sealant peeling away

[kay4]

We have an Elddis 1997, the sealant round the outside of our van has seen better days & is looking a bit worse for wear and I've noticed bits are starting to peel away. We're thinking of scrapping all the old sealant off and re-sealing it, is this a do-able diy job and if so which is the best sealant? or am i better off letting a professional do it?

Any comments would be much appreciated.

Kay

 

[JeremyClarksson]

I have used silicone sealant before for various things although not a caravan, it is relatively easy to get a better finish than some of the caravan manufacturers do.

Everything needs to be dry.

Try to apply in one go for a particular line, I find a clean finger is the best way to finish it and any thin overlapping residue is best left - or if you really want to get rid off it, it will rub off when dry.

If you have a plumber, tiler or builder friend ask them to do it or show you how.

 

[JeremyClarksson]

One other thing I forgot - be quite sparing in application, it does not take much to cover quite a long run and it can get quite messy dealing with excess and certainly does not improve the finish.

 

[Damian]

Kay, you can do it yourself, and save a fortune in labour costs.

Use Silkaflex 221 and not the silicone bath type sealant sold in B&Q etc, as the Silkaflex has better adhesion properties and never dries out fully, thereby allowing flexing without breaking the seal.

The surfaces must be clean and dry, clean old sealer off with a plastic scraper, taking care not to damage the van panels, then clean with white spirit, then apply the Silkaflex, in the same manner as Garry has suggested

 

[Guest]

Sikaflex 221 is a flexible adhesive ( used to bond in windscreens on cars ) sealant, that will glue and bond parts together as well as seal them. Some manufacturers have used white or clear bathroom type silicon sealants on outside trim that may have to be removed at times. (This could/may be what is coming away rather than the main sealing compound)

Sikaflax is great but make sure you use it in places that are not likely to be taken apart.

It can be stronger than alluminium or GRP if it sets correctly, so if you seal a light fixing with it. If you have to remove the light unit you can either break the light or damage the van sides if your not careful.

 

[vauxhall2]

hi see this for more and all info required

http://hp-h.com/p/wizard41/

 

[JeremyClarksson]

These could be quite handy - wonderful thing Google

http://www.helpwithdiy.com/decorating/silicone-sealant.html
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p=Improve/appcaulk.html

 

[sharpy]

Kay, you can do it yourself, and save a fortune in labour costs.

Use Silkaflex 221 and not the silicone bath type sealant sold in B&Q etc, as the Silkaflex has better adhesion properties and never dries out fully, thereby allowing flexing without breaking the seal.

The surfaces must be clean and dry, clean old sealer off with a plastic scraper, taking care not to damage the van panels, then clean with white spirit, then apply the Silkaflex, in the same manner as Garry has suggested

be careful where you use sikaflex, its main use is as an adhesive, not a sealer and if you do decided to use it, beware, its not uv stable and will discolour over time. better off using a quality low-modulus silicone with a primer to ensure adhesion to the area being sealed, this will prevent any peeling at a later date.

 

[RogerL]

When our 18 year old Ace Globetrotter first developed leaks, on the awning rail seam, we were told that seams should have been resealed every 5 years due to the poor quality of sealent used by caravan manufacturers.

This advice is still true as modern caravans seem to leak just as much as older ones. I sometimes think that manufacturers design / specify caravans to be kept indoors all year round!

Use a marine sealant which will tolerate weathering rather than another caravan sealant, which will only need replacing again in a few years.

 

[Heidi_374226052]

Hello all,Personally I use IDL99,available from most caravan

shops. Been using it for about five years with excellent

results.

Must make sure surfaces are clean and dry though,just like all the others.

Cheers Heidis Hubby

 

[chrisn7]

Kay-when you say 're-sealing it', did you intend to remove the various trim strips, or leave them in place and apply more sealant?

If the former you may also need a supply of stainless screws if plated steel ones were used originally, as these may have rusted. If rusting has occured, the screws can break, or the timber into which they were driven may not take a replacement if damp. Good trims that have been re-fitted often have new holes drilled for these reasons.

If the latter, then this is not really good practice.

 

[kay4]

Thanks guys for your help and advice.

Kay

 

[rob_jax]

Please don't use silicone sealant on aluminium.

The acid that is released during the "cure" will attack unprotected (maybe via a scratch in the paint) aluminium and corrode it quite badly.

The flexible butyl mastic sealants - like some of the IDL and SikaFlex sealants - don't use the high strength sealants - you want flexibility - are best for the job.

I read chemistry at York University and Imperial College, so trust me on the aluminium corrosion (and the butyl mastic).

On an Eriba, the factory sealant has a life expectancy of 10 - 15 years before it starts to loose flexibility. So yes, your Elddis is about ready for a complete re-seal - and this does mean all the trim needs unscrewing and sealing - DIY job

Robert