Rhino liner roof coating for Beaver coach

[Richard Cooper]

I am now wanting to put a Rhino liner roof coating on my 2001 Marquis 40 ft coach and seems that it's too late to go to Bend, OR for it as the weather there is really really cold at night.  In about a week to 10 days I want to be headed from where I am (Newport, OR) to the Sacramento, CA area.  However, I will travel along I-5 from Oregon to Calif and could easily drop in on Junction City if there was a reliable qualified installer there.

I've searched for threads in the BAC forum for Rhino roofs, but seems most everyone gets theirs done at Bend.

Where else are there installers that my route will take me to easily?

[Joel Ashley]

I wouldn't shy away from Bend.  Had the coach there multiple times in October and even late November.  The cold is mostly middle of the night and not as noticeable as it may sound.  Keep your systems on and simple precautions and there'll be no freeze problems;  the overnight cold doesn't last long enough to go deep.  

You will want to time a visit though when no significant snows are forecast in the Cascades during your crossing.  Oregon weather should improve over the next week.

Joel

[Keith Oliver]

Richard

You have a fibreglass roof?  Why would you want to add a Rhino covering?  What defect are you trying to correct?  I browsed the Rhino site to see what it does, and other than adding a bit of traction, I don't see a benefit on your roof.  For the number of times you might be walking on your roof, I can't see spending $ to add a bit of traction, just obey the "no running" rule.

[Joel Weiss]

I'm quite pleased with the Dicor fiberglass roof coating I had applied last winter.  It has completely stopped the white streaks associated with chalking.

[Jim Skatzka]

Richard, about a yr ago I decided to paint our roof with rustoleum top coat. top coat is a product designed for fiberglass boat decks.  it does have some flex properties which allow walking on your roof without cracking the product. they also offer a non skid additive. here's my take on non skid.  after using the additive I've found that the more non skid properties your roof has the more dirt will collect, I found that if I was going to do it again I would use the same product, it's easy to use and seems to be holding up great but I would probably use much less anti skid or none at all. I would not need to clean the dirt off nearly as often.  oh!  the price.  while in ft myers last yr we had a fellow come out to our site and apply the paint. total cost $620.00

jim

[Gerald Farris]

Richard never said why he was going to apply the Rhino Liner. There are two very different reasons to apply a coating to your roof. The first and most common reason is to protect the gel coat and prevent the white streaks down the side of your coach. For this purpose the marine deck paints (several brands are available) are probably the best and most cost effective product to use.

The second reason to apply a coating to your roof is to prevent leaks in the roof from cracks or pin holes in the fiberglass. If this is your reason for applying a coating, the Rhino Liner is a much better product. The Rhino Liner will also protect the gel coat and prevent the white streaks, but it is more expensive.

Gerald  

[Roy C Tyler]

Here is another solution for the RV roof.     http://hytechsales.com/prod2150.html

[Orman Claxton]

Richard
In the Mesa, AZ. there is a company that does a heck of a job installing the Rhino coating.
avrrepair.com. 480-962-1661, John or Susie, I prefer Susie, (she is much cuter)

[Richard Cooper]

I'm subject to doing things like this upon suggestion from others who have done it.  Roy Warren has a newer coach than I and he had a Rhino roof installed  --- very happy with it.  Also, several others did it that I talked with at the BAC Future Rally.  Ron Gettig comes to mind.  I just presumed that it could solve some of my issues.  One -- it's been raining cats and dogs here and I have a new leak not previously noticed.  Also, the chalking down the sides of coach has been ongoing.  I cannot get up on my roof myself as I suffer with equlibrium problems and there's no ladder on the rear anyway.  I have no business being up high on a roof as I could fall.  Hiring someone to tend to my roof is the only solution.  I think it would cost me as much for a Dicor coating given the prep, materials, labor.  

Today I had someone go up on my roof and seal all the joints.  That should do me as for leaks I think.  The chalking will continue until I do something else.  It can now wait though.

Half the time I have things done because of recommendations from competent respected Beaver members expressing solutions they've done on their rigs.

I can't go to AZ or anywhere else but either Oregon or northern Calif. .....because I don't want to. :-)

[Doug Allman]

For the white streaking only, we apply Mop & Glo.

Works excellent, used on our 1991 Contessa and now on our 2004 Marquis. Does not make the roof any more slippery than what it was when wet before applying. Do not let it go over the sides when applying as it is noticable until you clean it off. Use a regular new floor applicator.

[Richard Cooper]

How long does the mop and glo last before the next application?

[Mary Collins]

While prevention of chalking is a nice side affect our problem was water leaks. We had pinhole leaks and gaps that went right through the fiberglass (a knife point could go through). After several attempts to fill the holes and continual leaks we went to Bend RV Repair and had them put Rhino Lining on our roof. We have been very happy with the results.

Mary

[Carol Moffett]

What did that run you, Mary, if you don't mind me asking?

Carol

[Peter and Connie Bradish]

We have a 1993 Beaver. I have used Mop & Glo for many many years on the roof. I usually applied it to the roof once a year. It was to help the white streaking as well as protecting the fiberglass somewhat from UV light. Age however was getting to me and the coach. We have not had any roof leaks because I checked all seams and attachment places each year. Also put on sealant as necessary.

 We talked to the Warrens and they suggested a Rhino coating to be installed by Jeff at Bend RV Repair. We did that this summer along with some other unscheduled repairs. Jeff told me our roof was in fairly good condition as he did not have to sand very far down into the fiberglass to get rid of cracks. He said some roofs are terribly cracked and need lots of prep before the Rhino coating can be put on. We had to be out of the coach one day as there are nasty fumes from the application process. We stayed in a nearby hotel which allowed us to take our cat with us into the hotel room.

So far so good. I can give you a better report in a year or so as to the durability of the roof coating. We also had the lower part of the front nose cap Rhino coated. Jeff matched the dark blue of that strip very nicely with dark blue Rhino. Again very pleased so far.

Cost for roof was 8 hrs labor to prep roof $760, 2 hours labor to apply Rhino $190, Rhino coating material $450, roof sealant $56 and masking supplies $65. Total was $1521.00. We are 36 ft 10 inches long so a longer coach or a roof in worse condition may have more prep labor time.

Cost for nose was $570 labor and $65 materials for a total of $635.00. Remember we only did the lower part of the nose and did not extend the coating up to the bottom of the windshield.

We were very pleased and impressed with Jeff and his staff at Bend RV Repair and can recommend them for work you might need on your RV.

Connie Bradish

PS. Jeff will have to take off your AC's and also refrig cover and any extra fan covers off of the roof in order to apply the Rhino. So if you need new AC's or work done on them, it would be a good time to do it since the AC's will be down on the floor of the bay. Our AC's were quite old and we had Jeff put two new AC's on. No extra labor charge as he had to take the AC's off anyway to put the Rhino on the roof.

[Joel Ashley]

I feel I should add a bit to this.  I don't have experience with Rhino on an RV, but I did have Rhino Liner applied to our pickup bed when it was new.  The precise function and intent of the products may be different, as may be the chemical composition, I don't know.

What I can witness to is the drastic color fading or chalking.  This occured uniformly, including places where there was never any wear from use.  Plus, the truck has spent 98% of its life in a garage, unexposed to much UV light.  Such discoloration may not be a big deal on a roof, as long as the eventual chalking doesn't cause runs down the sides.  I'm not sure what may ultimately happen color-wise on the front cap application to Peter and Connie's coach.

That said, the chemical composition of Rhino applied on the cap and roof may be entirely different than that for a pickup bed, its original design intent years ago.  Jeff may have applied a UV controlling clearcoat or something as well.  I'm just saying the color on the lower cap may not be permanently stable.   Any commentary disspelling that possibility will be welcome.

Joel