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Rubber Roofs Continue to Gain Popularity
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Extracted from RV Business, Coleen Perez, author
Ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber roofing,
which was first introduced to the RV market in 1983m is
continuing to make gains against the traditional one-piece
aluminum roof, according to EPDM suppliers and RV makers.
For example, Brian Gettys at Protective Coatings Inc. a
Fort Wayne, Ind.-based EPDM supplier, observed that the
major RV trade shows "which only had a few units with EPDM
on display at first, now have 60% to 70% EPDM-equipped
units." Gordon Bradford, product manager for another EPDM
supplier, Alumax Building Products, Riverside, Calif.,
agreed, citing "progressively strong growth in EPDM to
replace aluminum" in the last three years.
Rubber roofing, which was initially concentrated in
motorized units, seems to be expanding into almost every
RV sector. Gregg Fore, director of sales at Dicor Corp.,
Elkhart, Ind., said his company sees a definite move to
increased EPDM use in truck campers and lower-priced
travel trailers and fifth wheels.
Trends at major RV-manufacturing firms tend to support
those supplier readings. For example, Jayco Inc.,
Middlebury, Ind., now offers EPDM roofing as an option in
nearly all of its lines and price ranges, according to
Wayne Miller, Jayco director of engineering. (Only tent
campers have no rubber-roof option.)
EPDM use has also increased at Coachmen Recreational
Vehicle Co., Middlebury, Ind., where approximately 60% of
units are equipped with EPDM roofs, according to Joe Kalil,
Coachmen RV product designer. Jim Richardson, Coachmen RV
senior engineer for Class A motorhomes, said the company
began using EPDM on its motorized line in 1989 and then
expanded EPDM use to the travel-trailer line.
It was escalating aluminum costs in 1988 that first
prompted many of these RV manufactures to consider the
EPDM-roofing alternative. "Everyone was skeptical at fist,
but, when aluminum roof price went up too quickly, it
caused a lot of the bigger RV manufactures to look at us,"
explained John Krzyzewski, salesman at EPDM supplier Alpha
Tool Inc., Elkhart, Ind.
While the cost savings has since dissipated, Fore at Dicor
noted that EPDM’s features have allowed it to continue to
increase market share. In today’s maker, EPDM costs more,
but we don’t foresee people switching back," Fore
asserted. And manufacturer experience backs up that claim.
Richardson said that the RV maker has since enjoyed such
"excellent feedback from the field" on its EPDM-equipped
units that it is currently considering expansion of EPDM
use.
A major reason EPDM has been able to retain customers is
the product’s impressive list of advantages. EPDM
suppliers point out that the rubber roofing offers a clean
appearance (avoiding the streaking of aging aluminum
roofs), noise reduction, better interior cooling, low
maintenance, and ease of installation and repair. All of
the EPDM manufacturers also offer a standard 10-year
warranty.
But perhaps the most important EPDM characteristic is the
products ability to shed surface water and protect the
substructure. Describing an EPDM roof as a type of giant
gasket, Krzyzewski explained, "With EPDM you can cover the
entire coach so there is less possibility of leaks."
EPDM suppliers admit there are a few negative aspects of
EPDM. One concern is the product’s initial tendency to
chalk, which is caused by a talc used in the manufacturing
process to keep the EPDM membrane from sticking together
before application. (Proper washing can eliminate this
problem.) EPDM also is easily torn if, for example, the
consumer slides a sharp-edged metal trunk toward a roof
rack. But, EPDM is also easily repaired, add rubber
advocates.
Overall, EPDM advantages seems to outweigh problems, and
several developments should further boost its appeal:
 More
color selections, such as beige and gray, are being added
to the standard white. Protective Coatings and Alumax even
offer customized color choices now.
More
environment-friendly, water-based adhesives are being
introduced.
Several
product changes are in the works. Ken Long, director of
sales, testing and application at Kingstree Building
Products Inc., Elkhart, Ind., an EPDM supplier since 1986,
said his company plans offering seamless-sheet EPDM in
early April.
Another new EPDM feature at Kingstree is a cleaner sheet
that eliminates the talc powder problem and offers
resistance to fungus and mildew, In addition, Dicor has
introduced a new, thinner membrane reinforced polyester,
that it says costs less for the same performance as
regular EPDM. |
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