How to Seal and Protect your RV with Silicone Sealant
Apr 3rd 2023
Properly protecting and maintaining your RV will significantly extend its lifespan. One of the most effective ways to do this is with silicone sealant. Silicone sealant can protect against water damage, UV resistance, and roof repairs for fiberglass roofs for those who are determined to take care of their RVs. Additionally, silicone sealant can be used on all types of RV roofing materials and is a great way to ensure your RV remains in top condition.
In this article, we'll discuss how you can use silicone sealant to seal and protect your RV from the elements. We'll also look at the different types of silicone caulk available, what it does, and how you can apply it correctly to prolong the life of your RV.
Keep reading to learn all about silicone sealant for RV protection!
What Is Silicone Sealant?
If you’re new to owning an RV, you might be wondering what, exactly, silicone sealant actually is. Silicone sealant is a type of rubberized silicone that is used to seal, protect, and maintain a variety of surfaces. Silicone sealant is often used in manufacturing and construction to coat metal, plastic, rubber, and other surfaces. It is also used as an adhesive for bonding solids for DIY projects. In terms of RV maintenance, silicone sealant is used to seal walls, windows, and more as it prevents water and outdoor weather from entering.
Silicone sealant comes in a variety of forms liquid sealant, powder-based, and gel. It has been around since 1953 but didn't gain popularity until the 1980s when it was introduced in the home market; now, it is a staple of RV care and is even required by most manufacturers.
Why Is Silicone Sealant Used For RVs?
So now that you’re familiar with silicone sealant, let’s talk about why it’s such a useful material to for RVs, and how exactly you can use it to maintain your vehicle. You’ll need to seal your RV’s roof, windows, and exterior every year - or more often, depending on your RV and its maintenance requirements - to keep moisture and other elements out.
If you don’t properly seal your RV, you’re opening it up to water, dust, air, pollen, and many other things in the air. Silicone sealant doesn’t just keep out the elements, but it keeps out common pests, too. If you have a rodent or insect issue in your RV, silicone sealant will keep them away.
Silicone sealant isn’t the only option for sealing your RV off from the elements; however, it is the most effective. It's easy to apply, and it provides superior protection. Its flexible properties make it an excellent choice for RV owners who want to ensure that their vehicle is sealed properly and protected from the elements. In addition to its superior performance, silicone sealant is also cost-effective and long-lasting. This makes it an ideal material for RV owners who want to protect their investment without spending a fortune on repairs or replacements.
Types Of Silicone Sealant For RVs
Before you start using silicone sealant to prolong the life of your RV, you must understand the different types of caulks and sealants that are available on the market - because there are a lot of them! Because choosing the right type of silicone sealant for your RV project is important, you shouldn’t just grab the first option you see; instead, you should do your research about the different brands and types of silicones.
Some of the most popular brands of silicone sealant include:
- Geocel (including Geocel Proflex RV)
- Loctite
- Wickes
While those are the most popular brands of silicone sealant, that doesn’t mean they are the best for every project. In fact, there are thousands of silicone sealant brands on the market, and thousands of products owned by each company. If you look on the shelves at Walmart, you’ll find very different names than you’ll find on the shelves of a specialty store like Silicone Depot.
Because RVs require specialized silicone sealants, it’s important to go to a specialized outlet like Silicone Depot to get the materials you need for your project. It’s also a better choice to head to a specialty store instead of a store like Walmart since they’ll likely have all of the materials you need for your project - accessories like caulk guns included - while with other shops you might have to make another trip.
What To Look For In RV Sealant
When it comes to your RV, you want to make sure you have the best sealant on the market. RV sealants are designed to protect your vehicle from the elements and keep it looking good for years to come. But with so many different types of RV sealants out there, how do you know which one is right for your needs?
You should look for a silicone sealant that has high durability, flexibility, adhesion strength, and weather resistance so that you can find the perfect sealant for your recreational vehicle. You should consider affordability, too, but consider that a good silicone sealant is an investment, so it’s sometimes worth it to spend a bit more. While you will have to apply silicone sealant to your RV somewhat often, it’s best to get one that won’t wear out easily to minimize the frequency of reapplications.
RV Silicone Sealant Application Tips
RV silicone sealant is an important product when it comes to maintaining and repairing your RV. It can be used on fiberglass roofs and rubber roofing alike, meaning you’ll probably use it a lot during RV maintenance.
As a result, it's important to know the right application tips for using this sealant correctly. Let’s go over a few things you can do to make your first - or five-hundredth - silicone sealant application seamless.
- Application Tip 1: Start by applying the sealant to a clean and dry surface. Once you’ve cleaned a surface, don’t touch it or allow any items to touch the surface (other than your silicone sealant and B12 Heavy Duty Caulking Gun as you’re applying the silicone).
- Application Tip 2: Don’t apply multiple layers until the first one is dried. Once the surface is covered with sealant, it's important that you wait for the first layer to cure before beginning another layer on top of it. This way, any air bubbles in between layers will be trapped and result in an even smoother finish when finished.
- Application Tip 3: If you’re still dealing with air bubbles, use a caulk tooling spatula or another tool to run over the silicone sealant and make sure that there are no air bubbles or other irregularities.
- Application Tip 4: Be careful and patient when you apply the sealant. It’s easy to make mistakes, and you’ll need to wait until the caulk dries to fix any errors. Therefore, it’s best to prevent errors from happening in the first place.
Even if you’re new to applying silicone sealant and completing projects to care of your RV, you can apply this material on your own without any extra help if you just read up on how to properly apply sealant.
How Often To Apply Silicone Sealant To Your RV
So you have your silicone sealant in hand, and you’ve applied a solid coat to your RV, but what now? When do you need to reapply the silicone sealant to your RV again, either to the roof, the windows, or the walls?
Silicone can take some time to apply, so you probably won’t want or need to do it every single month. Instead, it’s recommended that you reapply silicone sealant every six months to keep your RV in its best condition. If you aren’t able to reapply sealant to your RV every six months, you can do it once a year and still see good results.
How often you need to apply silicone sealant to your RV also depends on a few other factors. If you have high-quality silicone sealant, you’ll likely need to apply it less often. Furthermore, if you use your RV often, the silicone sealant might see wear and tear and thus increase the required frequency of your applications.
Essentially, you should reapply silicone sealant to your RV - including your windows and roof coating, regardless of roof type - at least once a year no matter what. However, if you notice exceptional wear and tear to your silicone sealant or an inspector notices that it is damaged or improperly applied, it’s a good idea to whip out the caulking gun and apply some new silicone sealant as soon as possible.
Get Your RV Sealant Today From Silicone Depot
Are you looking for the best silicone sealant to protect your RV from water damage and prevent yourself from having to make costly roof repairs down the line? Whether you’re looking for lap sealant or other types of sealant, look no further than Silicone Depot!
Our high-quality RV roof sealants are perfect for any RV or camper and work with any types of RV roofing, providing superior protection against water damage, corrosion and other environmental elements. Whether you’re looking for Pro Grade RTV Silicone Sealant or Premium 100% RTV Silicone Sealant to seal up our RV, we have it.
With our selection of products - including not just caulks and silicones but accessories like caulking guns, too - you can find the ideal solution for your needs. Whether you’re looking for a specific type of sealant for certain parts of your RV or just want something that will last a long time, Silicone Depot has what you need. Explore our selection today and get the perfect silicone sealant for your RV!