Step-by-step: How to Patch an RV or Motorhome Rubber Roof

Did you park a little too close to your neighbor's tree and a branch made a tear in your rubber roof? Or maybe you hired the neighbor's kid to shovel your trailer roof this winter and he got too close and now there is the gouge in the rubber roof.

There is no need to panic, we are going to walk you through the important steps to take in repairing your camper roof.

Inspect and Identify your RV Roof to Repair

Inspect your RV roof. Mark with painter's tape if you are unable to seal it at that moment: so you can identify it when you are in a better location.

Identify if you will be able to perform the repair with the RV roof sealant material you carry on hand when you are camping.

If the damage requires a structural repair that cannot be done at this time, do your best to cover the area with a small tarp in the interim. Be sure to secure the tarp accordingly. 

Finally, when it is nice out with no threat of rain, it's time to patch the roof.

Follow these steps to complete a repair on a small puncture or tear in your RV rubber roof:

1. Ensure you have RV Flex Repair Tape, we always recommend you travel with this as it is a convenient solution to any small holes, tears, and scratches you may experience while camping. It can also be used for a multitude of other purposes: repairing those hail holes in your awning. Create an RV rubber roof patch kit with the essentials, so you are never caught out in the rain.
2. Clean the area thoroughly with biodegradable soap. Use Acetone and rags to give a final wipe before application.
3. Use scissors or a utility knife to cut the tape. 
4. Apply. The rule of thumb is to leave at least a 2.5-3 inch diameter around the puncture for optimized sealing.
5. The last step: is not necessary but we believe it does help since the patch has now created an edge. We suggest sealing around the edges of the patch with our RV Flex Repair Self-Leveling Caulking. 

While you are up there repairing that small puncture, you already have the materials required to reseal your roof seams. Do not get discouraged, if you were able to complete a patch, resealing your seams will be a cakewalk. 

How to Seal Your camper Roof Seams

1. Ensure you have your RV Flex Repair Tape and your RV Flex Repair Self-Leveling Caulking
   
2. Clean your seams thoroughly, removing any old, loose, or flaking caulking material or silicone. Anything that doesn't appear to come off, can stay and we will just go over the top.  It is important to clean this well for optimized sealing. Clean with acetone before moving on to the next step.
3. Cut the RV Flex Repair tape to the length required, remove the film backing of the tape, lay gently on the seam.
4. Roll with the seam roller to apply. Voila!
5. You're going to perform the above step 1-2 around any fixtures such as stink pipes, antennas etc,  but instead of using the Flex Tape, take your RV Flex Repair Self-Leveling Caulking and caulking tool to apply this around each fixture.
   
1. Cut the tip of the caulking and puncture the internal seal ( most caulking tools have a skewer on the side for this reason, but a screwdriver works just as well)
   
2. Insert into the Caulking tool and Apply. It is self-leveling, so a generous amount is unnecessary.
   

If step-step written instructions are not your strong point, check out our how-to videos.

Proper maintenance like the above will add years to the life of your camper roof, and prevent any costly trailer roof replacements in the long run. 

We cannot wait to see your handi-work because our products make it so simple, giving you more time to enjoy camping! 

Get started on your next DIY RV project! Shop Our Selection Now. Use code BLOG15 to get 15% off your next order!