A review of the Best Caulk for RV Exterior

It is a possibility that at some points, you will encounter rainfall or water formed due to change in weather patterns as you camp in your RV. If water is allowed to penetrate the RV through the ceiling, wall cracks or windows, you will end up with numerous damaged items.

This is where the best caulk for RV exterior becomes useful as you can use it to make your RV’s exterior robust and heavy-duty to prevent water penetration. Given that there are lots of improvements you want to do on the RV’s interior, it will be quite expensive to spend huge sums of money on the exterior components as well. This is, however, not true when you go the best caulk for RV exterior’s direction.

Use these cheaply available materials to prevent mold from setting in, buckling of the floor or rotting of the walls due to dampness. Ensure you do regular checkups on your motorhome and re-caulk all the necessary areas. This is actually what has necessitated the compilation of this article. We hope that it will save you from the dangers associated with water while camping.

We have carefully gone through the profiles of various caulks in the market, their features, merits, demerits, customer feedback, and satisfaction among other things to arrive at the very best 4 products that are high performers in this area.

These products are as listed below:

Regardless of the kind of surface of your RV; whether it is oily, frozen or damp, this sealant will efficiently bond with these foreign materials for the best results ever. Its high flexibility is the reason behind its excellent adhesion to various surfaces including the dampest or those containing foreign materials.

It has also been found to be highly resistant to ultra-violet rays’ harsh effects, cracks and dirt pick-up. Well, you might be wondering if this will be the end of painting your RV. Not at all, this sealant is paintable giving the RV a nice finish

Another great reason why we consider it as the best is because it can be resealed. This means that you can apply it on your own without seeking a hand from anybody. In fact, it is a non-stringing formulation which is relatively easy and faster to apply.

It is available in a tube at a quantity of 10 Oz. This product is also accompanied by a full manufacturer warranty and weighs just 14.4 ounces. You need to, however, note that this sealant is not water-sealable. There is, therefore, a need for you to have other kinds of solvents like spirit with you during its application.

On the other hand, it is highly elastic meaning that it will flex depending on how the wind is blowing and temperature changes. What’s more, it is a very clear product that can maintain this feature for a longer duration of time. It doesn’t, therefore, turn yellow or easily stain like low-quality caulks.

Another great feature that this product is characterized with is its long-lasting ability which can go up to 20 times the traditional sealants. Just like the first product above, it is paintable and resistant to UV, water, and mildew.

This product is resistant to UV rays and is color matched at the same time making it able to prevent stains, discoloration and deterioration regardless of the material it has been applied to. The caulk has an improved ability to remain flexible and continuously seal. The application process of this product is very simple; you only need a small and flat paint brush.

It is also self-leveling; therefore, it will flatten out on its own and in the process allowing water to flow through it in a proper manner. What’s more, it does not crack, peel or leak which makes it feature among the very best sealants currently available in the market.

This product is available in tubes at a quantity of 10.3 ounces. Again, it is worth noting that it is white in color. The product has a weight of 1 pound.

It is also UV-stabilized which makes it able to prevent deterioration and discoloration. Besides, you won’t experience any staining on any kind of material it has been applied on. And its application process is just a breeze; doesn’t require much effort to get it right.

This product also self-levels which then allows water to freely pass on the RV’s surface without any stagnation or leaks being experienced. It is usually available in different packs as you may want but subject to its availability. What’s more, it is flexible and seals continuously at the same time. The pack of 4 weighs 5.1 pounds and each tube holds 10.3 Oz. of this white sealant.

Factors to consider when looking for the best caulk for RV exterior

A caulk meant for important stuff like the RV should never be gambled with. It is something that you need to get right on the first stab. What this means is that you need to equip yourself with relevant knowledge on caulks before you hit the search button.

There are some factors that you should, therefore, think of whenever you need a caulk for RV exterior. They are the same factors that we had to look at when we were coming up with this list as well. Take a look at them:

1/ Water Repellency

The main reason you are caulking your RV is to prevent water from leaking into your motorhome. The caulk you settle on should, therefore, be able to repel water either from rainfall or any kind of moisture for it to perform the work it is meant for.

The compounds from which the product has been derived from should help you determine whether it will be able to repel water or not. Any caulk that attracts water will be prone to frequent leaks. You, therefore, need to be certain that whatever you are purchasing will be 100% water repellant.

A caulk that is capable of handling different weather conditions is the ideal choice to make.

Is the caulk easy to apply? Is it something you can do on your own? These are other important questions that you need to ask yourself before you buy any sealant. While there are water-solvent caulks that you can just clean easily using water, there are others that will require that you use other chemical solvents.

Cleaning up the caulk after you are done applying it should not take you much time. You also need to know the kind of fumes that the product produces during application and while curing. There are others that are often characterized by harmful fumes that will make the RV unusable until it cures properly well.

Caulks for RV exterior are available in different types with the most common one being the silicone caulks. Silicone is white in color making its use popular in sinks, bathtubs, and toilets. However, silicone caulks are not good for use in RV exteriors since it tends to become too hard and brittle.

Again, it can’t withstand the frequent movements that RVs are often subjected to. Besides, its removal process is difficult.

The second type is the polyurethane caulks. This type is easy to remove, but you can as well just add an additional coat to the previously applied coat without removing it. With the silicone type, the previous layer has to be removed since nothing sticks on it.

Before you decide on the type of caulk to go for, you need to be aware of the type of material that has been used to make the surface of your RV. There are some caulks that adhere so well to some surfaces compared to others.

You can always read the manufacturer’s descriptions to help gauge whether the product is specifically designed for use on certain surfaces.

4/ Compatibility with RV materials and Fixtures

The RV areas that often require waterproofing include windows, walls, and roofs, just to mention but a few. These RV parts are usually made of different materials like metals, aluminum, concrete, synthetic rubber, wood and vinyl among others.

Having this information at the back of your mind, you should hence choose a caulk that is highly compatible with a majority of these materials.

There are also other caulks designed specifically for use on either vertical structures like windows or horizontal ones like roofs. If you can find caulks that are capable of handling both the vertical and horizontal structures then the better for you. You will end up saving some money which isn’t the case when you decide to purchase each product for every structure.

You need to be aware of the temperature and moisture conditions of the places that you frequent with your RV. This will help you choose a caulk that is capable of withstanding different moisture levels as well as temperature changes.

It is the RV’s exterior that often gets exposed to the adverse weather conditions like the extremely hot and cold temperatures. You should, therefore, buy a caulk that won’t disappoint you down in any kind of environment you might find yourself RV camping.

6/ Price of the caulk

Caulks meant for RV exteriors are generally inexpensive. But given that you might need more than just one tube for the best results, this can make the purchase a bit expensive in the long run. The number of tubes needed depends on various factors like the size of the RV and the number of areas that need waterproofing.

How frequent you camp can also determine the amount of caulk that you will have to buy. If you camp a number of times in a year, there is a high possibility that you will have to deal with leaks more than an occasional camper.

The quality of caulk previously applied can also have a hand in determining the amount of caulk to buy especially if the previously applied one was of low quality and needs to be replaced. Only buy a caulk that you believe has its features and quality matched with the price.

But don’t go for a cheaper product just to save some money without carefully assessing how productive it is likely to be. Nobody wants to spend on a junk product.

You can have a well-built waterproof RV exterior without spending a lot of money in the process. For instance, tour buses usually have such features, but this makes them quite expensive but here is a chance for you to protect your RV’s interior without much effort.

You need to keep yourself comfortable at any given time you are out camping regardless of the changes in weather. It is for this reason that you need to caulk your RV using the best caulk for RV exterior. And no product matches Geocel 28100V Pro Flex Flexible Sealant in this area.

It is highly flexible which makes it a perfect fit for various RV models and is also easy to apply. At the same time, it is capable of withstanding adverse weather conditions and joint movements as a result of its impressive expansion and contraction properties.

This is what we have been using on our RVs and we can simply say it is the best of the best because it is also re-sealable, UV-stabilized, paintable and bonds so well. You can give it a try by purchasing it.

Which of these products have you used before? Would you like to try any other from our list based on the information herein? We will be glad to hear from you.