Photos of Roof Repair & Replacement

[Oz]

Fiberglass isn't the only thing which works and, it'll leak in days or weeks too, IF you don't prep correctly. Also, where did the leaks occur in all those videos you mentioned?  Right through the TPO or EDPM or other sealing method? I'm 99.9% certain the answer is no.  It's through roof fixtures and seams along the perimeter which weren't properly prepped or sealed so, no matter which material you use, including fiberglass, you can have good, durable roof protection or you can have leaks.

[Mlw]

Well,
To be honest I will admit that you have far better working products than we have in Europe because of environmental lunacy that even California looks like a mild state on environmental rules but I still don't quite understand why you think TPO is a good replacement for Epoxy/fiberglass.

I'm working on my RV for 1½ year now and seen dozens of video's of resealing the roof. Some with success (or so they say) others with leaks just weeks after. All did the same. Get compound, roll it on the roof and for all the video's I really see it as just a roll of the dice, with one it worked fine, with the other it started leaking again within the week. I saw TPO too but it just can't convince me. One sharp branch hitting the TPO the wrong way and it's gone.

The question why nobody uses fiberglass  is simple. It is really expensive. I spend €750,= buying epoxy and fiberglass and double coated lacquer and that was with a 15% discount. Normally it would have costed me €862,50.

Now the reason I'm going for fiberglass/Epoxy because I know it's strong.

You see, I worked for a yachtbroker in the sailing industry, so I worked a lot with fiberglass/Epoxy but next to this I also worked at a partycafé as a deejay for 5 years and this café was open not for party's but PARTYS!!! about 150 days a year. There is one old video out there of the night before queensday (similar to independence day) that gives a very humble Idea of what we did.

Friday and Saturday the place was packed with partypeople.  We are talking around a thousand people per weekend partying like there was no tomorrow, So at the end of the night we didn't use brooms to sweep the floor but shovels to collect all the glass and the debris left. After that we sprayed the complete floor with a hose, soap and chloride to scrub it and wipe it with floor wipers.
Now the reason I'm telling this: the floor was just pinewood with a 1.2 inch layer of epoxy over it, and it always amazed me the floor held up so well and in the 4th year it was finally time to renew the epoxy only because it started to show leaks.. So get the bad parts out putting new wood in and reseal the complete floor.

Now if it can take this kind of abuse, it will close off your roof and not for just a few weeks and isn't that exactly what we want after all?

[Eyez Open]

This may sound off but I must ask.

Your doing a entire new roof?

If so dimensions.

If your patching a old fiberglass roof back together epoxy resin would be the first choice. It does not take a back seat to any glue.

[revmadre2]

Sounds like I need to just stick with the TPO, and ditch the fiberglass.

Thank you for your good words here. I'm grateful.

[Oz]

As for what sticks to what, I don't know for certain but, I worked with fiberglass and as far as I know, just about adhesive will stick to it. What will stick to your proposed cover material is really the question.

You can never protect your roof too much but, you can have too much protection on your roof.

The snow foam sealant is a good idea but, how long does it last?
Will you have to scrape it or whatever to get it off? Will that damage your primary roof protection?

The sealant tape. I used eternabond double sided. Works great. There are others highly recommended but I can't personally vouch for them.
Width. Wide enough to completely cover edge to edge of the inside of the molding.

The corner pieces. You'll need to make them. Adding all the additional thickness to the roof layers will push the molding upward and outward (from lapping the EDPM over the edges) creating a gap between the original lengths.
Important note. Adding more height to the roof layers will also reduce the amount of framing wood area available to sink your molding screws into. Too high and they'll split the wood.

Rain gutters. Not necessary but very nice to have.

Also, don't use stainless steel screws. Stainless and aluminum in contact create an undesirable chemical reaction. Use anodized screws.

Realize too, you'll be adding a lot of top weight compared to the original, thermacore roof.

Still, using arched rafters and improved roofing layer will bring you years of sag free, leak free enjoyment!

[revmadre2]

Working on resurrecting a 1974 Winne Brave 19'...

I think I read somewhere in this thread that you could do a combination of roofing treatments. EDPM + aluminum, EDPM + rubberized paint, etc. I have some questions about that in addition to some questions relating to roof/side seams.

After some research on these products, I'm going with TPO. I learned that it's not too smart to put fiberglass over EDPM/TPO, but I really like the idea of doing two treatments, for good measure if nothing else.

I'll be following the rounded truss suggestions here and laying down 1/2" CDX ply over the trusses. Then laying down 10oz fiberglass cloth + epoxy resin. Then putting on TPO with acrylic water based adhesive.

HEre are my questions:
1. Is this overkill? Will just the TPO suffice?
2. Will the acrylic water based adhesive stick to the fiberglass/epoxy resin?
3. Would I be wasting time and money to top all this off with a coat of the snow roof? (I really like the reflecting 90% of sun's rays idea.)

Now, about where the roof attaches to the sides when using EDPM or TPO. I assume this is kind of like putting a swatch of decorative cloth under the screw top of a jar of canned jelly to give away at Christmas. You want the TPO to hang down far enough over the seams and then tack on a flat trim strip (screw strip) with insert trim. To clean it up, you would trim off the excess TPO that is hanging below the trim strip.

Here are my questions about this:
1. Y'all mention "taping up the seams." What kind of tape are you all talking about? Flex tape? some kind of gasketing tape? I need brands/labels/widths/materials--all this in the spirit of proper leak prevention, of course.
2. How do you deal with the back corners? Find a corner screw strip? Or bend one myself?
3. Finally, if I do what I have described in the Christmas jelly analogy, do I need to install a "gutter" of some kind? If so, could you point me in the direction of the general idea? In my research I see there is a combo gutter/trim screw strip. Is that what I need to get?

There is a lot here, I realize. Thank you in advance for your efforts.

[revmadre2]

2x4s were used for the trusses.    They are cut to look like an arch.   I just used a saber saw.     The ends are 3/4 inch, the centers are the full height of the 2x4.     To make a tapered/dome affect to the roof, the last truss from the ends are only 2 inches high.    For the top, I used 1/4 plywood, it formed nice and is light.    Then I glued rubber EDPM on top.     I used carpet glue, because I'm cheap, I also glued Styrofoam to the backside for insulation. 












(Later I replaced the black EDPM with WHITE, the black got rather hot in the sun and was hard to keep the RV cool inside. )

I'm realizing there are 3 roofing remodel stories here: HandierMan1, brians1969 and ibdilbert01, but only HandierMan1's photos are available. How can I get access to photos from the roofing projects of brians1969 and ibdilbert01?

[revmadre2]

Am I to understand that you put plywood over this rib structure, and painted with Kool Seal primer followed by Kool Seal elastomeric?

Just trying to understand the process... as my 75 Indian is currently a convertible... this might steer me a different way.

I'd never considered losing the metal altogether.

Impressive collection of photos.

Thanks,
Bill

Where are these photos?

Actually, nevermind. I found them. Thought this was from brians1969, not HandierMan1. I just can't figure out how to delete this post or I would.

[Oz]

Hello and welcome!  Most of these flat roof RVs have roof issues when people buy them. However, a better description exactly what a little roof help is would be helpful.  Problems range from leaks around the air conditioner  and vents, roof seams and just resealing to major roof repair. All are already well covered here in previous topics.

But no, a roofing company is not a business which does RV roofs.
Most people do it themselves, mostly due to the cost of having someone else do it.

An RV shop would be the place if you can't do it yourself.

[Ellie]

Help, I have one of these that needs a little roof help and I have no idea who to contact? A roofing company ya think??

[Oz]

Cool. I replaced the link in the original post.
Thanks!

[qtzar]

Found the pics on the wayback machine 

https://web.archive.org/web/20160318170422/http://picasaweb.google.com/109641835469071142409/1973WinnebagoIndianRoofReplacement

[khantroll]

Sounds good! I'm planning to clean up that area in the next month. I'll try to remember to post after shots.

[TerryH]

To me, the easiest and least costly would be to get a couple of pieces of 1/8" alum flat bar wider and higher than the existing mounts, enough to cover the old holes. Drill the new pieces with pass holes to match the four screws in each bracket. Fill the old holes and then use the flat bar between the coach and bracket and fasten all using your fastening location as per photo. If you want it to look like it belongs use one piece to span both sides. Any sheet metal shop would have all kinds of cut offs and can shear to what you want.

[khantroll]

Hi Terry,

Here is a picture of my ladder.
http://imgur.com/a/PGy3I

[TerryH]

My opinion:
Generally brackets and stand offs are fastened with thru bolts. This allows for adjustment as required for height, plane and fastening variances. Welding would render any adjustment moot. I have never seen any joint, bracket or stand off on a rear ladder or roof rack with a weld. Most parts are removable and replaceable. Would be difficult if they/it were welded.

[demon]

if im thinking right you could just cut and re weld on the top 2 brackets on the ladder to fit the roof properly. wouldnt be hard at all

[khantroll]

Hi Terry! I'll get  pictures, but it may be this weekend. It's only off by an inch or so; basically, the bottom holes of my mount are at the top mounting holes. I was thinking if I could find a marine ladder r some other form of adjustable/sectioned ladder I could line the mounting holes up, and then drill and secure the attachments

[TerryH]

Assuming you mean the original rear ladder, a new one would be pricey, and possibly require new mount locations for the stand - offs, new holes in the outside skin. If you've done this much work maybe consider relocating the bottom ladder brackets. Or, extending the lower end of the ladder with alum. flat bar or angle. Assume you only need a few inches of extension. Pics would help.

[khantroll]

My best friend and I had quite the argument, because he wanted to do something similar to what Brian did, whereas I wanted it to look as close to stock as possible. The final result is somewhere in between. My original trim fits, but I need a longer ladder due to the arch of the roof.

[Oz]

It can be done that way.  The connecting edge trim doesn't have to be OEM.  You can get formed aluminum any size needed to do the job.  Thinking outside the box is the salvation of vintage Rvers.

[demon]

Ok I see what you did! Thanks! Yea that's not the way its supose to be. The trusses cannot be higher than the alum side. Yours is just done a bit different. I wish I could do it like yours! Well at least it makes sense to me now. Thanks!

[brians1969]

Maybe this photo would help.

The plywood you see is the ceiling. If you look by the handle of the caulking gun, you can just make out a little bit of the pressure treated sill plate peeking thru. I found that nothing was perfectly square or even. The construction of yours may be a little different. When I started working on the roof, I realized someone had put a second roof on top of the old one! As you can see in the photo, someone had added on a couple feet to the rear of the coach. So, there is a lot of  spooky things going on with this Winnie. I've been working for 12 years on this motorhome, trying to undo a lot of previous owner's hacks. Yours may be more like the handier man's. Look at his photos too.

[demon]

The roof was stapled thru the alum side walls up underneath the drip rails. Im confused as what you did. There is 1 1/8" above the Styrofoam in the wall to the top of the aluminum in the wall. In would assume you screwed,the trusses to the alum side wall and then just put braces in between?

[brians1969]

After looking at my photos, I realized I was wrong in what I said in a previous post.. The "sill plate" (2x2 pressure treated) ended up being flush (aprox.) with the top of the wall. I then layed the ceiling (5 mm ply from Lowe's) on top that. Then the 2x4 joists went across screwed/glued into the sill plate at each end, and staples/glue from the ceiling into the joist. As you noticed, I put filler pieces (actually 1 1/2x 1 1/4) in between each  joist.  Fiberglass cloth came down over that and met the aluminum siding. The joint between the two was covered with the gutter extrusion.

I don't know what to suggest if you don't have any wood to screw into.  How is the roof currently held on?