jumpthemoon
Well-Known Member
During the torrential rain last night I noticed I have a leak in the roof of my lorry. It's a fibreglass roof and I now need to fix it, but what is the best way to do it?
Best way to fix hole in lorry roof?
- Thread starter jumpthemoon
- Start date
joeanne
Well-Known Member
A temp fix?
Silicone, the stuff you use to seal the edges of your bath.
Easy to peel off when it comes to doing the proper repair too
Silicone, the stuff you use to seal the edges of your bath.
Easy to peel off when it comes to doing the proper repair too
jumpthemoon
Well-Known Member
How would you do the proper repair?
joeanne
Well-Known Member
Resin compound.
You mix the two parts together, which forms a kind of paste (think car body filler but runnier!).
Rub down the area that needs the repair, removing all loose debris, clean and dry.......dry is the word of the day here!!
Once clean and dry, mix the resin, spread onto the area of repair (if it turns out to be a large hole you wont want to do this yourself as it involves mesh and all sorts).
Once the resin is dry, sand smooth and repaint.
Easy peasey
You mix the two parts together, which forms a kind of paste (think car body filler but runnier!).
Rub down the area that needs the repair, removing all loose debris, clean and dry.......dry is the word of the day here!!
Once clean and dry, mix the resin, spread onto the area of repair (if it turns out to be a large hole you wont want to do this yourself as it involves mesh and all sorts).
Once the resin is dry, sand smooth and repaint.
Easy peasey
Steeleydan
Well-Known Member
You need a long ladder and need to get up on the roof, because unfortunatly where you see it leaking inside may not actually be where the hole is on the outside, what happens is it leaks in and tracks around till it finds a place to come out inside. My advice to you and ive done the same myself with leaking roofs is take it to a reputable horsebox builder and have it done properly, they know what they are doing and can advise you the best corse of action.
Iam guessing the fibre glass is one full roof sheet so no joints accross ways it may be some of the sealant around the edge that has broke down and corroded. With the very hot weather and now rain it expands and contracts(over a period of years) and cracks. Where in the country are you? I could tell you who did ours and made a good job. Also once you get it repaired I would say put a de humidifier in the lorry to dry it out or it could go mouldy. PM me if you want phone numbers.
Iam guessing the fibre glass is one full roof sheet so no joints accross ways it may be some of the sealant around the edge that has broke down and corroded. With the very hot weather and now rain it expands and contracts(over a period of years) and cracks. Where in the country are you? I could tell you who did ours and made a good job. Also once you get it repaired I would say put a de humidifier in the lorry to dry it out or it could go mouldy. PM me if you want phone numbers.
jumpthemoon
Well-Known Member
joeanne - that's what my OH was telling me this morning but I wasn't sure if he was right or not
So thought I would check up on him
Steeleydan - it's only a small lorry so will be easy enough to get onto the roof. I can't afford to have it repaired, I'm saving up for the service it's going to need in October! OH is going to help me. Good idea about the dehumidifier though, thanks
I'll have a look at the sealant around the edge as well - see what your saying about it not necessarily being in the same place on the outside.
Steeleydan - it's only a small lorry so will be easy enough to get onto the roof. I can't afford to have it repaired, I'm saving up for the service it's going to need in October! OH is going to help me. Good idea about the dehumidifier though, thanks
Steeleydan
Well-Known Member
Some one has put use Silicone bathroom sealant. DO NOT use this on the outside of the lorry it may be water proof for bathrooms and showers etc but is definitly not weather proof, its not designed to with stand rain wind and sun beating down on it. It soon dries out breaks down and cracks. And ive had that advice from an ex Oakley coachbuilder. Right I understand about doind it yourself. If you ring Hartwood Elite, (advert in H&H mag) or they have a website, ring and speak to John he is very very helpful and does mail order, he will sell you the proper Polyurathane sealant that they use on lorries and post it out to you its not expensive, we had some to put round a lorry window, he told me exactly what to do. Just got number off catalouge here it is 01772 336206 Hartwood Elite Horsebox Components.
joeanne
Well-Known Member
Steelydan if you read my reply i did state silicone is only a TEMP repair, I.E short term until a proper fix can be obtained.
It wont break down in a few days be it on the inside or outside!
It wont break down in a few days be it on the inside or outside!
jumpthemoon
Well-Known Member
Steelydan - thank you thats really helpful - I'l give them a call and order some
joeanne - thanks - I think I've got some of that in the garage so I might pop some on as a temp fix until the proper stuff comes
joeanne - thanks - I think I've got some of that in the garage so I might pop some on as a temp fix until the proper stuff comes
qwertyuiop
Well-Known Member
I have used silicon sealants before, but they dry out on a roof. I now use car underseal as it remains slightly tacky. No roof leaks in the recent torrential downpours!