Dear Dave,
Thanks for your help. Some additional info: Per Tiffin, my coach does have a fiberglass roof. I don’t know why they would not promote this in their literature. To check, I got on my ladder and did indeed confirm that it is fiberglass.
This is a picture of the roof. There is no seam between the white roof color and black body color curved side cap. The white fiberglass is quite “chalky,” so I asked for your advice on what I should use to clean, seal and preserve the fiberglass roof, and prevent the streaking.
Will the RV Roof Magic product work for fiberglass? Reading the RV Roof Magic info, it is a cleaner only, and is supposed to be followed with an additional coating of some sort. Is there any product you recommend after cleaning?
Thanks again! I always enjoy your posts as they are excellent at offering your experience and expertise in caring for our RVs. —Mark, 2014 Tiffin Allegro RED
Dear Mark,
Thanks for the follow-up. This is a classic example of the type of misinformation you can find on the internet. The brochure stated one piece front and back cap and nothing regarding roof material. Several owner’s forums stated that it was TPO—even a quote from Tiffin Customer Service! That is why it is difficult sometimes to help troubleshoot if you are not hands on, so thanks for getting up there to verify.
From the photo it looks like a one-piece Filon sheet that does not have a thick gelcoat like the sidewalls. We called this “hair cell,” as you could see some of the fiberglass fibers in the material and it had a dull finish. This is what most RV manufacturers used back in the late ’80s and ’90s. Then buyers wanted that high gloss “automotive” finish, so they started adding more clear or gel coat.
Winnebago originally fought the trend as the high gloss highlighted every piece of framework, bump or bow in the sidewall—but marketing prevailed.
UV degradation
What you are seeing is UV degradation, which dries out the resin material in the mixture and it chalks and fades. This was very common on the sidewalls for years, with the beige color literally turning pink!
From what I can tell, it looks like the chalking has gone too far to just clean it with any type of liquid cleaner. Instead, it needs to be polished with a pumice-type product. Filon/Kemlite recommends buffing it with Meguiar’s Oxidation Remover, which you can find on Amazon here.
It is very tedious work; however, you need to remove all the loose particles and start with a smooth surface. Then I would suggest using 303 Protectant, which is an easy application with a mop and will reduce further oxidation.
If the material has small hairline cracks or other defects, then I would apply the RV Roof Magic to give it a lasting protection. You can find it on Amazon here.
You might also enjoy these posts from Dave
- What are white streaks running down side of RV; how do I prevent them?
- My RV’s rubber roof has ‘gooey’ spots. Can I fix it with RV Roof Magic?
- What is your opinion of RV Roof Magic? Does it work?
- Should I put a coating on the roof of my brand-new 5th wheel?
- DIY resealing an EPDM roof on your RV. If I can do it, so can you!
- How to protect and maintain newly replaced RV roof. Plus, why new roof was needed
DAVE HAS ANSWERED MORE THAN 1,000 readers’ maintenance and repair questions. Read a directory here. There is so much to learn!
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and the author of the “RV Handbook.”
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