Rooftop material

sherol roy · 09-09-2021, 06:49 PM

Does anyone know if the rubber roof on a 2012 Keystone Avalanche 290rl is EDPM or TPO? I have to paint over it and need to know to purchase the right product.

**JRTJH** · 09-09-2021, 06:58 PM

2011-2012 was the "transition time frame" that Keystone changed over from EPDM to TPO. So, you may have either one on your trailer...

The way to find out for sure is to go to the bathroom, pull the roof vent flashing and under it you'll see where the roof membrane was cut "X fashion" so the vent would fit. The 4 triangles are stapled to the vent framework. Pull one of the staples, look at the back side of the membrane. If it's black, your trailer has EPDM. If it's the same color on the face and on the back, it's TPO. That said, there was one style of TPO that has a "felt backing". It was used in the early days of the changeover, but I don't know of anything other than Hideout and Springdale/Summerland trailers with the "felt backed TPO"...

No matter what someone with the same year/same model as your trailer may have, when Keystone changed over or even when they ran out of EPDM on the line, they may have built 8 or 10 with TPO, then changed back to use up the rest of the inventory. So, check YOUR trailer roof and know what YOU have, not what's "supposed to be there".....

**sourdough** · 09-09-2021, 07:18 PM

Paint over the roof? I'm just wondering with what and why?

sherol roy · 09-10-2021, 05:31 AM

I was going to use Dicor rubber roof sealant that comes in a gallon can. Used eternabond on all seams and old caulking as it has deteriorated and had large cracks.

**sourdough** · 09-10-2021, 06:49 AM

Is the Dicor sealant you are referring to Roof Gard? If so you need to clean the roof thoroughly first. Just finished doing it; the cleaning is the hard part.

Don't know what all you put the Eternabond over but hopefully it wasn't the transitions with screws under the Dicor. IMO that causes more problems than it solves since it's "Eterna".....as in eternity.

sherol roy · 09-10-2021, 08:42 AM

Yes it is the roof guard. I am glad the eternabond lasts a long time. I am a 76 year old small woman and hopefully this will be the last time I will need to get on the roof, or even be able too. I am not looking forward to the cleaning part and am thinking I may skip the Dicor rubber sealer and hope the eternabond takes care of any potential leaks from the old caulking

wiredgeorge · 09-10-2021, 09:11 AM

You are a pretty tough gal! Be careful up there. First, the old Dicor is mostly self leveling type on the flat of the roof and on the edges will be NON self leveling Dicor. Most folks clean the old/cracked and nasty Dicor with denatured alcohol or a strong detergent (can't recall name) and just re-coat the old stuff if it isn't loose. If you use Etrnabond, you might want to coat the edges with Dicor as well as the ends. The self leveling Dicor will run when it gets hot so this product should not be used on the camper's edges. Don't ask how I know this ;-).

**sourdough** · 09-10-2021, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sherol roy

Yes it is the roof guard. I am glad the eternabond lasts a long time. I am a 76 year old small woman and hopefully this will be the last time I will need to get on the roof, or even be able too. I am not looking forward to the cleaning part and am thinking I may skip the Dicor rubber sealer and hope the eternabond takes care of any potential leaks from the old caulking

I wouldn't skip the roof guard, it's very easy to put on and helps protect the entire roof from sun etc. I have spray bottles for the cleaner and the roof guard and just spray it on the roof. For the roof guard just spray on and spread it with a sponge mop - goes quick and not a lot of effort.

The cleaning....that's another story, but it's not that bad. Take your time and be careful on the roof. I always wear boots every day but for the roof I got a pair of my tennis shoes that had a nice, soft "sticky" sole on them. It says the roof guard can be slippery but mine was not. The soapy solution in the roof cleaner could be but you just keep working it in front of you (I work backwards) and rinsing it off so you're not in it. I work from the nose to the rear ladder.

I will add that you need to wet the sided of the trailer prior to cleaning and then spray them down as you go because all the dirt etc. from the roof will run down the sides. I cleaned the roof and my wife sprayed the sides as I went. I thought it would be OK as it hadn't been long since I waxed it but when I got down and it dried the sides still had some black residue on them so I'll be waxing again today or tomorrow.

Hopefully that gives you a bit of an idea of what's going on with the stuff. It sounds like a lot but it really isn't and goes quick once you get started. Just don't do it mid day when it's 98 degrees.

I didn't realize I had that much water in my body....

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