Only RESPONSIBLE Pop Up Camper Owners Do THIS | How to WATERPROOF Your Pop Up Camper!

This video details how to waterproof the exterior of your pop up camper, specifically demonstrated on the roof. This video details how to appropriately utilize butyl tape and silicone caulk to prevent unwanted water from entering your pop up. Done correctly, and frequently enough, this will help prevent unwanted leaks and subsequently, dreaded water damage and soft spots from occurring to your pop up camper. Given enough water and enough time, water can completely ruin a pop up camper’s wooden sub-structures in the roof, the box, or the flooring. Therefore, keeping your pop up camper properly waterproofed is critical to keeping your pop up in good condition!
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[@ItsPoppin]

Thanks for watching! We were bummed we had to cancel our camping trip this last weekend due to flooding and severe thunderstorms, but I guess we got to work on the camper more! - lol 😆

[@skipwilliam5639]

I hear ya they were calling for sever thunder storms all weekend and week here in Southern Ontario Canada.. So I canceled the weekend trip. We had storms Friday night and that was it.. Everything else went north, Weather reporting is the only job in the world where you can be right 40% of the time and still have a job.

[@cylenunemaker2444]

any idea how many tubes of the GE Advanced you went through? i plan to redo my roof in the next 1-2 weeks

[@tomsoffice]

Just a little tip or trick to 100% silicone. After laying your nice bead of 100% silicone mist it with some windex. Then wipe your joint with your finger. Silicone doesn’t stick to windex so you get a nice clean line with a lot less work. As a plumber I have Ben doing this for years on sealing toilets to the floor and looks amazing and a water tight seal. Your welcome. Will save a lot of time on making it perfect.

[@Nothern_King]

Thank you 👍

[@thisisnotmyname91]

I'm a brand new owner of a 2007 Starcraft pop-up. The previous owners did some questionable things when maintaining it. Your channel is giving me the confidence to take on the challenge of getting my trailer back into pristine condition.

[@adolfhilter7163]

To remove the old silicone I used pencil erasers ,white ones .I found that they rubbed the silicone off and wore out to the shape of what you were working on and that you didn't have to worry about scratching the panels.i went through quite a few so buy half a dozen or so .

[@danzaw]

Thank you for this video. Who says an old dog can't learn new tricks. The video was clear and concise, it offered a lot of knowledge and taught me new things. Keep up the good work.

[@TomScholfield]

Thank you so much for all your videos! We have just purchased a pop up camper (picking it up tomorrow!) and I have been learning so much!

[@a.workinprogress3438]

We bought an OLD Jayco Eagle Series 10 a couple of months ago and found some water damage and it badly needed a makeover. SO very thankful for your videos! Extremely helpful, informative, simple and easy to follow. (not too dramatic or wordy, just concise and to the point) Keep up the good work. 😊

[@ArwenKester]

Thank you for taking the time to make all these videos! We’ve just bought a new to us 2006 Palomino Yearling and it’s mostly in good condition, just needs to be resealed and there’s a section on the front part of the roof where the weather seal has come off. Learning so much watching. Can’t wait to get the camper ready and hit the trails this fall!

[@alternateimpact81]

After complety gutting and rebuilding my pop ups complety rotted roof, I went with the expensive permanent solution. I took it to a a Line-X truck bed liner facility and hat the entire roof coated. Cost about 900 Bux Canadian, but with the amount of rain on the west coast, it was worth it.

[@islandgirl3615]

Great tips! I found a leak in the toolbox/storage portion of our pop-up and want to get it taken care of asap. Also, I googled "beetle tape" like a doofus 🤦🏻 now that I know it's butyl tape, I might have more luck sourcing supplies 😂

[@jte65]

Haven’t done this type of maintenance on our pop up yet, but this gives me the confidence to do it myself and save some $$. Thanks

[@DreamCraftJournals]

Wow, I even think I can do this. Thx so much for your clear and concise instructions.

[@lensmanicu]

Very informative I’ve been rv ing for many years and found some information that I didn’t know thanks for this series

[@RockyMtnBlues]

Just got a 96 Jayco pop up and started the waterproofing process. Tape and caulk show up tomorrow but it's still 40 up here in MN so I have time to finish the project. Thanks for making an easy video to follow.

[@cherylwine6003]

That was very informative and you made what would be a daunting task much more understandable! Thanks for the video!

[@rollawayjack2854]

Nice video. I’ve been trying to find out how to do this. Very informative. Thanks for the supply list too. I have a 2006 Viking Legend. How do you repair small cracks on the roof.

[@basicmarsh]

Very helpful. Love your videos. You make it look easy 😃

[@MM-xs8tj]

This video was great! Thank you. I feel more confident tackling my new (very used) popup!

[@arta2870]

Goo Gone helps soften the old seal tape for easy removal from the trim. I found that out when I was removing the old sticky stuff left by the decal striping on my popup. Some got on that seal tape and it really soften it up.

[@JBatsche]

Great instructional, thank you.

[@DoTheDewRvB]

This is just an amazingly useful video. Thank you for making it you guys! You took a daunting, confusing process and made it clear and less intimidating 😆

[@ItsPoppin]

Well thanks

[@jmc6940]

Caulking / silicone scrappers also work great. They have a special profile specifically for this type of job. Lowe's or home depot 👍

[@josephburke1842]

Just purchased a new to me camper (2000 Coachman). It definitely needs all of this work done to it. Thanks for showing us how. I am assuming that most campers work the same way. Curious, how often do you do this full-blown waterproofing? Every couple of years?

[@evakennedy9802]

Thank you, great instructions, I just bought a 1988 Starcraft Astrolite and was planning on just replacing trim insert until I saw that the caulking was peeling and cracked. I took the trim off, planning to use butyl, then noticed that the possibly original compund was a rubbery white substance...after viewing your video, I will proceed with the butyl. But I am a huge fan of proflex rv not silicone for caulking. Thanks again, you now have one more subscriber.

[@ItsPoppin]

Cheers

[@jamesdemarco5671]

I use and highly recommend Geocel ProFlexRV sealant on my 1986 Jayco 806 Deluxe...

[@jakedangerfield9262]

Love your videos, great content. One tip I highly recommend for using any kind of caulk, is running through with a “metal ball cake fondant tool” to precisely even out the seams. Helps put a perfect edge on the caulk, and don’t have to keep cleaning off your finger.

[@ItsPoppin]

Interesting - we’ll look into it.

[@jvctnt]

Thank you for the video, and the channel! Do you need to remove the awning to be able to remove the edging? I can't quite tell on my 2004 Starcraft 2107. TIA

[@risen7913]

Amazing thank you!

[@rafaelcasero2822]

Man you have so many great videos I'm so addicted to your channel... lol. I'm pretty handy when it comes to carpentry and getting ready to replace the floor on my 2010 Jayco Jay Series 1206 and I have a few questions. Seems that the rotted floor is from the Cassette shower / toilet on the right side that spreads out to the front storage box and a little under the slide out. First time owning a Jayco but wondering if the side walls are on top of the floor ? Also how would I get under the slide out to replace that part of the wood floor does it have a front panel I can remove ? Going to assume the floor extends into the front storage box as well ? Thanks... The roof seems to be good, no wood rot on the side and front and back of it. So looks like is coming from the Cassette shower and toilet where all the rot is.

[@durrantpercussion]

I’ve been told that silicone is something you want to avoid when caulking due to the fact that you can paint over it and not a whole lot will adhere to it as well. Using a polyurethane based caulk I’ve heard is the way to go. Any knowledge you care to lend on the subject?

[@erinvanlew9293]

Yes, what you said is technically correct. But unless you're really planning to paint it yourself at home, silicone is the better option.

[@christophersander2137]

Mineral spirits loosen up caulking well too. I have used it for removing excess and old caulking in a bathroom. Still need to scrape but a lot less effort.

[@ItsPoppin]

Agreed, just be careful around paint.

[@stevenrogers4832]

Thanks for sharing another DIY vid. We were caught in a severe thunderstorm. We were coming home from a week out, when it began hailing, got our truck & trailer. Destroyed our A/C, roof vent, and the roof. Not a DIY project at our age. We will not be able to get back out until August or September. Therefore we will be camping in spirit with all our Brothers & Sisters still out there. Several of our Friends were also caught in the same storm, same result. Stay safe. We hope to see you out there in the fall.

[@ItsPoppin]

Dang, sorry to hear that Steve. Insurance?

[@stevenrogers4832]

Yes, insurance is a must. We are waiting for the repair facility to get popup in the shop to repair. There were a lot of damage to many units in our area and they were much quicker than us in getting unit to the shop. I still have unit in the barn until shop is ready to start, do not want any further damage. Thanks for asking, my Friend. Steve

[@donnagraves381]

Do you know if you can use 1"x 12" pvc board to replace the roof side rail. Also, how much weight needed to be supported by the brackets that get mounted for the lift system?

[@shahria6759]

Hi mate, I have 2007 Jayco expanda which fly screen is broken in may place and sew with the canvas. How to replace it completely? Thanks in advance

[@force55024]

Caulk then paint roof or paint 1st then caulk?

[@hilly7040]

Love the demolition ranch shirt!!

[@shayannwaddle6658]

I didn't know my camper roof would come apart like this and I've bent two of my corner tracks🥺 im going to take all the inlay out and replace mine. Do you have any advice on the two bent corners? Should I cut the track at that spot and replace with new plastic corner end caps? I'm replacing my front and back roof boards that rotted from the previous owner so im hoping opening the roof this way will make it easier for me, then I can reseal it properly.

[@sickofmaga]

What do you think of the Eternabond products.. for calking trailer roofs?

[@cherylmalcolm3386]

You totally make me feel like I CAN DO THIS!!! 😉

[@ItsPoppin]

You can!

[@cherylmalcolm3386]

Thanks. My older kids are worried about me locking or securing myself inside for the night. Any suggestions?

[@tonyshannon8712]

Noticed the badger flag!!! lol. Fox valley here. Go Bucky. Love the info you two give thanks.

[@ItsPoppin]

🤙

[@djr01974]

Hello and thanks for the information. We just bought our first pop up from the orig owner. Always garaged. My question is I will be resealing the roof areas as you this weekend. I picked up 2 tubes that you recommend. Our pop up is a 2010 Santa Fe the box / roof is 12.5 feet. Do you think I’ll have enough to do the corners and down the sides and front and rear areas. I’m thinking 2 tubes should go along way. Oh btw thanks for the cassette video. Helped a lot. Dave.

[@ItsPoppin]

Yeah, should be good

[@skipwilliam5639]

You always do a great job of going way above and beyond which is a great quality to have . ..lol

[@jackie1this1]

I love your videos! We bought a pop up recently, and watching these makes me feel like we can do this work! Ours doesn’t even need much, thank goodness. It did have a dead mouse in it, however, and we have YET to get the smell of that out. I have used bleach, essential oils, and Nature’s Miracle. Any other suggestions?

[@ItsPoppin]

Take out the cushions, curtains, valences, and matress covers and machine wash them.

[@steveharding210]

Sell it.

[@christianalexisrivas1280]

Como se llama la cinta que colocas en el.techo. minuto 16:00

[@arlathomas6815]

Question: where did you find the vinyl strip to replace the old one when you resealed the roof? What size is it? We are about to attempt this and are unsure where to source this strip/trim.

[@ItsPoppin]

Check the video details for links

[@heidisimon9944]

Is it ok to use Silicone caulking? I have heard otherwise.

[@djvariant88]

Also new screws!

[@xXwildcat71Xx]

any tips/tricks/advice for doing the center seam on a JAYCO Eagle 12UD?

[@ItsPoppin]

I believe it’s the same concept as this video details.

[@ramonbrown6629]

Great tutorial, re-sealing our used jayco eagle 10'. Whomever sealed it last used an excessive amount of silicone caulk. However, instead of butyl tape they used glasing putty (which doesn't cure) so now doing it right myself thanks to this video.

[@KRT045]

Try not to feel too bad, here in AZ wildfires and dry conditions have closed all National Forests and public lands. Hoping the summer monsoon starts and brings lots of rain!!

[@ItsPoppin]

We will try to send some your way!

[@Leolioness44]

Flex Seal (multiple types of the product available) excellent for camper and Canvas tent repairs

[@matthewellison7672]

Can I have the link to the video where you fixed the corner of the frame box?

[@ItsPoppin]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fmOxqnd9bpqnm6s

[@firefighter2101]

I was always told never remove the factory sealant... Just apply caulk over it. But watching this it seems pretty manageable to create a "factory like" seal with the new butyl tape.

[@ItsPoppin]

Interesting - that sounds like it could get messy after a few reapplications lol.

[@firefighter2101]

@@ItsPoppin you used a little TV magic during the video but about how long did it take to do the whole roof?

[@ItsPoppin]

You could probably knock it out in a couple hours. It's hard for me to estimate, with the roof rack mounts and filming, it definitely took quite a bit longer.

[@dawg7915]

Not sure who would tell you that, always remove the old caulk, impurities like oils and tree sap will remain and not allow the new caulk to adhere to the old. I found that out the hard way. Do not use Silicone it does not hold up to the sun, Dicore is preferred and will find its own level also, It also expands and contracts without splitting due to heating and cooling of the surface because it really never cures to a solid.. If you do use silicone, use the type that's used in bathrooms that wont mildew. It is a cheaper alternative to DiCore. But wont last as long

[@fryloc359]

@@dawg7915 Whoever owned my camper before me siliconed all the joints. Now its all falling off.

[@juliehartmann-cady6554]

Hi is #999a dow silicone different then what you used?

[@ItsPoppin]

Yes, it's different.

[@tomcentri7906]

Where did you get your new trim insert ?

[@ItsPoppin]

Amazon - there’s a link in the video description

[@djvariant88]

Also Dicor corner tape or Eternabond would be another great option under that Butyl tape.

[@ItsPoppin]

Eternabond is a giant pain to get off, that's for sure.

[@djvariant88]

@@ItsPoppin I'm sure! In theory you shouldn't have to take it off again.

[@melissawooden5120]

The top of my pop up is different so i am wondering if I would need to take off those corner pieces, applying butyl tape and then caulking? I have a 2004 fleetwood hemlock high side. It is new to us and I want to make stir we are maintaining it is a way that will make sure we don’t have any major issues in the further

[@ItsPoppin]

You can always take it off and take it a look yourself to see what the factory used, but a great resource on Fleetwood pop ups is Pop Up Camper Pro on KZbin. I'm sure Derek can point you in the right direction.

[@stevenbrogna1100]

Do you have the ABS roof on the Fleetwood Hemlock?

[@wyldc6708]

How did you repair that hole in the roof? Had a limb fall on mine

[@ItsPoppin]

Put a bigger hole in it by installing a roof vent fan. For a smaller hole, try JB water weld or a fiberglass repair kit - that is if you’re roof is made of fiberglass.

[@jeffvining6534]

I’m gonna suggest, that you clean it off and when you remount use sikaflex, marine wht sealant

[@matthewjones3569]

Why? What are the additional benefits over silicone/lap sealant? (thxs)

[@bekahbeeb]

Honestly I'm impressed lol. I thought if your take those rails off that basically the whole thing just falls apart lol. This does give me confidence. Do you know if this still applies to toy haulers and resealing all of those cracked an falling apart silicone/sealants?

[@ItsPoppin]

I'm sure it would. What year/make/model do you have?

[@bekahbeeb]

@@ItsPoppin it's an 04 Ragen toy hauler I believe 27'

[@ItsPoppin]

Gotcha, not what I was envisioning when you said toy hauler. I don't know anything about those, so this would be something you may have to explore yourself.

[@bekahbeeb]

Yes it's new to us. We did have a pop up previously that did need these things done to it.

[@Wendessa]

Where do you get the weather strip middle piece from? I found butyl tape on Amazon but unsure do the other stuff you said looked discolored.

[@ItsPoppin]

Amazon as well. It’s called trim insert and comes in different widths and colors.

[@Wendessa]

@@ItsPoppin Perfect! Would you say the average pup uses 1” trim insert? I have almost everything I need to start replacing the edges like you did in the video! Any suggestions for a p-up door that has a gap my hand can fit into even when leveled? We finished camping, put the camper down and then did a once over before removing the levels and leaving- that’s when I noticed a big gap between the lower half of the door (the part that stays in place while the top part gets put into the pup), and the ceiling of the popped down camper. Ever run into that before?

[@ItsPoppin]

Tough call of the trim insert. I recommend measuring exactly what you have. Regarding the door, I can only imagine that either your frame is bent (least likely) or your roof is being unevenly raised. What kind of pop up or lift system do you have? If you determine that, you may be able to adjust your roof to reduce that gap.

[@monafiore9226]

Redoing the caulking that's not up to par is obvious for me to see, but what about the actual roof top? My jayco's roof seems to have what looks like thousands of minuscule cracks on the surface. Do you just wax it to bring it back to life or does it need to be coated with something?

[@ItsPoppin]

If it's actual cracks and not just the natural look of the fiberglass, a lot of people coat their roofs with an acrylic or silicone rubber roof coating such as Henry's or Dicor. We've not done this - at least not yet, but it may be an option worth looking into.

[@monafiore9226]

@@ItsPoppin Thank you for responding so quickly. You are right, the roof has a rough texture (not quite the same as the side walls on our 5th wheel which I wax) and it probably is the natural look after 10 years. I am the 3rd owner. There is no sign of leaking inside so I am unsure whether it is something I need to take care of right away. There are very few articles I've seen of people talking about the actual fiberglass roof on their pop ups. So I'm not sure I should worry about it too much.I take it, you do nothing more than wash your roof. I am looking to your experience to learn more about my new to me pup.

[@SuperCyril2]

Dicor roof sealant. It's in a paint can. Great stuff.

[@mollieandresmatias4832]

Do you think the butyl tape could be used to seal the fan on top of a camper? Ours is leaking.

[@ItsPoppin]

Yes. Butyl tape in between the fan and the roof along the screw line. Then seal the screw tops with dicor self leveling lap sealant along with the edge of the fan where the fan and roof meet. If you want to see what I’m talking about, check out this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4vYeol_n653lac right at about the 14:50 mark.

[@alec3ndrerblx613]

Could you to a tutorial on how to redo the decals/graphics on a pop up camper?

[@ItsPoppin]

Yeah, that's been something in consideration!

[@alec3ndrerblx613]

@@ItsPoppin Thanks!😀

[@stevenbrogna1100]

eBay has tons of graphics. I have a 2007 Jayco select 12HW. Got all new on front, rear and sides.

[@John2413h]

Can I ask why the tape is used at all. Why not a bead of caulking that squishes out and wiped clean?

[@ItsPoppin]

Butyl tape is really neat in the fact that it never really drys out especially the butyl tape underneath the trim. It also interfaces well with screws such that screws pull the butyl tape into the screw holes, thereby keeping water out. Finally, in my opinion, butyl tape is much easier to remove compared to caulk when/if your replacing or doing repairs.

[@billlydon2710]

how thick is the butyl tape?

[@ItsPoppin]

You can buy it in different thicknesses. This was 1 inch.

[@4dayweekend879]

why not use dicor or a rv type sealant?

[@ItsPoppin]

Yeah, feel free to use whatever you like

[@chrisgreene123]

About to replace the roof side walls on ours, so this is showing me how to avoid having to do that again for a few years… 😂😂😂

[@alizabowden5440]

Ok, folks we have a Camplite Popup 1997, and what would be the best silicon to use? Any suggestions, we are new to this popup camper world. Enjoyed the video greatly.

[@jessrouse8475]

Don't ever use silicone. Flex RV sealant.

[@SuperCyril2]

Polyurethane sealant is the best. Can be purchased at any hardware store.

[@CampingDad247]

trust me don't go to home depo and ask for beetle tape! lol! after some searching its butyl tape

[@JohnHenry2420]

A heat gun will soften the caulk and help speed up the process.

[@03tenderlv]

My pop up unravel to where it won't go up

[@skipwilliam5639]

After watching this video I went and ordered this for my camper. I bought the cheaper thin stuff .. DO NOT BUY the cheaper thinner stuff. It looks like crap and I dont trust it to keep anything out.

[@jrmyaya81]

No silicone!!!!!

[@ItsPoppin]

Ha, I knew there would at least be one dissenter. What's your preferred sealant and why?

[@jrmyaya81]

@@ItsPoppin proflex-rv. That way when it comes time to seal again, it won't be a problem. Nothing sticks to silicone. Not even silicone.

[@djvariant88]

Agreed. The Dicor stuff would be a much better option.

[@marco80antonio]

Love your videos! You've saved me money. What do you recommend for roof sealant? How about a video on sealing your roof? Thank you.

[@adamharrold282]

@@ItsPoppin Sikaflex

[@stevenbrogna1100]

Don’t use silicone on any and all camper types made.

[@ItsPoppin]

Why?

[@stevenbrogna1100]

@@ItsPoppin silicone can never get removed properly. Only use Dicor products or equivalent.

[@douglasward7136]

How long did it take you do this and where did you get the material to do this