hi everyone,
does anyone know what type of roof covering Foretravel puts on the roof as an aftermarket coating?
Don't know for FOT, but Gary & Jeannie posted this product, used by Xtreme.
Roof Coating (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=33397.msg303062#msg303062)
No but I will be using a coming made by Envirocoatings which has ceramic particles and titanium. It is a elastimeric coating but has great heat deflection abilities.
I was told that I will see a 50%reduction on heat transfer
JohnH
Keep us posted on that John.
Will do if we make it back home due to present problems!!!
JohnH
As a engineer I would steer clear of any product claiming those kind of results. Let alone pay extra. Titanium will most likely be found in any if not all common white coatings. Must have the rare Irish snake oil base.
Actually that claim is from a trucking company that has all their refer truck roofs painted with it. They reckon it makes a bid difference in run time of refers.
JohnH
Just saying, a microscopic layer of anything can't produce those kind of results. Unless you can blow vacuum filled ceramic microbubbles efficiently. Pure Titanium white is the best of the best
reflectance for paint coatings so far as I know, until this thing called darker conductive dust commonly present in the atmosphere accumulates on the roof.
Xtreme used temp coat on my coach. We were parked next to our FT friends who did not have a coating and our coach was a Nuer or degrees cool when parked side by side in direct sun.
I was told by painters that the ceramics do the coatings heat saving and the titanium adds to the reflection. 3coats are required for a good job
JohnH
Titanium has replaced lead in paint.
I have a long term friend, we met in the 60's, who is a certified coatings inspector. His take on the insulating qualities of white paint roof paint, is that the reflective coating, white, white, white, is the vast majority of the "insulating quality" of the paint. How can a mil or two of mini ceramic testicles insulate for more than a few nano seconds before being overwhelmed by the hot sun.
I vote for a very white, white, white gelcoat or one part polyurethane paint.
Just my $0.25 worth (inflated from 2 cents)
Tim
No coating. Roof is one piece of strong fiberglass. Not sure what you a asking about or why you are asking. Nothing else is every needed. Because fiberglass needs cleaning some have painted over fiberglass for a much more maintenance free surface. Because paint can be slippery when wet, fine ground glass is mixed with the roof paint.
Piece recoated his roof recently and there's a thread on his experience. West Marine used to have good info on various Marine coatings and also the microspheres for areas where better traction is wanted.
I'd just do like we have always done on boat decks, clean it well and roll a well catalyzed coat of white polyester gel coat back on it. Add wax for curing. Good for years and years, just like the original gel coated roof. Simple, cheap, attractive and ultra durable. If you want non skid, add it but will make it less self cleaning.
Heat transmission is going inversely correlate to the reflectivity index and pure white is close to the top, a silver mirror might be best but a fire hazard to surroundings. 8)
Can you explain this process a little more? Why gelcoat and not paint?
What about metal-flake white paint? haha
That's a good point, and the answer has more to do with personal preference. So, polyester gelcoat is the original coating for the roof. The advantage to using more gelcoat rather than paint is that it chemically bonds with the original coat and becomes, essentially, a new roof. If your original gelcoat is somehow eroded away to the point you can see the fiberglass substrate, no question, use gelcoat. Gelcoat has perfect water resistance, and the thickness of the coating means it'll be very unlikely to need redone again. If damaged by impact or abrasion, very easy to do a 100% fix. On working boats, a gelcoat deck is far more durable than painted.
Paint, in contrast is a coating which depends on surface adhesion. Nowadays, most auto paints are known as 2-pack, meaning they are catalyzed and shot using dry air, respirators or outside air source. They can be shot outside, but expect some defects. The 2-pack usually means an acrylic paint with a urethane hardening agent and specific thinners for ambient temp. They require some expertise to get right but it's possible to roll some of them on. They are expensive and have limited shelf life. They are very difficult to repair, and expensive to do as you typically have to buy all the components of the paint. Just plain acrylic paint, air dried, with no hardener, what we used to call "enamel paint' generally does not cure hard enough to suit most folks. The stuff I've used lately has required added dryers to make it cure reasonably well.
So, paint takes a fair amount of prep, equipment and $. It also takes awhile to dry. Your results depend on your expertise, there's no easy way to fix mistakes.
Gelcoat, like paint, requires a properly prepared surface. Waxes need to be removed. Generally, wiping it down with acetone and a rag takes care of prep assuming there's no other coating (Polyglow or the like). The gelcoat is catalyzed per mfg reps for ambient temp, and rolled on using a long handled smooth roller, walking and rolling from front to back. It cures quickly, so it's necessary to keep a move on with it. Drips, runs, ridges can be sanded smooth if necessary. Probably take 2 gallons to do a FT roof. It's possible for things to go south if you aren't familiar with materials or process so best to have some knowledgeable help on hand.
Painted roof will probably look slicker. Gelcoat roof will last longer, but will show some texture if rolled. Personally, if I were painting a roof I'd look for some of the "roll and tip" two part enamels used for boat hulls. That at least would get you out of the hassle of spraying. A paint advantage would be the ability to paint shrouds, vent covers etc.
Most likely more than you wanted to know.
And gel coat causes white streaks down the sides as it oxidizes.
This Sept will be 5 years since roof was coated with Temp-Coat (tiny ceramic pellets in a acrylic latex medium) and looks as good as the day it was applied. Not able to comment on the degree difference in coach interior temp since had it applied at the time coach was purchased but we live in South FL and I'm confident it does make a significant difference in temperature plus no white streaking.
I have wondered why there is so much interest in roof coatings. The roof on mine, which has spent the majority of its time outside is still in fine shape. Not aware of any streaking, but don't have dark painted exterior either.
Typically Gelcoat with an oxidized surface can be compounded and buffed back to gloss. Pretty easy to do on a horizontal surface. If you run your hand over it and it comes up white, it's oxidized. Alternatively, it can have a clear coating of acrylic applied...Polyglow, Red Max etc., that will have the same effect but has to be removed if you wish to paint or otherwise coat later.
Probably don't want to give swing dancing lessons on the roof after it's buffed or sealed, though. Be a tad slick. Putting down non skid white tape might deal with this.
When the NAC guys shoot a roof with their super stuff, do they pull all shrouds, equipment first?
Xtreme taped everything off and applied the coating with a roller, nice thick coat. Here in South FL if I don't apply RejeX (found it holds up longer than any type of wax/polish) on the boat every three months the gel coat is not long from starting to chalk.
My boat came from the factory with Imron paint. Paint holds up much better than Gelcoat, especially to the UV degradation. There are a lot of nice marine (I think they all started out as Airplane Paint) 2 part paints.
Gelcoat has some advantages. But I really think the reason it is used on boats is mostly because of cost--it's put in the mold first and then just left there. Painting would be another step.
When I paint my boat (and if I were to paint my RV), I plan on using Quantum paints, unless it has poor reviews before I start my project: Engineered Marine Coatings (http://quantumpaint.com/)
Insulating Paint Additive Makes Paint Insulate (http://hytechsales.com/insulating_paint_additives.html)
JohnH