If I'm looking to caulk the exterior (not the roof), what's the best product to use? Is there something at a Home Depot, versus paying the higher price at the RV Store? Also, any suggestions for keeping a spray bottle, for just wiping off any dirt, grime, etc occasionally? Have a 3670RL.
Cleaning, and Caulking.
- Thread starter Dylan
- Start date
SJH
Past Washington Chapter Leaders
Just finished our Big Country...re-caulked the entire rig except the seam along the roof which looked very good. Lots of personal preferences with caulk and methods. I can share what I did.
I used THIS tool to help remove the old. It worked quite well. After researching caulks I went with a polyurethane base. I needed one in a gray color and I found a product made by Tremco at out local Fastenal store called Trempro 626. There are many others that will do the job including Sikaflex 505, 3M 4200, and M1. After removing the old caulk, I cleaned with xylol per prep instructions of the Trempro.
There was a learning curve to getting a nice professional looking job. Two things that really helped; cut the smallest hole in the caulk tube as you can. Too much caulk is a real problem for a nice look. And, use the blue tape to mask off the intended bead. I used THIS tool for dry tooling the bead of caulk. Removed the tape, and also did the "finger" routine very lightly just to smooth the small ridges left by the tape. As it turned out, it was the best looking caulk job I have done.
Best Wishes!
PS The Trempro is about $7.00 a tube and it took about 4 tubes to do all the seams, refer vents, lights, and windows etc.
I used THIS tool to help remove the old. It worked quite well. After researching caulks I went with a polyurethane base. I needed one in a gray color and I found a product made by Tremco at out local Fastenal store called Trempro 626. There are many others that will do the job including Sikaflex 505, 3M 4200, and M1. After removing the old caulk, I cleaned with xylol per prep instructions of the Trempro.
There was a learning curve to getting a nice professional looking job. Two things that really helped; cut the smallest hole in the caulk tube as you can. Too much caulk is a real problem for a nice look. And, use the blue tape to mask off the intended bead. I used THIS tool for dry tooling the bead of caulk. Removed the tape, and also did the "finger" routine very lightly just to smooth the small ridges left by the tape. As it turned out, it was the best looking caulk job I have done.
Best Wishes!
PS The Trempro is about $7.00 a tube and it took about 4 tubes to do all the seams, refer vents, lights, and windows etc.
SJH
Past Washington Chapter Leaders
No, I would not think so. I chose to do so as it was a challenge finding a gray caulk that matched what was one the rig originally. Our Big Country has a manufacture date of Sept 2009 so the caulk was showing signs of aging anyway (much like me 
) I didn't mind doing the job...kind of a therapy and it really wasn't that difficult. The old caulk came off quite easily for the most part. I didn't do the seam on the overlap at the roof/trim as it looked good and I was a little more skeptical about digging out the old on the TPO.
) I didn't mind doing the job...kind of a therapy and it really wasn't that difficult. The old caulk came off quite easily for the most part. I didn't do the seam on the overlap at the roof/trim as it looked good and I was a little more skeptical about digging out the old on the TPO.
Westwind
Well-known member
I find that around the front and rear caps you really have to keep after the seams and caulking. I guess there is a little more flexing to both then we know, but your right when it comes to saying that all seams need to be checked annually. It doesn't hurt to remove the old and replace with new.
