epoxy paint ??

[mikeschn]

Rob, I'm goin' on top of the frame like Frank did his. Should I seal the or treat the bottom of the wood? And what do you suggest?

My $.02 worth....

seal the bottom with roofing tar. A 1 gallon can only costs about $5 or so.

After the bottom is sealed, you can set it on the frame and never give it a second thought.

If you want to insulate the bottom, press in some EPS after you've sealed it with roofing tar.

No need to put aluminum, filon, plywood, or any other skin on the bottom... that'd just be a waste of money, plus it would add the potential to capture water, a definite no no.

Mike...

[weasel]

Thanks Mike, $5 verses $40 I like it I've got a rep for bein' tight with$$$ Thats why I'm called Weasel LOL!!!!!!

[weasel]

Mike, whats your thought on the Rust-olem epoxy? If it waterproofs concrete it should wood.

[48Rob]

Hi Steve,

Starting to get out of my field, but as long as it is an MSA. based product, and not water based, you should be fine.

However, before I spent good money, I'd call the company that makes it and ask them...

Rob

[mikeschn]

Mike, whats your thought on the Rust-olem epoxy? If it waterproofs concrete it should wood.

Rustoleum is great for metal... I don't trust it to adhere to wood. The moisture in the wood would cause it to blister away from the wood, allowing the capture of additional water etc

Roofing tar on the other hand does a sensational job adhering to the wood and sealing out the elements.

Mike...

[mikeschn]

PB,

My only question is: "Will it trap condensation?"

Mike...

I glued vinyl roofing (.60mill)to the bottom of my floor then set it on top of the frame.If you really want a skin on the bottom,any roofing installer is likely to have it in stock.I doubt it would be possable for water to penetrate it and its designed to hold up to severe weather conditions(as in cold or hot).The stuff I have is 5 feet wide and on a roll for a total length of around 100feet.Im sure a roofing instaler would be willing to cut you a piece to your specsThen all you need to worry about is your frame,sealing it with silicon will protect it just fine.

[weasel]

I'm a long way from paint, heck the frames not even started!! I'll do some more checkin' and pricin' before I commit to what I use. You guys are great on the comments.

[Ira]

Powder is going to be rolling in some pretty extreme conditions, so he really went the extra mile on his undercarriage.

I mean, this guy ain't throwing his TD in the garage in October and leaving it there until April--and look where he lives! (Brrrr.) There's probably going to be ICE hanging from his too!

For a lot of us, the stuff Mike is referring to--called Asphalt Roofing Emulsion at Home Depot/brand is Gardners--is very sufficient. I don't know if it's exactly the same as tar, though it sure looks like it. Smells a bit, but easy to work with. After it's applied, you just cut your pieces of rigid foam insulation to fit into the floor frame voids. You don't even bother coating the insulation.

I'm sure some guys did, but I didn't bother.

[Greg M]

I was wandering through the local plastics retailer the other day and spotted an elastomeric roof coating specificaly marketed for RV use. The instructions included the use of fibreglass tape embedded in a stripe of the coating to seal seams, etc. Have any of you seen (or better yet, tried) this stuff? It looks like it would be low enough viscosity to adhere to the sides without sagging.
Any comments?


-Greg

[Witch]

Greg, if you're talking about Sno-roof, I have it on my shed roof. So far it hasn't leaked. My son-in-law is a roofer, and he tells me the stuff is crap. Take that for what it's worth, but I think putting it on a trailer roof might work, but what about the wind factor?

I'd give it a try if the spousal unit didn't want to paint a mural in the thing.

I say go for it.

Later

[Frank]

Rob & Weasel,
Since Mike had already did the floor when I got the weekender, I coated it with rubberized undercoating, then put foam insulation in and then laid 18" Alu. roofing flashing starting at the front working to the back with 2" overlaps. The flashing was intended to protect the insulation from rocks, mud, etc. It is not waterproof, just stapled in-place. I would like to think that moisture that gets in there, would dry out, however I realize it will take longer than if the flashing was not there. Don't really know how to make it water proof, and if I did and moisture did manage to get in, it would not be able to get out before causing damage.

Frank

[Arne]

I think I understand what you did... If you have an enclosed area with open cell foam, it sound like even condensation could get trapped in there....

Maybe you could put some vents in areas that would allow air circulation, but not let road spray in.... or not.

Trapped moisture is BAAAAD....... Lots of older cars got rust from sand being thrown up by the wheels into the wheel wells and rocker panels, and getting wet and never drying out.....