Roof repair elastometric vs DIY metal roof

[jberglan]

I am planning on helping my dad repair a 30 or 35 year old single wide trailor 12x60. The roof has leaked on and off over the years and when it has they have put tar up to stop the leak and there always seems to be a new one or leak again.

I found the article on the "inexpensive metal roof" you can install yourself http://www.mobilehomerepair.com/article7.htm. Can this roof really be as cheap as 1000?

I also was reading about the elastometric option with using the fabric layer with the other coats on top.

Is one better than the other?

I was reading about the AMES products but I am not near one of those stores is there a comparable quality product at Home Depot or Lowes?

[Greg]

Hi & welcome. I am sure JD will see this and add his thoughts, but I believe you will have a problem adding Elastometric sealer over tar based sealer. You would need to get the tar off of the roof before sealing with a kool seal type coating. Greg

[RumCreeker]

I believe you can use Koolseal products over tar , but you must use a special primer that Koolseal makes to coat the roof first. I have not seen this primer at Lowes or H.D. but I think I have seen it on the Koolseal website. However, with the price of the primer (probably two coats) and the Koolseal (three coats) I think I would go with DIY roofover.

[JD]

Yes, old dried asphalt based mastic can coated if primed first. Both KST coatings (KoolSeal) and Ames Research coatings have a primer for problem surfaces. I wouldn't use either on fresh mastic though. If the "blackjack" type material is still soft, I would scrape off what I could and wash off the rest with mineral spirits, then wash off the minerals spirits with lacquer thinner. (NO SMOKING) Fresh asphalt sealants will leech through primer and elastomerics and dry out the coatings.

I use and buy Ames Research products direct from their website. They are very helpful people there and I highly recommend them. The standard 7 YR KoolSeal is and acrylic product and in my opinion is not nearly as good as MaximumStretch and Elasto-Barrier from Ames Research. I have used both manufacturers products quite a bit. I do see that KST has a Premium KoolSeal that has a 10 YR warranty. Maybe this product has a better formulation. In their ads they only say "rubber-like" and do not say that it has rubber. Maximum Stretch and Elasto-Barrier are both rubber infused products. Elastobarrier is gray and I use it as the undercoat. It has a 1000% elongation rating. Maximum Stretch is white with 750% elongation.

I doubt that a metal roof or an elastomeric (Ames or Premium) will cost less than $1000. To end up with an elastomeric roof that you could actually call a roof, instead of a re-coat (1-2 coat touch up) you would need 4-5 coats minimum. With some primer and seam tape, you are a little over $1000 for your single-wide. You would have a roof that should last 15-20 years if it is done properly.

A metal roof should have some type of an insulator between the two roofs as well as the 1x4s. 1/4" fanfold would work, but 1" (or more) polyiso foam board would be better. Last I looked, this stuff would run 75 cents a square foot. Even polystyrene foam panels are about $12 a panel for 1". The 1/4" fanfold would be cheaper. I wouldn't use HomeWrap for this application, but maybe 30# roof felt would work. Anyways, you still haven't bought the metal. I don't know what it cost because I don't use it, but $1/SF would not surprise me. When it comes to metal roofing, there are different products and different prices. The good stuff will certainly cost more. A metal roof installed improperly or of poor design could leak on the first rain.

Which would be best to use would be your call. Here in my area, a new metal roof would require a permit whereas a coating would not.

JMO
JD

[homebuff]

Hey! JD, I have a V-style roof on my trlr. & its a 88 model . I did not see any V-style on the do it your self link on steel panels. Only the flat oval style. Is it possible to install these panels on my style roof & do it in a safe manner? I was considering on purchasing some in the future. Mine gets leaks also & have to add some tar around the pipes & some of the seams where I have to get up there & walk around. Those gutters are a mess when they get all clogged up w/ leaves & other debris.

[JD]

I am assuming you are talking about a peaked roof that comes to a point in the middle as compared to a curved top roof. If so, metal roofs can be installed on both types. On a peaked roof, the panels would only cover half of the roof, ending at the peak or ridge. A ridge cap is installed over the middle where the panels come together. On a curved top roof, the panels are installed as a one piece, contouring with the curve in the roof. Installing the roof safely is more about the installer than the roof product.

JD

[Yanita]

Hey JD,

Would you split these post. They get confusing real quickly.

FORUM MEMBERS....Folks just a quick reminder to please post your questions seperately. Although many times the situation is the "same" it can actually be quite different in nature from the orginal posters question. Location ect comes into play with alot of roofing questions.

Thanks,

Yanita

[homebuff]

I'm very sorry Yanita. Just want to get this roof done right before winter sets in.

[Yanita]

Hi Homebuff,

No problem asking the question and certainly understand wanting to get it done right.

Could you please ask your question in a seperate thread. This enables you and the OP to get the correct info without confusion.

Go ahead and repost, certainly you will get the answers you need.

Thanks
Yanita

[Jerry W]

Last summer when I was deciding what to do with my roof, I priced the material for the DIY metal roof at Menards for my 14x70 and it was about $1,600, probably more now.