a friend has just purchased a 2nd hand caravan and has been given some paint/sealant by another friend.
This 'paint' is meant to be a sealant and a type of insulation but I have no idea what it is or the name. I will find out eventually.
Only thing I do know for sure is it cost him a carton for the 4litres old mate had left over
Now, my roof is not leaking but my van is a 94 model pop top and I'm about to slap some solar panels up there.
So I'm figuring it wouldn't hurt, as a precautionary measure to give mine a quick clean up and coat before mounting the panels and associated mounting gear.
My roof is the fiberglass / moulded outer and a tin ( i think ) for the flat section.
It is also slight corrugated.
With all that said, are there any recommended products that would suit this job?
I'm thinking some kind of rubber sealant / membrane that can be applied by a roller or the like ?
Brett, it is a sealer for leaks but will also prevent them. It also insulates. I know only 3 people that have used it with great success. They all have said it does insulate but not as much as they would have liked but are still very happy with it. It's not cheap from memory but due to Uncle Al moving in I can't remeber the cost sorry.
I reckon it will be worth what you are talking about. I haven't done it yet but will one day. I used to have a caravan on site many moons ago and the bloke next door and I were going to do it and go halves in cost but I ended up selling my van due to my late wife being very ill and the van wasn't getting used.
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Live Life On Your Terms
DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
I was involved with a project before I left Telstra. We were having trouble with roadside cabinets blowing up (very expensive) optic cards - in Townsville's heat. The difference inside the cabinets was 7 degrees (not much, I know but enough to save the cards).
By comparison on a typical 30 degree day, you could not touch the outside of a standard cabinet with your hand/arm for more than 2 minutes. The painted ones - for as long as you wanted. And contrary to the painters, the difference between a white cabinet & a light green one was zero.
I had my roof painted at home - the difference being tradesmen making the comment "on how cool the roof was to touch, to walk on". The paint never seems to set - it continues to "flow" - hence its sealing properties. I've also thought of doing my van too. The paint isn't cheap but it's worth it. Our roof was done with Dulux Acra Tex InfaCOOL paint but there are several brands offering the same.
There used to be a company advertising in caravan magazines - perhaps you could check them.
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Warren
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If you don't get it done today, there's always tomorrow!
I used a sealer . Much the same as they use to seal concrete in swimming pools . Then apply water based paint exterior paint as itās more flexible than automotive pains . Our motorhome has rubber type roof . Did the same four years ago . Not that there was any leaks ! Just 8 year maintenance. Looks like new . The sealer runs into any cavities . Assume it would work well on alloy seams as well . The sealer or membrane is not ultraviolet proof . Needs a paint to protect .
Thanks Doug.
I'm not too worried about the insulative properties as much as just giving the roof a good clean and a coating of something to prevent any future leaks. A stitch in time if you will.
Cooler would be nice but not a priority but depending on the cost between just a normal sealant and something like this, that would guide my decision.
Thinking if I do it before I put the panels on, it will save pulling them off to do the job.
hey W&P.
You have moved me towards this stuff but again, I need to check prices. That said, I'd need to be aware of the reflective properties with the panels above it. If it puts all the heat back upwards towards my panels, I may need to consider my options.
I'm assuming this is something others do on a now and then basis or is it more a case of if it aint broke type thing ?
When I got my van it had a leak and signs of others. not just some staining but bloody silicone EVERYWHERE . Old mate before me must have had shares I reckon. Its a pain in the A$$ to get off as well to do the job right.
After seeing so many horror videos on wood rot, I plan to stay ahead of the game.
I do have a aluminum frame though, so that could help a little I guess.
G'day Brett,
From that paint there is no reflection, no heat to affect your panels. As I said, the painted surface is cool. We had a 1.7Kw system on the roof & neither affected the other.
We did have a solar fire but that had nothing to do with the paint - just some VERY SHODDY installers! Does anyone remember a mob called AIRE? They used anyone they could find to do the installations - found out later the crowd they employed used mismatching connectors. Water got in, arcing started & had I had been away, we would have lost the house!
A-K,
Do you recall what the sealer is/was? The insulating paints are water based.
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Warren
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If you don't get it done today, there's always tomorrow!
I used pink engine degreaser . Then used my high pressure water gun with wide jet . Iāve painted our house roof tiles much the same . Used high pressure paint sprayer . 1500 to 2000 psi .. Used a roller on motorhome. Doesnāt look like itās painted ! Looks like new roof. I have recently applied some bees wax to keep water off ..
I have gone thru all of this 6- months ago with my much lover Sunliner ... now 15yrs old and beginning to show the signs of a well travelled beastie [you will know from other posts that it's well on the way to clicking over 450,000km and still going strong]
Firstly - Thermoshield is NOT offered as a waterproofing shield ... it is offered as a temperature-lowering paint to be applied over a sealer/ undercoat as needed
Secondly - in my case I did have some water leakage across the roof - caused by a) age, and b) I believe from 12yrs ago with the fitting of the original solar panels when they were walking across the roof itself ... so I painted 3 coats of a liquid rubber solution before 2-coats of Thermoshield on the top
The gooey-black liquid rubber was both very effective & a b******d to use as it got into everything - clothes, fingers [even with latex gloves on] and after each coat, the 4" fence-paint brush was disposed of - no point trying to wash it clean
Hope this helps Phil
-- Edited by Ozzie_Traveller on Saturday 1st of September 2018 09:20:08 AM
-- Edited by Ozzie_Traveller on Saturday 1st of September 2018 09:21:02 AM
Yep a little maintenance goes a long way . I got quotes to replace the roof with alloy for $5k was told the rubber coating was useless .. Pffft right .. Itās quiet , it insulates , it seals if maintained . An alloy roof would / could STILL have sealing issues . Iāve had a few caravans that have has slight leak. A little mainence here and there . Yet a lot of people would buy another ? Thereās always maintence . I even spray under chassis with kero solution to keep corrosion away . Things get old & deteriorate if you let them . Bit like ourselves ? Lol
