Roof sealing

S

stan heinsma

New member
Jul 15, 2004
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Hey troops! It's a good day here and hope y'all are having one too. Can anyone that has sealed the gutter stips on the roof tell me what has worked best for them and how much or how little was applied.Found three good sized leaks. Thanks in advance for any and all replies.Stan
--
Stan---VE1BES-pilot--( '75 Glenbrook )
Brenda-VE1IKK-other seat
Parking spot...Pictou,Nova Scotia
 
Stan, just finished my Birchaven, used a Polyurethane sealant. Placed painters tape on each side of the seam and smoothe the sealant with a putty knife,am real happy with the finish, sure better than the glob of silicone the po used. Good Luck
Bill Backouris
77 Birchaven 455
Garden Grove Ca
 
Stan;
The first trick is to get the gutter extrusion off the coach. Mine was
held on with what looks like plastic glue from a glue gun. It took a
lot of heat from a heat gun to get it off without bending it. I then
used the heat gun to clean the inner extrusion and the outer one.
I found several rivets had let go at the front and back top corners and
two had never been installed properly to begin with. Several of the
screws holding the outer gutter to the roof were broken and sitting
loose in the hole. I used Urethane sealer and have no more leaks.
I took off an end cap first and worked from front to rear with the heat
gun. I taped the roof off with masking tape to minimize the width of
the sealer line and make cleanup easy.
Gordon

>
>
> Hey troops! It's a good day here and hope y'all are having one too.
> Can anyone that has sealed the gutter stips on the roof tell me what
> has worked best for them and how much or how little was applied.Found
> three good sized leaks. Thanks in advance for any and all
> replies.Stan
 
> Hey troops! It's a good day here and hope y'all are having one too. Can anyone that has sealed the gutter stips on the roof tell me what has worked best for them and how much or how little was applied.Found three good sized leaks. Thanks in advance for any and all replies.Stan



Sir: "dicor" white 502-lsw self leveling sealant. Got it at local camper store. $7.79 for a calking gun tube.

--
C. Boyd
76 Crestmont by Midas
East Tennessee
 
R. Denney gave me a good tip a couple of years ago. After you lift the strip
only seal the top and ends. That way no water is trapped and can leak
through the seam. Naturally you have to dig out the 3/4" gap between the
panels and fill it. But when you put the strip back on don;t seal the
bottom. I used butyl for the gap but got some C-9 Self Leveling from Camping
World and layed it on the top. Seams like it is OK. Get it!! Seams.

Thanks,

Gary and Joanne Worobec
Anza, CA
1973 23' Glacier

----- Original Message -----
From: "Charles Boyd"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:27 PM
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Roof sealing

>
>

>> Hey troops! It's a good day here and hope y'all are having one too. Can
>> anyone that has sealed the gutter stips on the roof tell me what has
>> worked best for them and how much or how little was applied.Found three
>> good sized leaks. Thanks in advance for any and all replies.Stan
>
>
>
> Sir: "dicor" white 502-lsw self leveling sealant. Got it at local camper
> store. $7.79 for a calking gun tube.
>
> --
> C. Boyd
> 76 Crestmont by Midas
> East Tennessee
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Gmclist
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
 
Gordon-

For those of us that are not familiar with urethane sealers, could you
provide a brand name and possible sources. Is this an item that can be
purchased at a builders supply or auto supply store?

I am determined to win out over any leaks.

Thanks-

Jim
Wintergreen, VA
"Cocoon"
75 GMC GB Stretched Custom

******************************************

l

-----Original Message-----
From: gmclist-bounces
[mailto:gmclist-bounces] On Behalf Of Gordon & the "Tin
Gerbil"
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:40 PM
To: gmclist
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Roof sealing

Stan;
The first trick is to get the gutter extrusion off the coach. Mine was
held on with what looks like plastic glue from a glue gun. It took a
lot of heat from a heat gun to get it off without bending it. I then
used the heat gun to clean the inner extrusion and the outer one.
I found several rivets had let go at the front and back top corners and
two had never been installed properly to begin with. Several of the
screws holding the outer gutter to the roof were broken and sitting
loose in the hole. I used Urethane sealer and have no more leaks.
I took off an end cap first and worked from front to rear with the heat
gun. I taped the roof off with masking tape to minimize the width of
the sealer line and make cleanup easy.
Gordon

>
>
> Hey troops! It's a good day here and hope y'all are having one too.
> Can anyone that has sealed the gutter stips on the roof tell me what
> has worked best for them and how much or how little was applied.Found
> three good sized leaks. Thanks in advance for any and all
> replies.Stan

_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Gmclist
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
 
used a Polyurethane sealant. Placed painters tape on each side of the seam and smoothe the sealant with a putty knife,am real happy with the finish, sure better than the glob of silicone the po used.

I'm ditto on the above.

OEM uses automotive sealant methods but its a lot of work and no guarantee you are sealed.

My SOB coach used sealant along the edges, for everything, looked good and did not leak. If it does leak, you more or less can find it without tearing the coach apart.

I taped both sides of the seam about 1/8 inch each side of the seam, used a UV sealant and a finger (protected with a latex glove) to run along the seam to make it more or less "invisible".

Sealed tops, sides and end seams and so far no leaks. My Clearance lights were sealed to the coach the same way.

I had been down the OEM seal and the leakage ( in the SOB) that followed. After I sealed that coach I never had a leak again.

I did all the seams last Summer and the GMC seems leak free at this time.

You can try to seal the OEM method but its a lot more work and I think the way I did it looks better.

Good luck

Gatsbys' CRUISER :d
--
LarC - N/E Illinois
74 GLACIER X, "Gatsbys' CRUISER"
260/455/APC/4 bagg'r(ver3)
Remflex Manifold gaskets
_______________________________________________
Purchased 08-18-04

_

- - More to Come - -

 
Bill,

I hope you don't have much of a build up of polyurethane. I fell in
love with PL Polyurethane several years ago, finding it an excellent
flexible sealant and adhesive. Before preparing my 23' for painting by
Topeka Graphics, I called PL and asked whether the sealant could
withstand the high volatility automotive paints. Their answer was
"Sure, just be sure you give it 7 days to cure before painting."

So, I sealed all the joints, except along the beltline rail, including
the rear "hatch", with that product, which I bought at Home Depot or Lowes.

The paint job was, and is, beautiful, with hardly a flaw. For about 3
years. Then, along every seam I'd sealed with PL, the paint began to
flake off. PL told me their product would withstand automotive paints.
What I didn't ask, and they didn't volunteer, is that the paint won't
stick to their product!

Where Topeka caulked is still perfect. All of my seams look terrible.
Those are essentially the only flaws on my 5+ year old paint job.

I did remove, seal with PL, and replace the gutter rail. I left very
little exposed PL and the paint's still good there, but no one will ever
be able to remove that rail intact again because of the adhesive quality
of the PL. Unlike many Jim Bounds has reported, there was no
possibility of leakage beneath my rail -- only at the end caps.

I still use the PL, but not where it will be painted over.

Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
'76 X-Birchaven
'76 X-Palm Beach

>
> Stan, just finished my Birchaven, used a Polyurethane sealant. Placed painters tape on each side of the seam and smoothe the sealant with a putty knife,am real happy with the finish, sure better than the glob of silicone the po used. Good Luck
 
Jim;
I purchased 3M at Home Depot. Home Hardware also has it.
Gordon

> Gordon-
>
> For those of us that are not familiar with urethane sealers, could you
> provide a brand name and possible sources. Is this an item that can be
> purchased at a builders supply or auto supply store?
>
> I am determined to win out over any leaks.
>
> Thanks-
>
> Jim
> Wintergreen, VA
> "Cocoon"
> 75 GMC GB Stretched Custom
>
> ******************************************
>
>
> l
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: gmclist-bounces
> [mailto:gmclist-bounces] On Behalf Of Gordon & the "Tin
> Gerbil"
> Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:40 PM
> To: gmclist
> Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Roof sealing
>
> Stan;
> The first trick is to get the gutter extrusion off the coach. Mine was
> held on with what looks like plastic glue from a glue gun. It took a
> lot of heat from a heat gun to get it off without bending it. I then
> used the heat gun to clean the inner extrusion and the outer one.
> I found several rivets had let go at the front and back top corners and
> two had never been installed properly to begin with. Several of the
> screws holding the outer gutter to the roof were broken and sitting
> loose in the hole. I used Urethane sealer and have no more leaks.
> I took off an end cap first and worked from front to rear with the heat
> gun. I taped the roof off with masking tape to minimize the width of
> the sealer line and make cleanup easy.
> Gordon
>

>>
>> Hey troops! It's a good day here and hope y'all are having one too.
>> Can anyone that has sealed the gutter stips on the roof tell me what
>> has worked best for them and how much or how little was applied.Found
>> three good sized leaks. Thanks in advance for any and all
>> replies.Stan
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Gmclist
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Gmclist
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
 
Thanks Gordon-

Is this like a clear urethane varnish/paint type or is it like seam sealer
that you apply with a putty knife? Are we talking caulking gun or small
paint brush?

Thanks-

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: gmclist-bounces
[mailto:gmclist-bounces] On Behalf Of Gordon & the "Tin
Gerbil"
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 8:31 PM
To: gmclist
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Roof sealing

Jim;
I purchased 3M at Home Depot. Home Hardware also has it.
Gordon

> Gordon-
>
> For those of us that are not familiar with urethane sealers, could you
> provide a brand name and possible sources. Is this an item that can be
> purchased at a builders supply or auto supply store?
>
> I am determined to win out over any leaks.
>
> Thanks-
>
> Jim
> Wintergreen, VA
> "Cocoon"
> 75 GMC GB Stretched Custom
>
> ******************************************
>
>
> l
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: gmclist-bounces
> [mailto:gmclist-bounces] On Behalf Of Gordon & the "Tin
> Gerbil"
> Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 4:40 PM
> To: gmclist
> Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Roof sealing
>
> Stan;
> The first trick is to get the gutter extrusion off the coach. Mine was
> held on with what looks like plastic glue from a glue gun. It took a
> lot of heat from a heat gun to get it off without bending it. I then
> used the heat gun to clean the inner extrusion and the outer one.
> I found several rivets had let go at the front and back top corners and
> two had never been installed properly to begin with. Several of the
> screws holding the outer gutter to the roof were broken and sitting
> loose in the hole. I used Urethane sealer and have no more leaks.
> I took off an end cap first and worked from front to rear with the heat
> gun. I taped the roof off with masking tape to minimize the width of
> the sealer line and make cleanup easy.
> Gordon
>

>>
>> Hey troops! It's a good day here and hope y'all are having one too.
>> Can anyone that has sealed the gutter stips on the roof tell me what
>> has worked best for them and how much or how little was applied.Found
>> three good sized leaks. Thanks in advance for any and all
>> replies.Stan
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Gmclist
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Gmclist
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>

_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Gmclist
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
 
Ken;
A fellow build an aircraft using cherry rivets as specified. To make it
perfect, he spent many hours meticulously injecting a tiny amount of PL
in every rivet with a syringe. Now he has a $20,000 freckled graphic
paint job.
Very sad;
Gordon

> Bill,
>
> I hope you don't have much of a build up of polyurethane. I fell in
> love with PL Polyurethane several years ago, finding it an excellent
> flexible sealant and adhesive. Before preparing my 23' for painting by
> Topeka Graphics, I called PL and asked whether the sealant could
> withstand the high volatility automotive paints. Their answer was
> "Sure, just be sure you give it 7 days to cure before painting."
>
 
Ken, a good primer over the PL is not effective??, well I have not began the painting process. I have not read all the post so I appologize if this has been answered but what type of sealant would be recommended for the roof seams? Thanks for the advice Ken, always appreciated
Bill Backouris
77 Birchaven 455
Garden Grove Ca
 
Bill,

Topeka Graphics primed the entire vehicle, so no, that was not
effective. After I recited to them the answer from PL, they did not put
any of their preferred automotive caulk over the PL. So, we have no
idea whether that would have prevented my problem. However, I tend to
think not. It is my understanding that house paint, especially white,
is designed to continually slough off material from its surface in order
to help it shed dirt and mold. If that house caulk (which is what the
PL Polyurethane I'm referring to is marketed as) has the same
characteristic, then it's likely that no paint, caulk, or other material
can be expected to stick to it.

I guess the bottom line is that you should only expect automotive paint
to stick to sealants which were purpose-designed for use under
automotive paints. I still like PL Polyurethane and continue to use it
on the GMC -- but not where I plan to paint.

Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
'76 X-Birchaven
'76 X-Palm Beach

>
> Ken, a good primer over the PL is not effective??, well I have not began the painting process. I have not read all the post so I appologize if this has been answered but what type of sealant would be recommended for the roof seams? Thanks for the advice Ken, always appreciated
 
Ken;
We always use Acrylic Caulk on a house because the paint sticks to it.
It is no good for anything else because it shrinks, goes hard, and
cracks. Only some house paint is designed as you describe. Good oil
base and elastomeric do not slough off.
Gordon

> Bill,
>
> Topeka Graphics primed the entire vehicle, so no, that was not
> effective. After I recited to them the answer from PL, they did not put
> any of their preferred automotive caulk over the PL. So, we have no
> idea whether that would have prevented my problem. However, I tend to
> think not. It is my understanding that house paint, especially white,
> is designed to continually slough off material from its surface in order
> to help it shed dirt and mold. If that house caulk (which is what the
> PL Polyurethane I'm referring to is marketed as) has the same
> characteristic, then it's likely that no paint, caulk, or other material
> can be expected to stick to it.
>
> I guess the bottom line is that you should only expect automotive paint
> to stick to sealants which were purpose-designed for use under
> automotive paints. I still like PL Polyurethane and continue to use it
> on the GMC -- but not where I plan to paint.
>
> Ken Henderson
> Americus, GA
> www.gmcwipersetc.com
> '76 X-Birchaven
> '76 X-Palm Beach
>
>

>> Ken, a good primer over the PL is not effective??, well I have not began the painting process. I have not read all the post so I appologize if this has been answered but what type of sealant would be recommended for the roof seams? Thanks for the advice Ken, always appreciated
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Gmclist
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
 
Gordon,

Is that why the supposedly reputable paint salesman tried this summer to
get me to replace my oil based exterior house paint with latex,
"...because otherwise you'll continue to have to spray wash off the
mildew every 6 months..."?

Ken H.

> Ken;
> We always use Acrylic Caulk on a house because the paint sticks to it.
> It is no good for anything else because it shrinks, goes hard, and
> cracks. Only some house paint is designed as you describe. Good oil
> base and elastomeric do not slough off.
> Gordon
 
Ken;
We live in the Pacific Northwest Rain Forest. My cedar sided house was
painted some 15 years ago. No mildew yet, but some minor signs of the
caulk shrinking. Our summer house had cheap stain on the cedar siding
and showed lots of mildew until we painted it last spring with $9.00 a
gallon recycled oil base paint. Looks very nice so far. Now I just
have to decide whether to use a brush, roller or vacuum cleaner to paint
my GMC. I filled the rear cap seam with urethane and did a rattle can
touch up before Santa Rosa. I checked it today after reading your post.
Rattle can enamel paint sticks. I painted it the same day I filled it.
Dumb luck;
Gordon

> Gordon,
>
> Is that why the supposedly reputable paint salesman tried this summer to
> get me to replace my oil based exterior house paint with latex,
> "...because otherwise you'll continue to have to spray wash off the
> mildew every 6 months..."?
>
> Ken H.
>
 
I just got done re-attaching my right drip rail this week. I used what Jim Bounds uses, Dow Corning 791 roof sealant. After cleaning rail and surface, chasing the screw hole threads with a tap, I placed the rail in place, made "hinges" with duct tape to swing the whole thing up and away, applied the sealant around edges and ends and on rivets and in screw holes, then swing the rail down and pressed into place and re-inserted screws. My screws came out easily and were in great shape so I just re-used them. After pressing down again, I re-torqued the screws altenatively similar to lug nuts. After a few days I seem to have a nice seal that has congealed. I still need to re-apply the two end caps. Heres a pic of the stuff:


--
Rusty
75 Glenbrook
Philadelphia Pa
 
Gordon,

It took a couple of years for the first cracks to appear over the PL.
The thickness of your spray paint coat may have something to do with
when it cracks too.

Ken H.

> Ken;
>... I filled the rear cap seam with urethane and did a rattle can
> touch up before Santa Rosa. I checked it today after reading your post.
> Rattle can enamel paint sticks. I painted it the same day I filled it.
 
Ken-

So true about the time for cracks to appear. My coach was painted with
Imron (which is an epoxy paint) and the appearance of cracks and chipping
over sealant was delayed until about 2006. In other areas, the paint still
looks pretty good when cleaned up.

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: gmclist-bounces
[mailto:gmclist-bounces] On Behalf Of Ken Henderson
Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2008 8:15 AM
To: gmclist
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Roof sealing

Gordon,

It took a couple of years for the first cracks to appear over the PL.
The thickness of your spray paint coat may have something to do with
when it cracks too.

Ken H.

> Ken;
>... I filled the rear cap seam with urethane and did a rattle can
> touch up before Santa Rosa. I checked it today after reading your post.
> Rattle can enamel paint sticks. I painted it the same day I filled it.
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Gmclist
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
 
Jim White[1

>
> So true about the time for cracks to appear. My coach was painted with
> Imron (which is an epoxy paint) and the appearance of cracks and chipping
> over sealant was delayed until about 2006. In other areas, the paint still
> looks pretty good when cleaned up.
>
> Jim

Jim,

Dupont Imron is a polyurethane. Some call it and acrylic-polyurethane and I have heard it referred to as a linear polyurethane, but it sure looks good where flexing beneath doen't crack it.

Matt
--
Matt & Mary Colie
'73 Glacier 23 Chaumiere (say show-me-air)
SE Michigan
 
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