Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hello,

I have yet to find a good article, post or anything online regarding the installation of corner trim. I am 70% done constructing my teardrop and just completed installing the prefinished aluminum panels to the sides and top (floated with poly sealant around perimeter). I was directed by the gentleman that I purchased the trim from to install 1" butyl tape under the long side, and 1/2" under the leg of the trim. Once installed, the butyl tape under the short side creates an irregular bridge between the trim and the siding. I understand that this is acting as a gasket, however it creates an uneven line that looks horrible and is impossible to trim consistently. Also, from what I've read, it will do nothing but collect dirt over time. The trailer is all black, and it would be a shame if there was brown dirt line that wrapped the perimeter of the trailer.

I've attached a sketch of the current configuration (and reference photo), but I'd love to know if the butyl tape on the leg is overkill. Should I just apply it under the main body of the trim? Is butyl tape right for this? Or should I do a bead of sealant under the leg? Looking forward to everyone's take on this assembly situation.

CT

If I remember correctly, I did not use butyl tape on the exterior corners where the roof and side aluminum meet. If I do remember correctly I used Proflex RV clear caulk on both contacting surfaces of the aluminum molding..... holding the molding tight in place and screwing it down....following up with a rag and mineral spirits to wipe away any squish out....... then the PVC insert molding is applied.

I'm inclined to agree with John and Danny on this, just polyurethane sealant or Proflex.

However, I already have a roll of tape in my fridge waiting to be used so I'll be going with the butyl/sealant combo you mentioned, but with 3/4" wide butyl. I'm hoping that once everything is squeezed down that I won't be working with a gooey mess, but the sealant will act as a dam against the oozing butyl.

Hit the butyl with some silicone spray lubricant, that should help with it collecting dust.

On ours I just did the top, not the 1/2" leg, as it's too thick that way & difficult to get an even run out of the edge. There's no problem with butyl tape, just need to understand that there are always limitations to a material & how it's used.

I did the edges when it was hot outside (Tucson) so the butyl tape was very soft & easy to use. Everything was pre-drilled, then the screws were set in a dab of caulk to make sure there was no "weeping" around them & below into the substrate. The edges can trap road grime & dirt to show a black line, but that's no big deal for me. As the heat made the tape soft & the edges moved a bit, I would scrape out along the edges with a "knife" made from a small piece of formica to clean them up. No problem after the 7-8 years of travels...