I am getting ready to clean my fiberglass roof. Lots of white streaks running down the sides.
I have a white 3M scratch type pad. What do I use as a cleaner?
The roof is not painted and I plan to buff it after I clean it.
I may even go crazy and apply some sort of coating but I am undecided as of now. Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
I use Spic 'n Span powder in the spring. Wash it with that, and water and a scrubby brush with a long handle. You can also use powered BonAmi or Barkeepers Friend as they are approved and recommended for use on fiberglass. Why buff, if there is no gel coat?? Some folks use Mop and Glo floor wax up there. Others are using Red Pro Max.
They say that Bus Kote is a excellent insulating roof paint.
* This post was
edited 05/01/12 09:58am by wny_pat *
Pogoil,
Let me ask you this. Does your coach sit in the sun for most of the time? If so, even fiberglass deteriorates while sitting in the sun. Just look at all the boats on the planet that have been uncovered forever, I don't care what color they WERE, they're almost white after a long time in the sun.
And, my roof is theoretically fiberglass too but, I have paper work in all my manuals that says something about "Filon". I'm not exactly sure what that is but, in the front left corner of the roof on our coach, just underneath one of the air horns, I have a patch of white that has peeled away. It's about 2" square. If I pick at it with my thumb nail, I can peel up more. So, is that the "Gel coat" coming off mine, who knows.
But, I keep our rig covered. (Drive under) and it never sees the sun unless we're using it. I too keep it very clean and am about to wax this roof. Yep, it will be a pain but, I think it will do a lot of good in the long run.
Scott
Scott and Karla SDFD RETIRED
2004 Itasca Horizon, 36GD Slate Blue 330 CAT
2011 White Honda CRV EX-L,4WD w/NAV Toad 2008 Caliente Red LVL II GL 1800 Goldwing KI60ND
It is a 1995 Beaver Patriot in very good condition. I would have to assume that the condition that it is in the previous owner had it under cover most all the time. I have it under cover as well. But the roof is less than shiny and white streaks run down the sides.
Some say use Bar Keepers Friend and some say Dawn. Guess neither can hurt just want to get it clean and ready for summer.
Clean it real good. Then go to Home Depot and buy their Behr White UV Roof Paint.
About two coats should do it perfectly and you'll say goodbye to white streaks and keep it cooler inside.
Deetour wrote: Clean it real good. Then go to Home Depot and buy their Behr White UV Roof Paint.
About two coats should do it perfectly and you'll say goodbye to white streaks and keep it cooler inside.
Are you saying this stuff doesn't run or streak at all? If so, I'm going to get some.
I use Mop n Glo. Just be careful you don't slop it on and let it run down the sides as it is hardto get off. I spay a small puddle in the middle of the roof and move it around with a sponge mop being careful near the edges. Take about 20-30 minutes twice a year.
I start at the front and mop my way back to the ladder. Of course if the honey do list is long I mop myself into a shady corner with a couple of cool ones in a shady location. "Sorry Dear, I have to wait for the wax to dry".
Gang,
I must be missing something here. We've owned four different motor homes. The first two were aluminum roofed class C rigs. The first, a '79 Dodge Four-Star, had a very week, barely able to hold a body, thin aluminum skinned roof. The second, an '89 Ultra with an aluminum single sheet, flat roof. Both of those never produced any streaking of any type on the sides of the coach. We did have some black streaks here and there but, no one could guarantee that the roof(s)caused them.
The third rig, a '99 Fleetwood Bounder 34V, had a rubber roof. That one would produce some streaks but, not too many, and mostly black.
Now, the present rig we have is an '04 Itasca Horizon 36DG Diesel with the 330 CAT. It has a fiberglass roof. I've never seen any streaking from that roof at all. And, we've been in plenty of rain storms, drizzles and the like. I'd been wanting to wax this roof ever since we purchased this rig, almost a year ago. I just never got around to it. Been busy with other issues on it.
Well this thread inspired me to get to work on it. I started to wax it today and quickly found out I needed a bit more than wax. So, I broke out the buffer and, some cutting compound. Well now, that made a serious difference. As you see in the pics below, you can tell the sections that have been done and the ones that haven't. If you look closely, you'll see in the section that's been done, a reflection of the antenna tower, and in another, you'll see the reflection of the tubing that the cover over the motor home is made with.
You'll also see blotchy sections of what looks like stain or paint or grease or other stuff. What it is, is silicone that the air heads from the factory and or after market installers of the Kind Dome used to seal all the connections and mounts. The problem is/was, they got it all over that roof. Like little kids would do.
I had to scrape that all off then, buff out the roof. I've got about 4 hours into right now and I'm just a hair over half done. But, what an amazing difference. This roof has never been touched. It wasn't all that bad but, it needed some serious labor to get to a point that it will not have to be touched again for as many years as it has already been alive.
Now, I'm not trying to hijack Pogoils thread, just showing him that with some labor, a fiberglass roof can look and be incredibly nice. And, that finish will last a long time. I wouldn't put paint on this roof is someone paid me to do it.
Yes, it's work, and a lot of it but, I won't have to touch it for at least a couple of years, especially since this rig is covered 24/7 unless we're in it and using it.
Scott
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