BAC Forum
General Boards => Technical Support => Topic started by: William Harrison on May 28, 2014, 01:44:21 PM
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I just finished waxing our coach and noticed chalking streaks appeared on the painted surfaces at the roof edge
after a light rain. What is the roof composition and how best to clean and seal it?
Chuck Harrison
Akron, Ohio
2003 Beaver Marquis
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Chuck,
It is best to paint it to seal it. If you search on my name and roof there is information on an inexpensive option and how to do it. You could hire it out if you did not want to do it yourself. Others have used a more expensive coating system also. Short of that it is hard to get any lasting resolution for this problem. The gel coat is degrading and sluffing off in particles due to sun damage.
Later Ed
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I wax my rig twice each year including the roof we have an 06 and so far I have not seen any streaks I am luck that we do keep the rig indoors when not in use.
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I painted mine per Ed Buker's instructions. Easy job and the results look great!
Steve
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Ed or Steve,
Either of you are welcome to paint mine! I will be happy to report the results to this group! 8)
Stan
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Stan,
We have to share these experiences, you do not want us to have all the fun. Just think of the view you will have as you wander around the rooftop rollering your time away......you really would not want to miss out on that party :-)
Later Ed
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Stan,
Following up on Ed's comments, the scrubbing and sanding will give you time to connect with your inner self (as there's not much else to think about...) :)
Next time we travel between Madison and Naperville, I'll stop by and supervise. ;D
Steve
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My confidence level is really high now. Maybe next year! 8)
Steve, just about half way...stop any time if you have a brush.. :)
Stan
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William
while it is my intent to follow suit with the roof painting I havent had time yet. What we do is keep it very clean in the mean time. I wash the roof several times each year and when those black spots start showing up I use 50% mix of simple green and a spray bottle, and a good brush. The simple green is good on the mildue and realy helps cut the chaulking. After the simple green I use a good wash / wax to give a bit of protection and its good for a couple months.
Best of luck
Keith
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I wax mine. The wax is in a spray can and made by Protect All. The can says it has UV block in it. With the convenience of the spray can, I can do it in 20 or 30 minutes. It helps to wear knee pads.
If I do it about every 6 months, the white, chalky streaks are minimal. The spray has enough solvent in it that the black spots come off too.
http://www.amazon.com/Protect-All-13-5-Aerosol-62015/dp/B005UGEQ68/ref=sr_1_4?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1401384263&sr=1-4&keywords=protect+all
Camping World stocks it for less money.
Not believing a spray wax could be any good, I tried it on half of my Honda S2000's really shiny hood. I put some hard to apply stuff on the other side. I think it was Meguires.
The S2000 is so fast, you can't tell any difference unless you park, get out and look. After several months there seemed to be no difference. If I had to stop at a light rain drops would bead the same and both sides.
If I could get the Beaver to be as slick, shiny and smooth as the Honda, I'm sure the MPG would go up 20%. 8)
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I've used ProtectAll for decades, and it does work. But I've noted it can break down in its container over long periods of time, so purchasing it in the gallon jugs wasn't as cost-effective as I'd expected.
Although it's pretty spendy, I've more recently been using AeroSpace 303 instead, and I think it has more UV protection than most other products of the same ilk. Regularly applying it to the front cap (once a week to once a month) while on long trips does make cleaning bugs and dirt off a whole lot easier. I haven't tried it on the roof, though I did once use ProtectAll topside, with results like Bill's. But Monaco's recommendation of Maquire's was used a couple of times, and though much harder to apply, I think it lasted longer before the oxidation started reappearing.
My brother has been into restoring old cars for most of his 77 years and knows protective techniques - he subscribes to just about every restoration periodical, and via the articles he keeps up on modern paint, technique, and protecion technology. His advice to me was you just can't avoid hard work. No matter the product, UV protective chemicals only last a few weeks when exposed to the sun. He did his level best when we first bought the Monterey to talk me into a steel carport for it, but after the coach purchase there just was no money left. He spent several hours one day driving me around East Portland showing me houses with big RV carports. He was so insistent I half expected him to offer to pay for it himself. He's always wanted a coach so bad himself, he can hardly stand it; his wife will have nothing to do with riding in such beasts, the poor guy. But even if cost had not been an issue, the logistics of such an installation in our already confined RV pad area just wasn't feasible.
So I try to polish Mequiar's onto the roof when I do the coach overall; even if the UV protection expires soon after, it still seems to mitigate the white oxidation that washes off, apparently for well over a year. 303 in a quart bottle should spray and spread on up there easily, so I want to try it next time. A downside to wax, ProtectAll, or Aero 303 is they make the roof slick, at least for awhile. So I try to get anything else done up there first, like AC unit checking, seam checks, vent lid seal treatment, etc. And I try not to finish the roof just before tripping off to Bend and having the guys do any work up there - they'd not expect a roof to be as slippery as that.
Ultimately we should probably all be applying Ed's paint technique. I've just not found the time to do it or I would have by now.
Joel
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Joel,
I also used to do the yearly clean and treat until I applied Rustolium Deck Paint per Ed's instructions. He estimated 8 hrs over 2 days which is probably a bit conservative. The 1st day is the busiest with the washing and scrubbing with a red scotch pad, followed by a light sanding and rinse. Once dry one masks the roof and then applies the first coat of paint. All this can be done on the first day. The second coat is applied teh next day and the masking removed. The finished product looks shiny but is not slippery and sheds dirt very well.
Steve
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...I also used to do the yearly clean and treat until I applied Rustolium Deck Paint per Ed's instructions. He estimated 8 hrs over 2 days which is probably a bit conservative.
The math is not working for me. In eight hours there are 24 each 20 minute periods. If I can spray wax in 20 minutes every 6 months, that is 12 years. If I get lazy and do it every 8 months, would it be 16 years?
Maybe the trick is to paint it the last year I'm capable of climbing the ladder without assistance. ;D
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Bill,
I climbed the ladder about 6 (let's say 8 to be conservative) times during the process. Your approach requires 24 climbs to achieve similar results. Hmmm (this thread is beginning to deteriorate...... ??)
Steve
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Speaking of deterioration... I don't want my ladder to deteriorate any more, so I ain't going to climb it. Yup, this thread has run its course.
I think my brother recently painted his roof with that Rustolium Deck Paint - expensive stuff - and he said he went up and down his ladder about fifty times over two days. Of course, he's younger than most of us.
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I had posted last year that I had my roof painted with the Dicor Fiberglass Roof Treatment and I can say that it has completely eliminated white streaks for over 18 months. I did it without any trips up the ladder! I hired someone to do it for me; I know my own limitations!
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I had posted last year that I had my roof painted with the Dicor Fiberglass Roof Treatment and I can say that it has completely eliminated white streaks for over 18 months. I did it without any trips up the ladder! I hired someone to do it for me; I know my own limitations!
A man after my own heart! Way to go Joel! 8)
P.S. Bill Sprague: Does that mean you'd better hurry and get it done? Not enough trips up the ladder in you? :)
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Bill,
20 minutes with spray wax, you must be talking about doing the roof of one of those die cast replicas from your recliner :-)
Dave,
One could wear those rungs away in about a thousand years :-)
The paint was under $50 for three quarts and it really is not a bad job. Beats getting under the rig and working any day. It takes us about two hours to wash the rig and without the streaks we probably have to do that about half as often, so it saves us time in the long run....
Later Ed
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If you've got a barn to store your rig in, rolling stairs make life a lot easier (and safer).
Steve
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Nice. :)
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Bill,
20 minutes with spray wax, you must be talking about doing the roof of one of those die cast replicas from your recliner :-)
Ed,
This stuff goes on like Pledge on the dining table we got rid of. I did not count the time to collect the wax and microfiber rags. Nor did I count the time I spend putting it off.
It might take 30 minutes?
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Bill,
I now envision a dual holster arrangement with two cans of spray wax. You climb the ladder, tip your cowboy hat, and draw. You shoot the two cans at once as you run back and forth from one end of the roof to the other. A quick couple of glides with some fuzzy slippers on to buff the coat and you are good to go in 20 minutes flat.
Sounds like this could be a very entertaining enterprise to watch, billed as Buffalo Bill, the fastest wax man in the west :-)
Steve, nice shop and I do like the rolling stairs. Looks like a great place to work, given it is as hot as it is out there this time of year.
Later Ed
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....Sounds like this could be a very entertaining enterprise to watch, billed as Buffalo Bill, the fastest wax man in the west :-)
Ed,
I need a sequel to the video of Roy Mueller fixing headlights. It is up to 2136 "views" and I can seem to match it with anything! Perhaps waxing the roof with microfiber rags tied to my feet would do it.
Bill
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I'll vote for that! Go for it Bill.
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Bill,
You and Roy did a great job on that project. I was an electrical engineer by trade and although I did not have to have that video to get the work done I used it anyway because it made the job so much easier. I think you will keep racking up the views on that one.....
Depending on the entertainment factor a good roof wax video might rival that one. Picture this.... A couple of cans of wax spinning in your hands like a six gun before you holster them with some of the Good, The Bad, and the Ugly theme music dubbed in. A little cigar hanging out of the corner of your mouth just like Clint Eastwood used to do. A Micro Fiber rags under each boot...could be big :-)
Later Ed
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Speaking of deterioration... I don't want my ladder to deteriorate any more, so I ain't going to climb it. Yup, this thread has run its course.
I think my brother recently painted his roof with that Rustolium Deck Paint - expensive stuff - and he said he went up and down his ladder about fifty times over two days. Of course, he's younger than most of us.
rustoleum top side deck paint cost is about 12 bucks a qt. it takes about 4 to 5 qts to do a 45 ft coach. not expensive at all . I did mine about 2 yrs ago and still looks fresh.
Jim
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We winter in Florida at Riverbend Motorcoach Resort and numerous people are painting their roofs with a product called Bus Kote. My understanding is the hardest part is preping the roof to paint it. Google search it and you will see the various people using it including NASA.
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Tom,
There are options out there when it comes to the issue of preserving our Beaver roofs. The problem we have is caulking for the most part which is the same problem the marine industry has with fiberglass boat decks. In order to eliminate the sluffing off of gelcoat particles that causes our streaking, painting with a marine deck paint is durable and sufficient. If I had significant areas of roof problems with crazing or cracking I would consider the Buss Kote in that it is a thicker elastometric coating for filling damaged areas. The disadvantage is cost and that in time when that coating has issues (all coatings have a life) you then have a more difficult situation to deal with. With a paint system, it is a pressure wash, a scuff and reroller the roof. I am not convinced that I would want multiple layers of Buss Kote and I am not sure that it can be removed. I am on my fourth year having painted my roof spring of 2010 and it is doing just fine, still looks new. I think Buss Kote is a fine product but I am not convinced that it is the right choice for roofs that are in good shape with just a streaking issue. Just one opinion....
Later Ed
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Ed
I am still planning on doing my roof in the fall with the Bus Kote product. The expense is not great and having seen the product up close and personal I decided to give it a try. The one person who has demonstrated the product at our park has had in on his coach roof for 3 years now. He has indicated that it keeps the temps down inside in the Summer months with sun blazing down on the roof. The coach also showed no signs of chalking coming down anywhere. He put down Two coats followed by two coats of clear. I may also mention that they full time.. Just my over all opinion but since I have seen it on 4-5 coaches it does work and I will let you know in the fall how it goes with mine..
Tom
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Tom,
Take a few photos and let us know how it all works out. As far as keeping the temps down I am skeptical. It can be a more reflective surface, like a bright white deck paint which helps but the attic temp will likely be the same. Our heat gains are pretty hard to adjust with all this window area. Reflective insulating panels in the front window can help at times or outside window covers with a foil worked into the layers.
Later Ed
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Finished my roof off with Rustoleum, one coat of primer and three coats of marine deck white high gloss. Yes the prep did take all day ++, but the time was worth it. The total project time was 5 days due to 24 hr drying time between coats. I am very pleased with the outcome. Now if other things would just quit needing attention , I would be a happy camper.
5 days until our 3 month trek begins. We will see some of you in Bend or perhaps Redmond.
Larry D
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Ed
Will take the pics. As a side note we all originally heard of the product thru the school districts who are now applying to all bus roofs to help keep temps down inside.
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Tom,
That bus case I understand. Many of the school bus roofs were traditionally painted black or yellow and had no insulation or attic space like our ceiling areas have. That bus is basically a metal oven. While sitting in the sun it would radiate the metal roof heat inside in a dramatic fashion. Making the roof a white more reflective surface would be a significant change. Our RV case is a white gel coated roof with an insulated attic space. I think any thin film material, either bus kote or deck paint would do little more than add a small amount of reflective improvement.
Later Ed