Lap Sealant Cracked and Separated on Roof

[canesfan]

Ok, here's a couple pictures. I'm guessing I need about an inch wide by a foot long for the left hand side and about 2-3 inches wide by a foot long for the right hand side. And like chuckster57 said fill the crack first and then go back over it with back and forth sweeps. That would be my plan unless somebody thinks differently. Wide open to suggestions or more photos.

[chuckster57]

That's not even 1 tube worth, so have fun with it. You'll have a spare tube for another time.

[canesfan]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

That's not even 1 tube worth, so have fun with it. You'll have a spare tube for another time.

Ok thanks! For the major part of the crack on the right should I go over the "bridge" towards the front and out onto the rubber toward the back? And for the minor part where it's just starting to peel from the roof on the left not so much, like up to the "bridge" and onto the rubber?

Much happier having a tube left over than not enough.

[chuckster57]

That's pretty much what I would do. Run the new bead just beyond the old seam and you'll be fine.

[canesfan]

Thank you sir, and everyone, for all your help. I will post some After pictures when I'm done. Hopefully it will look good.

[JRTJH]

OK, My "fears" are "comforted" LOL

From your comment that 2 tubes may not be enough DICOR, I was beginning to imagine a 3 or 4" split with the TPO pulled away from the OSB decking and ??? You know, like the travel trailers you've seen on the interstate where there looks to be a beachball under the roof membrane.... (or some kind of catastrophic gap and problem) Thanks for the pictures, and it doesn't look like you have nearly as much of a "problem" as I'd imagined possible.... Like Chuckster said, barely a tube as I see it.

You "might be tempted" to use a few screws and secure the top down so it doesn't "gap as much".... If you do, make sure you're not screwing into the fiberglass front cap as that's a "recipe for cracks" with the sun "baking" the fiberglass, it expanding from the heat, then contracting as it cools. If it were me, I'd just clean it well, remove any DICOR that isn't adhered to the front cap or TPO and then reapply a fresh coat of sealant. I wouldn't worry (at this time) with even trying to pull the gap closer together. The potential for problems is far greater than the gap.

Good Luck !!!!!

[canesfan]

JRTJH

LOL, I'm glad your fears were comforted. You had me worried for a minute. I guess my biggest concern was since I've never tackled a job like this before I didn't know how far a tube will go. And since I can't caulk to save my life, even though I understand Dicor is not like caulk, I was a little nervous. But after all the great advice I'm ready to go as soon as it gets here. No rain in the forecast today thankfully, just HOT. Checked all the other seams and joints 3 times and everything else looks good, just this one bad spot. I'm not going to mess with it besides pulling off anything that's loose and no screws entered my mind. Just clean it up and reseal it and keep an eye on it. It's all good on the cap side, it's only the roof side on the back side of the ridge between the cap and roof that's cracked and peeling. Since I didn't peel my patch all the way off it might be hard to tell.

[JRTJH]

LOL

The "nice" thing about DICOR Self Leveling Caulk is the "SELF" leveling part. If you can "squeeze the trigger" and "get it on thick enough but not too thick" the "SELF" leveling part will do the rest. Once you do it one time, you'll see how easy it is. In fact, during the application you can see how it starts to "ooze" out, leveling itself as it does. For me (I know, I know) it's pretty neat to just sit and watch it "do its thing".....

I'm guessing you'll be just fine !!!

[canesfan]

I have thought about the "get it on thick enough but not too thick". Is there some sort of rule of thumb to go by or will I just figure it out as I go? Maybe practice on something else first?

LOL, I'm sure I'll enjoy watching it "do its thing" too.

[JRTJH]

Put it on "just a little bit thicker" than what is already there. It "self levels" but doesn't "run out too thin".... Usually I try to stay about 1/4" thick, so I apply it about 5/16" or 3/8" and as it "self levels" it gets to the correct thickness.

Why "practice" on a sheet of OSB when you can "practice" on the actual crack that you're trying to seal? It's not something that has to be "precise"... consider it a "hand grenade or horseshoe" type of approach.... Close is good enough

[chuckster57]

I wish I could get paid under warranty to watch it.

If you put it on and go back 1/2hr later and don't like the looks of it, you can add more.

[canesfan]

LOL at both of you! I'm now waiting for the roof to dry after a good washing. I'm not going to practice. You all talked me out of it. Maybe I'll take a beer up there after and watch it do its thing. So far the hardest part was getting the bucket of soapy water up on the roof.

[JRTJH]

Chuckster, That's why I "retired".... Now I "pay myself" so I can "sit and watch" if I want to.... LOL

canesfan, Yup, you've already got the "hardest part" behind you. Man oh man, packing that bucket of water "breaks a sweat", eh ??? LOL You'll do just fine, pictures when you're done as "inspiration" for other's who are "daunted by the task" ????? Oh, and if you do decide to "take a beer up there and watch it dry".... You might consider a cooler full, remember, DICOR is "slow drying stuff" ROFL

[canesfan]

Well, the deed is done. Went well I think. But unless it has self-leveled anymore overnight I am very unimpressed with the "self-leveling" part of it. I was impressed with how easy it was to work with. It was 90 degrees and it came out of the tube in just the right consistency to be easy to apply but stay where you put it. I really thought it would "flow" a little, but it stayed just like you applied it, bumps, ridges and all. And yes, it is the self leveling kind, at least that's what the tube says, I looked at it a hundred times to make sure I didn't get the wrong stuff. Used about 3/4 of a tube. Pictures to come.

[canesfan]

Here is a before and after as well as a closeup.

First is before of the right section which was the worst. After washing it and looking at it some more I decided to peel off the old sealant in the red rectangle. As you can see from the coloration of the roof where it had been and where it was now. To me that showed it wasn't adhered to the roof very well. It peeled off in one strip no fuss.

Second is after on that same section. I started up at the "bridge" where the crack was, filled that in, and then built it out to about the outline where the old sealant used to be.

Third is a close up of part of that section about 30 minutes later. No self-leveling occurring from what I could see. Maybe I didn't wait long enough? It was too hot and I wanted off the roof by that time so I didn't get a cooler and take it up there to see if it would level anymore. I will go look at it today before the chance of storms gets here to see if anything changed.

The left section I just left everything intact as it looked ok and wasn't wanting to peel off like the right half did and just resealed over the old sealant out onto the roof a little further. Have to find that picture.

[canesfan]

So I just checked on it. It still looks the same, no more "leveling". It still is almost as tacky as when I put it on and it's now been about 23 hours. I barely touched a spot and could spread it around if I wanted to. Is all this normal or what did I do wrong?

[chuckster57]

You did good!! Go inside and have another cold beverage.

[hoffbrew]

The most important thing.... is there anymore beer? Not sure on the "tacky" Looks good.

[canesfan]

Ok thanks Chuckster. I was really expecting a different result.

Hoffbrew, not to worry, there is always more beer.