Sealants

[Acaines]

I'm going through my TT fixing little things here and there... I've come across a few items both interior and exterior that need to resealed or were never properly sealed in the first place. When fixing such items on my house, I have come to appreciate DAP Alex Plus all purpose acrylic latex caulk (plus silicone) which is supposed to last 40 years. I've used it on everything from my tub surround to filling holes in my siding or sealing soffits and facia boards. It's the best stuff... durable, flexible, easy application, easy cleanup, quick drying and best of all, only costs less than $2.50 a tube. I've seen the stuff for RV and it averages 3X the price. If it works on the applications I use it for, I don't see why it wouldn't work on my TT but is there something I am unaware of?

[Logan X]

I believe it is best to use RV specific sealants on RV’s due to all of the jostling etc that occurs while you are under way. I think regular caulks won’t hold up to the motion that occurs, especially in a trailer. I don’t have a recommendation for interior, but for exterior I believe Dicor Lap sealant is the best. I use “self leveling “ on the roof and “non sag” for the vertical areas.

One note on the Dicor, you can’t smooth out the bead with your finger after application like you can with regular caulking.

[FlyingAroundRV]

Remind me again, how much you paid for your truck and trailer?


And you want to go cheap on the sealants?


Best to go with what the manufacturers and the knowledgeable heads here, reccommend. The roofing material on your trailer especially will be TPO or (I forget the other one!) and these are sensitive to some solvents and chemicals.

[RagingRobert]

That Dap is good for filling cracks between trim and walls before painting. It's cheap for a reason. It's not mould and mildew resistant so never use in shower. Use only the proper caulking for the job.

[flybouy]

Do you brush your teeth with toilet bowl cleaner? Point is just because a product works well on one surface doesn't make it appropriate for all surfaces. Any sealant with petroleum products (rtv silicone for example) will damage the roof. Saving a few dollars and ruining a multi thousand dollar roof is not cost effective. Try searching the forum on sealants and you will find a lot of information.

[Hankster]

One of the best sealants for the construction industry is Lexel , Dap Alex plus will harden in a few years and crack. For exterior application we usually sell Big Stretch by sashco, or Dyna flex 230.
Alex plus is like the Chevy Vega in the sealant world. It's cheap and it works for a little while but it's definitely not recommended.
Also for your roof sealants use what is recommended, I'm sure you can find the recommended types of sealants at a roofing supply company, there is usually one in larger cities that specializes in rubber, or membrane roofs. You should be able to purchase repair patches and sealants from them without the RV dealers high markup.

[buvens]

One of the best sealants for the construction industry is Lexel , Dap Alex plus will harden in a few years and crack. For exterior application we usually sell Big Stretch by sashco, or Dyna flex 230.
Alex plus is like the Chevy Vega in the sealant world. It's cheap and it works for a little while but it's definitely not recommended.
Also for your roof sealants use what is recommended, I'm sure you can find the recommended types of sealants at a roofing supply company, there is usually one in larger cities that specializes in rubber, or membrane roofs. You should be able to purchase repair patches and sealants from them without the RV dealers high markup.

Quick question?
How do you smooth Lexel?

Thanks...Sonny

[chuckster57]

Dicor comes in self leveling and non self leveling. I have learned the skill of using my finger to smooth Dicor. Apply and let sit for a few minutes. Spray fantastic and then smooth.

[Acaines]

Thank you for the responses... because of some of your answers, I was able to do some better research and indeed, I found that silicon caulk is not a good seal for exterior applications because it does not hold as well and it needs to be cleaned up if successive layers of sealant are needed.

Please remember I am new to this game and I will ask what seem to some to be silly questions but I ask because the information I get enables me to avoid mistakes and/or do better research into the issue I am looking into. As for trying to save money, I am trying to sort out what I genuinely need to spend money on without pouring money down the drain on some gimmick. Thank you.

[FlyingAroundRV]

Thank you for the responses... because of some of your answers, I was able to do some better research and indeed, I found that silicon caulk is not a good seal for exterior applications because it does not hold as well and it needs to be cleaned up if successive layers of sealant are needed.

Please remember I am new to this game and I will ask what seem to some to be silly questions but I ask because the information I get enables me to avoid mistakes and/or do better research into the issue I am looking into. As for trying to save money, I am trying to sort out what I genuinely need to spend money on without pouring money down the drain on some gimmick. Thank you.
Good for you. It might seem like people jumped on you from a great height here, but as often as not there are people who post questions along the lines of "Is my cutting corners OK here?" and usually they're resistant to advice. Particularly egregious are the ones who ask "I have an F150 and a 43' toy hauler 5th wheel, am I OK to tow this?" and then are resistant to the answers they get. So some of the wiser heads here can be a bit jaded if they sense someone heading the wrong direction. Your comment about a particular sealant being cheaper than the correct ones is a red flag and it triggers people (including me and I'm a newbie too). But you're doing the right thing by asking.
There's no such thing as a dumb question.

[Logan X]

Dicor comes in self leveling and non self leveling. I have learned the skill of using my finger to smooth Dicor. Apply and let sit for a few minutes. Spray fantastic and then smooth.

This is good info, please excuse my ignorance, what is fantastic?

[Acaines]

Good for you. It might seem like people jumped on you from a great height here, but as often as not there are people who post questions along the lines of "Is my cutting corners OK here?" and usually they're resistant to advice. Particularly egregious are the ones who ask "I have an F150 and a 43' toy hauler 5th wheel, am I OK to tow this?" and then are resistant to the answers they get. So some of the wiser heads here can be a bit jaded if they sense someone heading the wrong direction. Your comment about a particular sealant being cheaper than the correct ones is a red flag and it triggers people (including me and I'm a newbie too). But you're doing the right thing by asking.
There's no such thing as a dumb question.

Thank you for the affirmation. I think this forum is wonderful. I know I'll get all kinds of answers so that is why I want to get a variety of inputs. Also, as I get to know many of you, I'll know who gives sound advice and who doesn't. I take everything in context and do lots of my own research. While I may be new to the world of owning an RV, that doesn't mean I haven't done my homework. It's just when I finally got the thing, a whole host of questions arose and I'm trying to sort everything out. Sometimes I wonder if I didn't just adopt a child.

[cookinwitdiesel]

You just adopted a house :)

[ctbruce]

Fantastic is liquid cleanser in a spray bottle. 19604

[Acaines]

You just adopted a house :)

Yes. Wouldn't it be nice if they appreciated like a house?

[sourdough]

Yes. Wouldn't it be nice if they appreciated like a house?

You just adopted a house with LOTS of maintenance required!!:)

There are no dumb or stupid questions, especially when first buying an RV (I posed my share in the day)- there is a lot of stuff to know and do so fire away with questions.

As far as the sealant, I go with whatever the manufacturer advises - period. I don't try to find alternatives that are "almost" like it, "almost" do the same thing etc. If there are no stipulations from the manufacturer I usually listen to what is said here if I don't know. There are some pretty finicky pieces on the trailer that want what they're supposed to have.....sort of like my puppy.:D

[FlyingAroundRV]

You adopted a house that every time you tow it somewhere, goes through the equivalent of an earthquake and a hurricane...AND they're built a lot lighter than real houses. So don't be too hard on your new toy when things break or work free. Trailers are higher maintenance than houses, but for the most part easier and more fun to maintain. Also, they come with fabulous views that change regularly!

[notanlines]

I particularly liked the "I have an F150 and a 43' toy hauler 5th wheel, am I OK to tow this?" and then are resistant to the answers they get" correlation.
Sometimes it is hard to get an important point across and still sound tactful.
And I'm with Danny on buying what is recommended. Green Giant Nibblets is simply better canned corn than is Walmart's Great Value.

[Tinner12002]

Also, Keystone has been using a new company since around 2014 for roofing material, called Alpha. The way to tell is that the roof has an orange peel appearance/texture. They have specific sealants they say to use in order to not cause the roofing to raise up as they called it. Their product is 1010 for non sag and 1021 for self leveling roof applications. I found some on Amazon but otherwise, CW sells rebranded tubes of it also. If your not sure what you have you can call Keystone with your vin# and they can tell you, that's how I found out, then I called Alpha to confirm.

[JRTJH]

The "Paul Harvey: And now you know the rest of the story" about Alpha Systems TPO roofing. When it first came out, they recommended using DICOR sealants on their TPO membrane. Then, about a year after being on the scene, they started marketing their brand of sealants. About that time frame, a note in the TPO website stated that "some" DICOR sealants were not compatible with Alpha Systems roofing. DICOR also was producing TPO roofing membrane and stopped recommending their "EPDM type" sealants for their own TPO membrane and produced a separate line of "TPO safe" sealants.

Since then, both Alpha Systems and DICOR produce "TPO safe" sealants and they are interchangeable. DICOR also produces sealants for their EPDM roofing membrane, so you have to look at the tube to see if it's for TPO or EPDM roofs.

It more or less boils down to something similar to the question: Can you start a Ford car with a Delco battery? The answer is : Sure, 12 VDC is 12 VDC and the brand doesn't matter (although Green Giant corn does taste better than Great Value corn)...

TPO is TPO and either brand sealant will work as long as it's TPO sealant and not EPDM sealant. However, it might be said that for the year prior to marketing their own sealant line, AS was perfectly find recommending DICOR products. They only became "not recommended" after the company finalized plans to market their own sealant line.

Disclaimer: The above is the way I observed the recommendations "morph" from DICOR to Alpha Systems.

As a comparison, Lippert used to produce Solara awnings in "complimentary colors" to the Dometic slide topper colors. Once Lippert started producing their own line of slide toppers, they dropped the colors that matched Dometic awnings and now produce slide toppers that match their own awning fabric.... Seems to me, it limits the purchaser's selection by not being "matched to the competition's colors".....

[Acaines]

All input is being taken and has been beneficial. I know some people ask questions with the goal of affirmation, not information. The rub in this thread has centered around money... I mentioned the money bit in my OP because I'm wading through an endless list of things that need to be purchased before we start taking our TT on the road. When I ask questions on the basis of price I prefer answers from those who have no financial stake in my decision. I've seen where if a manufacturer stamps "for RV use" on his product the price doubles at least. As I said earlier, I'm trying to separate the genuine article from the gimmick.

You all have, in this case, shown me that actual lap sealant is the genuine article. I hadn't even heard the term lap sealant until I opened this thread. *edit* I had seen the term lap sealant but it didn't register with me until I opened this thread.

Another example of not skimping is in my search for a weight distribution hitch. I've looked at many online and on the store shelf. Wide range of prices. Of course I can get something with the specs I'm looking for for >$200 online but that requires me to depend on a photo. I found a setup at a local dealer that I could see and handle. He showed me all the parts that was included in the price. I could see by the construction of the bars in particular that this was a beefy hitch. It is $150 more than the online special and $75 more than the boxed up special at another retailer. I'm going with the dealer's hitch hopefully this weekend.

[flybouy]

"The rub in this thread has centered around money... I mentioned the money bit in my OP because I'm wading through an endless list of things that need to be purchased before we start taking our TT on the road. When I ask questions on the basis of price I prefer answers from those who have no financial stake in my decision. "

I think from reading your OP money was emphasized as the major reason for the question. I also think the responses were appropriate and no one here could possibly have a financial stake like they would at a dealership or supply store. You are doing the prudent thing by asking questions and conducting research. Good luck on your new ventures.

[johnlewis]

Thank you for the responses... because of some of your answers, I was able to do some better research and indeed, I found that silicon caulk is not a good seal for exterior applications because it does not hold as well and it needs to be cleaned up if successive layers of sealant are needed.

Please remember I am new to this game and I will ask what seem to some to be silly questions but I ask because the information I get enables me to avoid mistakes and/or do better research into the issue I am looking into. As for trying to save money, I am trying to sort out what I genuinely need to spend money on without pouring money down the drain on some gimmick. Thank you.
There are no dumb questions when asking for help. My experience is that RVer's are more than happy to help. I learned a lot from other experienced RVer's when we started traveling.
I can tell you from experience, household caulks don't work well enough on RV's. The Dicor sealants were specifically designed to handle all the movement that takes place with RV's.

[CanalesPac]

I’ve read this thread and I’m understand that I’d buy TPO membrane-specific Lap sealant for the roof, but I’m now curious what we should be using around the perimeter (exterior) and inside of our rig. The dealer fixed some things in the PDI and used the term “silicone” when referring to the areas (for example) around the entry door and for all the interior fixes around the shower and sinks. Should these be different sealants than silicone? Please give me specific recommendations of what you’d use for a 2018 Montana High Country for these applications.

[TwidgitCPO]

I've seen a lot of talk about the roof areas and the sealants required, but what about the trim down towards ground level? It looks like they used a clear silicone caulk to seal up the trim pieces. So, the question is, what do I use for this type of sealing?

[daveinaz]

This Geocel stuff is the best. It's a little expensive, but it is very nice to work with. I used it for sealing things on the side of the RV.

https://www.amazon.com/Geocel-28101V-GC28101-Flexible-White/dp/B004RCP49O/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=rv+sealant&qid=1553119973&s=gateway&sr=8-11

[JRTJH]

I've seen a lot of talk about the roof areas and the sealants required, but what about the trim down towards ground level? It looks like they used a clear silicone caulk to seal up the trim pieces. So, the question is, what do I use for this type of sealing?

Don't use clear silicone. Once applied and cured, nothing (not even more silicone) will stick to it so you're setting yourself up for LOTS of work cleaning the old stuff off if you ever need to replace it....

Instead of silicone, use a polyurethane sealant like Sika Flex or GeoCel Proflex. Both come in colors and in clear, so you have a choice of what color to use depending on the application. I think you'll find it's not "that much more expensive" ($8-$10 a tube) and it will stick to itself if you ever need to apply a touchup to the existing sealant beads.

[chuckster57]

I would use proflex before I used SikaFlex. We use SikaFlex as an adhesive behind the topper brackets...not easy to remove.