Best RV Roof Sealant

When you are spending a considerable amount of time in your RV, one of the biggest considerations to make is ensuring that you are properly maintaining the roof. This is even more important if you are living in your RV, in that case your roof is the only thing separating you from the elements,

The best way to ensure that your roof is being looked after is to ensure that you are keeping on top of the sealant. Of course, you know that your roof is exposed to all of the outdoors with rain, wind, snow, and dirt all being regularly exposed to your roof. This is one of the more vulnerable parts of your RV.

If you are not properly maintaining the roof of your RV it will eventually start to crack, and after this it will start to leak. And when this happens, this can be the beginning of the end and can end up killing your RV as well as your enjoyment living in it.

This is even worse to think about when you consider that once any moisture makes its way inside of your roof and then under the boards, the only proper way to fix this is to get an entire re-haul of the wood inside the roof and then the whole roof itself.

If the leak is even worse than this you will have to start repairing any of the cabinets, or walls inside your RV which have gotten damaged.

Hopefully this has made clear the importance of keeping on top of the integrity of your RV’s roof and what can happen if you do not.

So of course to avoid any of this incredibly awkward damage happening to your RV, the best thing you can do is to make sure that you are maintaining your roof on a regular basis. Part of this will include resealing your roof quite regularly.

While this sounds quite difficult, it is actually not as hard as it sounds and will be easy once you have done it a few times.

So if you want to start learning how to reseal your RV roof yourself, but you do not know which RV roof sealant is the best, keep reading this guide, so you can know which sealant is the best for you to use!

The Best Sealant For Your RV Roof

All of these sealants have their strengths and weaknesses and there will not be one perfect sealant for everyone, especially because different RVs will work better with different sealants. Make sure to carefully consider the choices on this list and choose the one which you think will suit your needs the best!

Dicor Self-Leveling Lap Sealant

RV Sealant Product Description

This is one of the best self leveling sealants which is available, and it is easy to apply and once it is on it will last for a good while. It also works on plenty of different materials. However, do not try using this on and EPDM style roof as it could lead to bubbling or rippling.

What Is Good About This RV Sealant?

• One of the best self leveling options
• Works with a variety of materials
• Easy to apply

What Is Bad About This RV Sealant?

• Not compatible with EPDM roofs

Dicor Non-Sag RV Roof Lap Sealant

RV Sealant Product Description

If you want a non sag option instead of a self leveling option because you are not working with a flat surface, this is a great choice. This will create a great waterproof seal if applied well, but remember that Dicor products are not compatible with EPDM roofs.

What Is Good About This RV Sealant?

• Great non sag option
• Good if you can not use a self leveling option
• Great for waterproofing

What Is Bad About This RV Sealant?

• Not compatible with EPDM roofs

Alpha Systems Self-Leveling Lap Sealant

RV Sealant Product Description

For another great self leveling option, this offering by Alpha Systems is a great option and works just as well as the Dicor option. The best feature about this option is that it also works great with EPDM roofs

What Is Good About This RV Sealant?

• Comes in different colors to match your roof
• Also has non sag version available
• Works with EPDM style roofs

What Is Bad About This RV Sealant?

• More expensive than some other options

Alpha Systems Non-Sag Lap Sealant

RV Sealant Product Description

This is the non sag version of the previous option, so it is less good for flat surfaces, but it is the only version which will work on vertical surfaces. Other than this it is very similar to the self leveling version.

EternaBond RV Roof Seal Sealant Tape & Leak Repair Tape

RV Sealant Product Description

This is a great option as a sealant if you want to work with a tape instead of a liquid sealant. As well as a great sealant option, this is also a good option for making quick repairs for tears. It is a pretty sturdy product as well and will be able to put up with plenty of different type of weather conditions.

What Is Good About This RV Sealant?

• Easy to install
• Great weather resistance
• Great multi-use

What Is Bad About This RV Sealant?

• If you want a smooth surface, liquid sealants are sometimes preferable

Xtozon Rubber Seam Roller Car Sound Deadener Noise Filter

RV Sealant Product Description

If you want to ensure that your EternaBond tape has properly affixed and your repair has been done properly, this is a great tool to help you apply the tape better and get great results.

Butyl Seal Tape

RV Sealant Product Description

If you are working with odd shaped joints then Butyl sealant is one of the best options. This is easy to work with, and the only drawback is that you have to use another sealant to fix it in place, but the results after are amazing.

What Is Good About This RV Sealant?

• Great flexibility for awkward shapes
• Easy to work with

What Is Bad About This RV Sealant?

• Needs another type of sealant to work properly

Geocel Pro Flex RV Sealant

RV Sealant Product Description

This is a great clear sealant which has a great level of adhesion and is easy to work with! If you want a clear option, this is one of the best to work with!

What Is Good About This RV Sealant?

• Good clear option
• Good for withstanding the movement of an RV

What Is Bad About This RV Sealant?

• Not the best for all uses of a sealant

Rust-Oleum LeakSeal Flexible Rubber Coating

RV Sealant Product Description

This is a very easy oil based sealant to work with, and it only needs one coat to work well and dries very quickly. You can easily add a top coat of paint or latex to it to make it look even better.

What Is Good About This RV Sealant?

• Dries very quickly
• Can paint over very easily

What Is Bad About This RV Sealant?

• Not the best option for some types of RV

How Do I Know If My RV Roof Is EPDM Or TPO?

Something which is important to know before you are buying an RV sealant is the material which your roof is made from. This will dictate which types of sealant will be best for your roof. If you want to know this, the easiest way to find out is to contact the manufacturer of your RV, or ask someone whose opinion you trust.

To help find out this material you will want to make it easy for the manufacturer to look up the year in which your RV was produced as well as your VIN. This will make the customer support process significantly easier and more simple.

When you are finding out the type of material your roof is made out of, check what sealants will work and which will not, so you know what to look out for, and what you should be avoiding.

How Do I Add Roof Sealant To My RV?

Something important to know about sealant is how to actually use it. So if you know that you will have to add some sealant onto your RV roof, what is the best way for you to be able to do this.

The first thing you should ensure you have done is to wash your RV and make sure your surface is clean. If the old sealant is easy to remove, try and take it off carefully, but if this is not a viable option you have the option of putting your new sealant right over it.

After this the specific method which you choose to use will depend on the type and brand of sealant you are working with. Make sure to closely refer to the included instructions and if they are not clear to contact customer service or look up video guides for this specific brand.

Buyer’s Guide

When buying a product you are likely not well versed with, like RV sealant, there will always be factors which you have not considered which will make your choice in choosing the product a lot easier.

This section includes all the details about RV roof sealant which you may have not considered before to make an informed decision on which RV roof sealant will be best for you.

Different Types Of RV Roof Sealant

One thing you may not know about RV roof sealant is that there are many different types of roof sealant which can be used and each of them have their own unique qualities and features which will make them better for different people. We will go over them now, so you can make an informed choice on which is best for you!

Self Leveling Sealant

As the name of this sealant suggests, it is designed to level itself out so when it has set it will have a nice and even and smooth seal which you do not have to worry about. This is probably the most common type of sealant you will find.

Non Sag Sealant

As the name shows, this sealant is made thicker than the previous, so it will not drip or sag. This specific sealant is most commonly used on the sides or edges of the roof where self leveling sealant will not work properly.

Seal Tape

For a more heavy-duty option you can use a seal tape which unlike the other options, is a tape instead of a liquid. If you want an option which will be great for longer seams like those on slideouts, or the cap area, these are all great ways to use seal tape.

Butyl Tape

Seal tape can be used on its own, but if you want something which can be paired with other types of sealant, you can use butyl tape. The best thing about this type of tape is that it is quite pliable.

This means it is a good choice if you are installing something like a roof vent, skylight, or window. Then you can use some other sealant on top of it.

Total RV Roof Sealant

If your entire RV roof needs to be resealed, using an entire RV roof sealant service by a dedicated professional company is a great option.

What Will Need To Be Resealed On An RV Roof?

So one thing you may be wondering about RV sealant is what it should be used on. Of course, it is being use on the roof, but what specifically on the roof can be sealed, and should the sealant be used anywhere else?

When you look at the roof of your RV you can recognize there are different appliances up there like a TV satellite, different antennas, your AC units, as well as air vents. If you look closer at these features and other parts like this, you will see that these will all of sealant around them (or at least they should).

This is where you will want to add sealant as moisture can easily make its way into the RV at these weak points, and the sealant which is there could easily come off if it was added badly or if it has been worn down over time.

How Often Should You Be Resealing The Roof Of Your RV?

So another question which has probably come up, and you may not know the answer to, is how often you should actually be resealing the roof of your RV, and if there are any particular signs you should look out for that your RV roof needs resealing.

Knowing when you need to reseal the roof of your RV is the difference between just adding sealant, and having to replace and repair the whole roof from water damage.

The best sign that your RV will need its roof to be resealed is when the sealant which is on the roof will start to dry too much and cracks are beginning to show on it. This is when you should get your roof resealed. You do not have to do this very often, but make sure not to forget about it.

You should check the seals quarterly and make sure to be thorough that you are not missing any. Also, if you have just been driving through rough conditions, when you come out the other side, it is worth checking the seals right away, so any potential damage can be fixed as soon as possible.

This will avoid you having to pay expensive maintenance fees.

Also, depending on the type of RV which you are driving, you may actually have some sealant used on the edge of your roof because the roof is made from material which is different from the rest of the roof.

If you want to make sure this type of roof is completely protected, you should add sealant on these seams and these will of course, eventually need to be resealed.

If you have an older RV, you may need to get your whole roof resealed at the same time, and while this sounds like a difficult task, it is not as hard as it sounds.

Conclusion

Hopefully this guide has made clear just how important it is to stay on top of your RV roof sealant as it can make the difference between paying for expensive repairs, or just having to pay much less for some new sealant. This process is not too hard, so make sure to do it properly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Do RV Manufacturers Use For Sealant?

Different manufacturers will use different sealants depending on the material the roof and its features are made from. If you want to know what exactly was used, so you can match it, try contacting the manufacturer.

Can I Use Silicone On My RV Roof?

While there are some good silicone based RV sealants, you may want to avoid these as they can be difficult to work with.