With a quality RV roof sealant and a little bit of effort, you’ll protect your RV roof for years to come. Maintaining the seals on your roof isn’t something you can avoid forever. Not keeping up on your RV roof sealant maintenance can lead to leaks and water damage. Today we’ll share seven of the best sealants for your RV roof and how to choose the best product for your camper.
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What Do You Use to Seal an RV Roof?
There are a couple of options that you can use when sealing an RV roof. One of the most popular methods is a liquid sealant. A liquid sealant will often come in a tube with a caulking gun for application. This is an easy way to address large and small fixes alike. Check with the specific brand for instructions.
Another popular option is sealant tape. This tape forms an airtight bond to help prevent water from penetrating any gaps. A sealant tape is great for roof repairs but also preventative maintenance.
Many RVers seal off the front and rear sections of their RVs roof with sealant tape to protect the original seals. It’s a great way to keep your RV safe, but we also suggest carrying sealant tape with you at all times in case of an emergency like a low branch or other abrasions. Applying it is very quick and easy for small tears.
How to Choose a Roof Sealant for Your RV
There’s a handful of things you should consider before choosing the best roof sealant for your RV. Let’s take a look at what you need to know to keep your RV roof safe.
Check Your Damage Level
There’s a difference between dealing with extensive damage or a small crack in your sealant. Examine not only the damaged area but the rest of the seals on your RV roof. While you’re repairing damage, you’ll already be up on the roof and have the tools to address any other areas before they become issues.
What Is Your Roof Material?
While most RVs have rubber roofs, there are other options. For example, some RVs have metal roofs and even fiberglass roofs. Some different types of RV roofs will require a different RV roof sealant.
Using the incorrect sealant on your RV roof can damage the existing seals and pose a larger problem. If you’re concerned about using the wrong type of sealant, contact your manufacturer. They can probably tell you which sealant they recommend for your specific RV.
Do You Need a Flexible or Rigid Seal?
Your RV roof will likely experience massive changes in temperatures, especially as the seasons change. Choose a product that’s flexible enough to handle the expanding and contracting that your RV roof will naturally do. This helps prevent future damage and provides the best protection for the seals on your RV roof.
UV Resistance
Unless you’re storing your RV under a shade tree or in covered storage, your roof will deal with a lot of sunlight. Heat from the sun can quickly damage the seals on your RV. While you’re redoing the seals, make sure the sealant you choose provides future protection from UV rays.
The 7 Best Roof Sealants for Your RV
Now that you know a little bit about protecting your RV’s seals let’s look at the best products to get the job done.
1. EternaBond Tape Micro Sealant
About: Eternabond is a tape with a very sticky grey sealant on the back that creates a strong bond with all roofing materials. While not recommended to seal an entire roof because some places cannot use tape, we recommend every RVer carry a spare roll of this stuff.
While not the most cost-effective this tape is very versatile and can be used in an emergency for a quick fix. We have used this stuff to seal up the underbelly of the RV as well as sidewall repairs.
- 4" x 50' Foot Contin ROLL of authentic Eternabond repair tape.
- Bonds to surfaces and stops leaks.
- Use on: EPDM, TPO, most PVC, CSPE/Hypalon, CPE, SBS, APP...
Sealant Type: High Strength Micro Bond Tape Sealant
Best For: All roof types, as long as its clean and dry.
2. Geocel ProFlexRV Flexible Sealant
About: This flexible RV roof sealant comes in a 10-ounce tube. Don’t use it on TPO (single-ply rubber) or EPDM (synthetic rubber) roofs. However, it’s great on aluminum, glass, coated steel, steel, wood, fiberglass, and vinyl surfaces.
At $12 per tube, you should keep a couple of these on hand in case of an emergency. The sealant protects against harsh weather conditions almost immediately after application. A non-stringing formula helps make applying and cleaning up a breeze.
- Flash Point: 93.0 Degrees_Celsius
- Excellent Adhesion To Many Surfaces, Even When Damp
- Resealable; May Be Applied Over Itself
Sealant Type: The Geocel ProFlex RV is a flexible liquid sealant.
Best For: If you have a fiberglass roof, this is one of your best options. This is not for use on TPO or EPDM roofing materials.
3. Dicor Rubber Roof Acrylic Coating
About: Dicor is one of the most suggested names when it comes to roof sealants. This acrylic coating can extend the life of your RV roof. For a thorough coat, use with Dicor’s rubber roof cleaner/activator.
Your roof will require two coats of this product, and each gallon covers 125 square feet. It dries quickly, so you don’t need to wait between coats. When finished, enjoy superior protection from weather and UV rays.
- Well Suited for Retrofit Installations
- Flexes very well
- Eliminates irritating roof rumble
Sealant Type: Dicor RPCRC1 is an acrylic coating.
Best For: If you have an EPDM roof, this is a fantastic option to protect your roof. Be sure to combine it with the cleaner/activator for best results.
4. Pro Guard Liquid Roof
About: Whether you’re installing a new roof or making repairs on your old one, this liquid roof is a fantastic option. It comes with a five-year warranty and can withstand temperatures from -60 F to 300 F.
One gallon of Liquid Roof can cover 42 square feet. Once the roof is clean, the application is a breeze. It’s highly rated on Amazon, and reviewers rave about the results it provides.
- package length:19.685 centimeters
- Package Weight: 4.513 kg
- package width:19.685 centimeters
Sealant Type: Proguard F99911 is liquid roof protection.
Best For: This is one of the best EPDM RV roof sealants available.
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5. Liquid Rubber RV Roof Coating
About: Liquid Rubber designed this liquid RV roof coating for easy application. You can brush, roll, or spray this onto your roof.
For best results, Liquid Rubber recommends a minimum thickness of one gallon per 50 square feet. You’ll probably need two or three coats for your whole roof. You can buy it in one- or five-gallon sizes. A five-gallon pail can cover RVs up to 30 feet in length.
- FLEXIBLE RV ROOF COATING - Solar reflective, cool roof & UV...
- PROTECTIVE SEALANT FOR - RV roofs, metal roofs, flat roofs around...
- EASY TO APPLY - Just like painting! Apply by brush, roller or...
Sealant Type: This is a water-based rubber roof coating that contains no solvents or harmful odors.
Best For: This is best on any rubber roofing material, especially EPDM.
6. Dicor Self-Leveling Lap Sealant
About: The Dicor 501LSW-1 is one of the most popular options when it comes to RV roof sealants. This lap sealant sticks to aluminum, mortar, wood, vinyl, galvanized metal, fiberglass, and concrete. It’s an excellent option for touch-ups along the edges of an RV roof, air vents, vent pipes, and screw heads.
The sealant has a built-in compound that allows it to self-level, which leaves behind a smooth and professional-looking surface. It comes in a 10.3-ounce can, which is great for touch-ups.
- Creates a secure, secondary seal along the roof’s edges, air...
- Adheres firmly to aluminum, mortar, wood, vinyl, galvanized...
- Compatible with EPDM and TPO sheeting
Sealant Type: Dicor 501LSW-1 is a liquid lap sealant.
Best For: This is best for minor touch-ups on EPDM and TPO roofs, as well as fiberglass, wood, aluminum, steel, or masonry. This is an excellent choice for sealing around vents, skylights and solar panels
7. Heng’s Rubber Roof Coating
About: With one- and six-gallon options, Heng’s Rubber Roof Coating is perfect for RVs with rubber roofs. It can protect seams and tears and also seals around vents and air conditioners. In addition, it’s crack resistant and can withstand the impacts of bumps while going down the highway.
When applied, Heng’s Rubber Roof Coating will conform to your RV roof. It can quickly expand and contract based on weather conditions. It also has excellent acoustic and insulating properties.
- Designed for use over RV rubber roofs, at seams and tears and to...
- It is UV resistant and expands and contracts with roofs
- Resists cracking and withstands impact, non-polluting and...
Sealant Type: Heng’s Rubber Roof coating is 100% acrylic latex polymer.
Best For: It’s best for tears, seams, and seals around vents and air conditioners on EPDM rubber roofs. It’s also good for a recoat to bring strength and a bright white back to an old roof.
8. Rust-Oleum LeakSeal Rubber Coating
About: Rust-Oleum is a trusted brand for residential applications, but their LeakSeal Flexible Rubber Coating is excellent on RV roofs. Thirty ounces provides 40 square feet of coverage. The unique formula helps prevent water and moisture from penetrating your RV.
As this is a smaller can, it’s best for use for patching or on smaller jobs. This RV roof sealant works well around air vents, air conditioners, and solar panel mounting brackets.
- Exterior/interior use on gutters, roofs, flashing, ductwork, PVC,...
- Oil-based formula seals leaks and cracks instantly with a...
- Dries to touch in 1 hour and covers up to 40 sq. ft.
Sealant Type: Rust-Oleum LeakSeal Rubber Coating has an oil-based formula.
Best For: It’s best for small projects, mainly air vents and air conditioning units.
How Often Should You Reseal Your RV Roof?
You should inspect your roof at least once a month. This helps you spot changes early. Catching an issue before it becomes a major problem is essential to extending the life of your RV’s roof.
While it’s smart to check your RV roof every month, your RV’s warranty may require an annual inspection. This inspection can be done at the dealership or possibly even by yourself. Address any issues found by the inspection. For example, if, after a year or two, you experience a leak due to a bad seal and you haven’t attempted to seal up your RV, you could be on the hook for a hefty repair bill.
![RV Roof Maintenance [HOW TO]: Dicor Self-Leveling Lap Sealant (Lap Seal)](https://www.mortonsonthemove.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-youtube-lyte/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FvuR_hQ2MEuo%2F0.jpg)
A tiny leak may not seem like a big deal, but it can create a very dangerous situation for you and those using your RV. Before you know it, mold could take over, or water damage could ruin your RV’s interior and exterior walls. Preventative maintenance is the best way to stop mold or other damage from happening in the first place.
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Thanks for all the info!
You did not list the best of them all. RV Armour all, Has an RV lifetime warranty and covers the entire roof. Never need to do anything else as long as the RV lasts.
Every single one of the sealants mentioned are mere band-aids guaranteed to fail. You correctly mention, “You should inspect your roof at least once a month.” This is because all of these sealants are unreliable and will fail, guaranteed. I used to be a slave to my RV roof, running up on the roof regularly (but not monthly — ugh!) to check the caulk and sealants, only to get a leak BETWEEN inspections. No more! I had RV Flex Armour applied to my roof. It has a lifetime no-leak guarantee! It is maintenance free. It is inspection free. I never leaks. It is a sprayed on polyurea roof sealant that actually does the job without the dangerous, monthly trips up on the roof. It is tough and flexible. It is better than EDPM, TPO, fiberglass, etc., because there is no caulking nor extra sealants needed. Above all, it is peace of mind.
Hi I was reading your comment I have 30 ft motorhome I just need to coat the whole roof it’s 2005 Damon daybreak in the manual it says that the roof is prefineshed aluminum and fiberglass. Do you think what you use I could use that to coat my whole roof and how many gallons would I need sorry but iam not experienced at this I want to do it right .thank you
Thanks for all the good info; I’m a newbie to RVing and it’s a bit daunting at first… very nice to see good advice and exploration of options in tasks and materials.
Glad you’re finding our content helpful! 🙂
As a seasoned camper, I would say that RV caulks are essential to have during any trip. You should use this Dicor 501LSW-1 Lap Sealant. It can prevent leaks and stay sturdy even when rain pours down on it. It also has very strong adhesion, which makes it very sticky and able to hold still on pretty much any material. Dicor is much better than silicone, which will crack, leak, peel, and doesn’t self-level. Also, it doesn’t have any discoloration over time. You’ll also be glad to know that this sealant is UV resistant. That’s another reason why it doesn’t deteriorate no matter how much you use your RV.
You’ll also be glad to know that this sealant is UV resistant. That’s another reason why it doesn’t deteriorate no matter how much you use your RV.
4 packs of Dicor were enough to replace 3 vent stacks, the refrigerator vent, shower skylight and exhaust fan on my rubber RV roof. This stuff is easy to use for doing any repairs to your RV roof. It is not a flow and settle out like water but is sort of like a runny putty. After the first day of putting this on it looked like it was making my rubber RV roof bubble up.
Same experience for me as well. My personal experience with flex seal is that it is more asphalt based than rubber and cracks easily.
Most excellent product!!! Used this Proguard F99911 Liquid Roof on some EPDM sheeting that was showing a lot of black color through the material. I have used many products over the years that made claims but this is truly a product that meets its claims. I used the systems that most suggested of brushing around the edges and roof protrusions then pouring out the product in an area then squeegee then roll with a low nap roller, it works 100% as an EPDM rubber coating which is capable of covering an area of around 42 to 45 square feet. In addition, it is capable of withstanding a wide range of temperatures – from 6o degrees to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
Take note that how the roof coating will work will depend on what material is used in producing the topmost part of your RV roof. For instance, if it is plastic then a rubber coating might be the ideal solution for it. If the roof is constructed out of a metallic material then both liquid and rubber roof coatings can work for it.
Dicor sealant is without a doubt the greatest product for sealing campers. It’s preferable to use a tiny, flat paintbrush to apply it. It will self-level, so after you’re through, it will smooth out and enable water to flow across it. Dicor is far superior to silicone, which cracks, leaks, peels, and does not self-level.