RV fiberglass roofs are not all that common. However, there are still many RVs, trailers, and a good few compact campers out there using this durable material as a roofing solution.
Despite fiberglass being made from composite and glass materials giving it a toughness, it can still sustain occasional damage.
Also, removing an RV fixture or roof installation – including base plates and screws – can leave holes or damage to the fiberglass that could let water inside your home on wheels.
At this point, you’ll need to get organized to make an RV fiberglass roof repair. It’s important to fix the problem before the next storm approaches!
This article describes exactly what to do.
RV Roof
Our related articles on RV roof maintenance, repairs, and replacement:
> How Often Should You Seal Your RV Roof?
> Can I Use Flex Seal on My RV Roof?
> Does RV Insurance Cover Roof Leaks?
> How to Protect RV Skylights from Hail
RV Fiberglass Roof Repair
With a fiberglass roof repair, it’s either because of damage that’s taken a minor chunk out of it or a series of drilled holes in the fiberglass that now need filling in.
Either way, it’ll be necessary to fix it up.
First… A Serious Warning
Major damage to the roof that affects the overall structure and integrity of the RV should be looked at by a high-quality RV repair workshop. It could be a serious safety issue. Do not take chances.
Also, do differentiate between roofs that can support your weight versus ones that won’t.
RV models that came with ladders in their default fit-out usually were intended to be walked on whereas ones without ladders usually were not.
The safest areas on a roof are the front, back, and edges; the further toward the center you go, the less supported the roof structure will be.
This article refers only to minor fiberglass blemishes or holes in the roof (from fixtures that have either been removed entirely or moved to another location) on the fiberglass roof.
Significant fiberglass roof damage could make the roof structurally unsound and needs to be examined by a qualified RV professional.
With that said, here is the process to follow to make small repairs to an RV fiberglass roof:
1. Clean the Roof using an RV Fiberglass Roof Cleaner
To perform any repairs to fiberglass, it’s necessary to clean it up first.
Given that it’s the roof and external to the RV, it may have picked up a mixture of dirt, grime, wax, twigs, leaves, broken fiberglass fragments, and oil. These can get in the way of the steps that follow.
A specialized RV Fiberglass Roof Cleaner is required to carefully wipe around and over the affected area to clean it.
Without following this step, it’s less likely that any filler, bonding agent, or patch over a hole will achieve the desired adhesion to the roof’s surface; or not for as long as you’d like.
One of the best cleaners is the Dicor Fiberglass Clean & Prep. It’s biodegradable and safe to use:
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Read Also: Hail Damage on Camper
2. Repairing Holes in a Fiberglass RV Roof
Once the roof has been cleaned, far more can be done from that point.
At this stage, you want to mask around the affected area to avoid getting cleaning or bonding materials on unaffected parts of the roof.
There are many fillers designed to be squirted into holes or gaps to fill them up. Once they are set, these form an effective seal to prevent water from finding its way inside your RV from that location.
One of the products that work on fiberglass holes but also for rubber roofs too is the Dicor Self-leveling Lap Sealant. It’s excellent at providing adhesive to fiberglass (and other materials), forming an affective bond, and preventing water ingress.
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Apply this lap sealant to minor fiberglass damage or drill holes left when removing or moving roof installations like aerials, vents, etc.
Read Also: Dicor Lap Sealant Cure Time
As a side note: An RV fiberglass repair kit may also work for you, but it’s designed to resolve bodywork holes in fiberglass, rather than specifically for an RV roof.
Read Also: How To Remove Sticker Residue from Camper
3. Adding a Patch to a Fiberglass RV Roof
Once having removed a satellite dish, a roof vent that’s shifted around, or another roof installation, they can leave troublesome eyesores.
This might be a scuffed-up roof surface or one or more holes through to the RV or camper below.
To fix this problem, it’s useful to add a patch after the self-leveling sealant as an additional step.
A patch can form a second barrier over the top of a gap that was filled in with the lap sealant. Also, it can cover any screws that remain or are threaded and cannot be easily removed.
The patch would go over the area, possibly with additional lap sealant added all around its edges.
The most common are the Bondo™ patches from 3M for roof damage, etc. They are self-adhesive and come in different sizes. The one linked below is almost square in shape and measures just under 6 inches in width and height.
Therefore, it would cover an area smaller than that, stick to the sides of the hole or designated area, and form an effective seal.
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Another alternative to using patches is to apply bonding tape.
The EternaBond roof sealant tape comes in a roll and is easy to apply.
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4. Apply the RV Fiberglass Roof Coating
If you’ve already read one of the Dicor fiberglass roof coating reviews, you’ll know that their products stand the test of time.
Of course, there are other fiberglass roof paint products from different manufacturers, but we put our faith in Dicor.
Certainly, a little RV fiberglass roof protection goes a long way.
The Dicor Fiberglass Roof Coating is one of those elastomeric roof coatings for fiberglass that adds an extra layer of protection.
As an acrylic resin, it won’t harm the surface. Also, it protects the roof and interior from heating up on hot days too.
Once dried, the resin creates a film over the entire roof structure that’s resistant to algae or mildew that can still grow below other, inferior RV fiberglass roof coating products.
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RV Fiberglass Roof Repairs: The Do’s and Don’ts
Here are 4 things to do (or not) with fiberglass roof repairs:
- Don’t use roofing cleaners, sealants, tape, adhesives, or coatings designed for EPDM or TPO rubber, metal, or plastic roofs.
- Check the packaging to confirm the product is specifically designed for fiberglass. Using a product that’s not could potentially damage your roof.
- Plan the repairs for a fair-weather day to allow time for them to form a bond/dry.
- Be careful when climbing up on the roof. Fiberglass isn’t usually slippery but if it’s recently rained, the RV roof could be slick.
Closing Thoughts
If you’re thinking of purchasing a fiberglass roof repair kit, ensure it has all the products shown above.
Otherwise, you will be unable to complete one or more of the important steps that must be done, in order, to complete an RV fiberglass roof repair properly!
Don’t despair if the removal of a previous roof installation has left an unsightly hole or marks on your RV’s fiberglass roof. As long as the hole isn’t substantial, it’s a fixable problem when proceeding through the steps provided above.
