white roofs?

[sovereign]

do the newer model airstreams have a type of rubber roof coating or cool seal? i noticed a few with white roofs. is it to keep int. temps down?

[53flyingcloud]

Originally Posted by sovereign

do the newer model airstreams have a type of rubber roof coating or cool seal? i noticed a few with white roofs. is it to keep int. temps down?

sovereign,
For some time now, Airstream has been using the "white roof"..
The metal sheet comes to the factory, from their supplier, with that white finis already coated on. Just what process they use I couldn't say.
You hit it on the head, so to speak..that's one of the benefits as it was explained during a factory tour.
ciao
53FC

[Silvertwinkie]

To me it looks like some sort of enamel (sp) type paint as I have a chip by one of the rivets up there. I heard that there were two reasons for the white painted roof.

1) Keeps the typical black streaks that RVs get to a min

2) The main reason (I believe) is to keep the coach cooler in direct heat. I thought I recall them saying something like 10 degree difference between having the white roof and not having the white roof.

One thing is for sure, it is not a rubber type material as found on some SOBs.

[59toaster]

I'm chassing a seam leak. I have serously thought about finding some sort of ruberized white coating to do the top in for both keeping it cool and sealing those seams. I think both cap joints have leaks from when the floor was rotten and alowing them to move to much. I have poped rivets on the inside from this.

[dbtolman]

Originally Posted by 59toaster

I'm chassing a seam leak. I have serously thought about finding some sort of ruberized white coating to do the top in for both keeping it cool and sealing those seams. I think both cap joints have leaks from when the floor was rotten and alowing them to move to much. I have poped rivets on the inside from this.

Wanna revive this thread!

I know people use bed-liner on the front to keep rock damage down... If I mark off the same area on top that is white on the new A/S's, and prep it for paint, then apply a white ruberized roof material, wouldn't that pretty much seal any possible leaks plus make the top look a little better, AND give me some temperature benefits at the same time? I ask because I am going to do the lower front wrap with bed-liner or white ruberized roof coating to minimize some crinkles and to catch rocks on the road... Could just do it all at the same time!

Whatcha think?

[RivetED]

Yes, the white is for reducing heat in the trailer(s). Living in Texas for the past 22 yrs. it is a fact I learned the 'hard-way'! My last 3, & Debbie's last 4 vehicles, have been white ONLY for that reason.

[67caravel]

I thought both about doing the roof and the belly on my ex-vintage with "bedliner" spray-on but always wondered about weight...

[thenewkid64]

One of the other issues to consider is whether the applied material will chalk as it ages. Having white streaks down the sides from the material chalking would not look too good.

[dbtolman]

How long before the white streaks start showing up? Couldn't they be counteracted by re-doing the white material?

[edmatlock]

I had water leaks in my '72 Argosy. I used 3 coats of kool seal on the roof and down to the mid stripe on the side. I have no more leaks and the A/C works better in the Oklahoma heat. The Argosy is painted anyway. I roled the kool seal on and wish I had sprayed it on. Looks good and no white streaks. I do get black streaks from the A/C but it washes off.

[dbtolman]

Originally Posted by edmatlock

I had water leaks in my '72 Argosy. I used 3 coats of kool seal on the roof and down to the mid stripe on the side. I have no more leaks and the A/C works better in the Oklahoma heat. The Argosy is painted anyway. I roled the kool seal on and wish I had sprayed it on. Looks good and no white streaks. I do get black streaks from the A/C but it washes off.

Yep, I'm in Texas and heat is a problem in summer here too...

How long has the Kool Seal been on the coach now?

Anyone know what kind of prep I need to do before I put this on my 70 Overlander?

[Happycampers]

I am going to paint our 75 Argosy trailer this summer and after I paint it I am going to use a product called snow roof, it is supposed to be good, will let you all know how it works and also post some pic's.
Marvin

[edmatlock]

My kool seal has been on for 5 years and gets harder as time goes on.

[dbtolman]

Kool Seal makes an Aluminum Roof Coating:
http://www.koolseal.com/product_data...duct_id=20-496
Hmmm... SO I guess it is aluminum colored? Anyone see a reason why this wouldn't work?

[swebster]

I plan to coat the top panel with Kool Seal (or similar) when I strip the clear coat. Had a long talk with Tom at Perfect Polish about this and he said many people are starting to do this to keep polishing and polish maintenance down on larger units. Seemed to make sense and should also help reduce temps inside.

[DJbyRequest]

I will probably go this route also when I strip the roof of my 88 excella. The extra help to the cooling would be a definate plus here on the gulf coast. i will probably go from above the awning and across. i don't think it would be very noticeable from the ground. Anyone have any pictures of their unit and where they made the line when coating the roof?

[dbtolman]

Yea... PICS?! I'd love to see what it looks like before I do mine...

[malconium]

I am guessing a bit here but it seems to me that the general thinking for having a white top (relative to cooling) would be to improve reflection of the heat. My guess is that in the case of using white instead of shiny aluminum that the reason the AC does not work as hard is not really because of better reflection but because of the fact that the white coating helps insulate the aluminum from the hot air surrounding the trailer. Is the white coating really going to reflect the heat better than a shiny aluminum surface? Does anyone know the relative merits of white vs. shiny aluminum regarding reflectivity? I do know that reflective insulation seems to always be very shiny aluminum and not white material.

As to why the factory might be switching to white it could be that there is a cost savings involved too.

I am not at all saying that putting the white coating on is a bad idea I am just speculating as to why it really helps. I certainly favor anything that will help prevent leaks in any case. I have even thought about coating the entire inside of my outer skin (I currently have the entire inner skin off) with something to help seal up leaks and insulate a bit.

Malcolm

[swebster]

Honestly I was thinking about it as 120 square feet that don't need polishing If it helps with the temps too then BONUS!

[JohnG]

Originally Posted by dbtolman

Kool Seal makes an Aluminum Roof Coating:
http://www.koolseal.com/product_data...duct_id=20-496
Hmmm... SO I guess it is aluminum colored? Anyone see a reason why this wouldn't work?

I have used another brand of aluminum roof coating and it was silver when I applied it and after a littler while it turned black, guess that was from dirt, but it would not wash off to silver again as it had a tar like texture.



If you are intent on painting the top of your unit white, all you really need to do is to first remove what is up there now, meaning plastic coat if yours is still good. You will need to use a striper for this, but be careful not to get any of it anywhere else or it will do its job there too.

Once you have your roof stripped and clean it is ready for the primer. Use an aluminum bonding primer. They are available in a white and a red color.

Once the roof has been primed you can paint any color you like on top of it and if you want to clear coat that color it will hold that as well. Normal painting techniques need to be followed.

This type of painting should last for 20 years with the right maintenance, but you will still need to seal your roof as per usual since the unit does flex as it is moving.