Rubber EPDM/TPO roof on a cargo trailer

[Jason1955]

Has anyone ever installed a rubber roof on a cargo trailer before? I've got a 28' toy hauler I converted and was going to go back and insulate the walls and ceiling. I got thinking the other day, instead of tearing down my ceiling from inside, why not go on top and remove that flimsy sheet metal roof and lay down plywood and EPDM rubber roof. I don't have any thing on the roof other than 2 roof vents so I was thinking it should be a pretty simple process unless I'm missing something. That way while I got the metal roofing off, I can go ahead and insulate it too.

What is everyone's thoughts on this?

Thanks!

[Shadow Catcher]

EPDM does have a limited life expectancy, If you do decide to go this rout use roofing intended for bricks a sticks houses it is a heavier gauge.

[daveesl77]

Not trying to start anything here, but as far as the life expectancy of an EPDM roof is concerned, 20 to 30 years is very probable. In that the original EPDM roof that was installed on a warehouse in Miami in the mid-1960s is still on (it has been patched many times), well not sure what the true life is. I have an EPDM glued down membrane on a patio roof on my house and it has been on for 12 years so far and never leaked. I live in central Florida, so our summers are brutal. With all that said, EPDM can be great, but it can also be a hassle. If you plan to do a glue down, practice first. I've now done it with both the petroleum and the latex based adhesives. Latex makes it much easier to lay, as you can move it around, but it can take a long time to cure. petro based bonds instantly, so you better have it right when you attach or you get lots of air bubbles.

dave

[hankaye]

Jason1955, Howdy;

Have you thought about how much weight you are going to be adding to
the trailer when you replace the metal roof with the plywood, glue & epdm?
Have you looked at any of the preferred install methods for RVs? Generally
there is a specific amount of material that needs to overlap the edges for
the proper amount of tension to stretch it so it doesn't luff (flap), in the wind
when rolling down the road.

hank