind of material.

Then afterward I’m going to explain a way that you can find out what’s on your RV’s roof. That is, if you have a rubber roof.

And that’ll be very important information for you to have. OK, let’s get started.

The Pros Of An EPDM RV Roof

First up, we’ll start with EPDM and discuss its advantages or pros as an RV roofing material.

And one advantage is that it’s very lightweight. Which is a real pro for any material used in RV construction.

Also, it doesn’t dent, scuff or scratch very easily. And that’s good for longevity.

Also, there’s fewer seams in the material itself when it’s manufactured.

So it’s very likely that you can get a full one piece roof of EPDM when it’s installed.

But the best thing about EPDM is that it can last up to 25 years if it’s maintained correctly. And that’s great for RV owners.

The Cons Of Having An EPDM Rubber RV Roof

Now everything is not all positive with EPDM though. There are cons as well. So let’s talk about the EPDM cons.

And number one is that it can puncture fairly easily. Yes, it does resist scratching and and denting and all of that. But it can puncture easily.

Also, over time EPDM darkens with age. So it becomes gray to dark gray sometimes.

And that means that it starts to absorb heat into the RV living area. And that makes your whole air conditioning system work a lot harder

It also can leave black or white streaks going down the side of the RV too.

That’s because EPDM is designed to shed some of its material as it ages. So it often goes off the edge and down the sides of the RV.

EPDM vs TPO – The Pros OF TPO RV Roofs

In the EPDM vs TPO comparison we are halfway there.

Now let’s talk about the TPO pros and cons too. And the first pro of TPO is that it resists mold and dirt very well. And that’s great for cleaning your roof.

Secondly, it also is not easily punctured like EPDM. In fact, it’s very tough and durable material.

And there’s less streaking that goes down the RV sides as well.

But probably the best thing about TPO is that it very often comes in very white material.

So the material itself reflects heat away from the RV. And that makes you more comfortable in your RV in the summertime.

The Cons Of TPO Rubber RV Roofs

But what are the cons of TPO? Well first of all, it doesn’t last quite as long as EPDM. About 15 to 20 years on the average.

And there’s less consistency in the quality of the materials that come out of the factory. Especially from different factories and makers.

There’s also more seams in a TPO roll of material than there is EPDM. And that can be something to deal with when it’s installed.

OK, now we’ve covered the pros and the cons of EPDM vs TPO pretty well.

What Kind Of Rubber Roof Is On Your RV?

So let’s get to the question about what’s on your RV roof? And how do you know what kind of material it is?

Well you know, it’s interesting that there’s not a lot of information out there about this.

Especially reliable information about how you can find out what kind of rubber roof you have on your RV.

But I found something from Dicor that I think I can trust. Now Dicor is a leader in roofing and sealant products for RV roofs.

And they’re a very trustworthy company too. So I trust what they have to say on this matter.

And here’s what Dicor says you should do to find out what kind of rubber roof you have now.

Here’s How To Find Out What Your Roof Is Made OF

They say you should go to one of the roof vents in your RV that’s in the ceiling.

Then take down the outer trim ring of the roof vent. And usually there’s just a few screws that hold it up.

Then when you take that trim ring down, you can look inside the cavity where the vent was installed.

And on the side walls very often you’re going to see some extra roofing material.

Excess that was cut and folded in when the vent was originally installed on the roof.

And that allows you to see both sides of the material used for roofing your RV.

So take a look at both sides. And if one side is white or dove gray and the other side is black, Dicor says it’s most likely EPDM.

But on the other hand both sides could be pretty much the same color. Or maybe one side even has a felt backing but it’s all the same color throughout.

Well in that case, it’s most likely TPO. And that’s their guidance on the matter.

Once again, I tend to trust what Dicor has to say on the subject. Because making RV roofing products is their business.

EPDM vs TPO – Maintain Your Rubber Roof

OK, so now let’s move on to the subject of maintaining your rubber roof.

And whether it’s EPDM or TPO we’re going to cover five points about maintaining it.

Roof Maintenance Point #1

Number one is you should wash or condition your roof at least annually.

In other words, once a year is the the least amount of time that you should be up there washing and conditioning it.

But it’s better to do it every six months instead if you can.

Roof Maintenance Point #2

The number two point is when you wash your roof Dicor makes a great wash for RV rubber roofs. Whether it’s EPDM or TPO. So that’s a great product to use on your roof. Click the image below for more information.

Roof Maintenance Point #3

Number three is after you wash it you should condition it by applying an ultraviolet protectant. This helps extend the life of the roof considerably.

And once again, Dicor makes a very good one to use on rubber roofs. Just click the image below to learn more about it.

You see, the whole idea is that once you’ve cleaned it, now you put this protectant on it. And that shields the roof against ultraviolet rays.

As a result, the sun’s rays don’t do near as much damage. And that’s really what breaks down a rubber roof quicker than almost anything else.

Roof Maintenance Point #4

Number four is when you’re up there on that roof look for any punctures or tears.

In fact, it’s a good idea to make a run up on your roof every couple months or so.

Or if you can’t do it, get someone you can trust to do it for you.

Then take a look and see if there are any punctures or tears in your rubber roof.

And if there is, I recommend carrying a roll of Eternabond tape with you for that situation.

It will do wonders for any puncture or tear on your RV’s rubber roof. And it’s so simple to use, anybody can do it.

Just click the image below to learn more about it.

You just apply it right on the problem area. And your whole problem is solved for many years.

Roof Maintenance Point #5

OK, the final point about maintaining rubber roofs is that you might even consider coating your rubber roof.

That’s because roof coatings can help extend the life of a rubber roof even further than UV protection.

And if you use the right coating, it might even extend it almost indefinitely!

But the subject of RV roof coatings is a whole other subject to itself. And I’m not going to cover it here in this article.

However, I made a video on that subject that could be helpful to view. You can find it here:

At least it’s something for you to consider in your roof maintenance schedule.

Conclusion

Alright, now let’s get back to the original question for this video. And that is EPDM versus TPO, which is better for you to use on your RV?

Well here’s my take on it. They both do a good job. But if your main priority is how long that roof will last, then EPDM certainly comes out ahead.

On the other hand, if you are in a really high heat area, it could be an issue to have a darker roof like EPDM.

And in that case, then maybe TPO could be better for you instead.

But actually, either one works very well. And they are both proven over many years to do the job that they are designed to do.

And that is to protect you and your RV and let you enjoy RV travel and adventures.

Have safe and happy RV travels!