Roof adhesive

[Onemore52]

We have been having a lot of leaks coming through the iron roof, of course I am too old to get up there and have a look at what the problem is.

So yesterday I got a young bloke up there to take some photos, and surprise, surprise the roof wasn't installed properly with the overlappings not done correctly.

The only way I can figure out how to remedy this, apart from a new roof, is to put some sort of adhesive in the gaps, and of course around the tek screws.

Any recommendations what is an adhesive that works?

I did think for a millisecond about taking the panels off and reinstalling them correctly, the only problem there is the same people would be quoting for the job.

Yes, I do realise that I should never had done this in the first place but now too late, it is now a matter of fixing the SPU  KCUF.

TIA

[Joey G]

3M Marine Adhesive Sealant 5200...  you must prime the metal where you're going to apply it, before application, if you go this route.

Edited October 7, 2020 by Joey G
add info

[hk blues]

We used Elastoseal for sealing around the tek screws - this was done from the inside before the ceiling was installed so no unsightly marks on the roof surface - not an option for you now perhaps? You could also use clear silicone. That will work for the tek screws/small holes - maybe Vulcaseal for the larger ones. No doubt there are better options as mentioned in the above post but some require some preparation.  

Edited October 7, 2020 by hk blues

[Tommy T.]

3 hours ago, Joey G said:

3M Marine Adhesive Sealant 5200...  you must prime the metal where you're going to apply it, before application, if you go this route.

 

1 hour ago, hk blues said:

We used Elastoseal for sealing around the tek screws - this was done from the inside before the ceiling was installed so no unsightly marks on the roof surface - not an option for you now perhaps? You could also use clear silicone. That will work for the tek screws/small holes - maybe Vulcaseal for the larger ones. No doubt there are better options as mentioned in the above post but some require some preparation.  

Hmmm... I have had a bit of experience trying and using a variety of sealants on my yacht.

I started off when we first purchased it and used some sort of silicone sealant. It did not hold a seal nor stick well to much of anything.

Next was Sikaflex, which is a polyurethane sealant. It leaked after setting up and when exposed to extreme flexing and heavy weather. It turned out to not be so flexible or amenable to heavy UV exposure.

Then I tried 5200, another polyurethane... It is a great adhesive, but I found it is not very flexible - maybe not an issue with a roof, but it tended to harden and pull away from some surfaces that it did not adhere to so well - like teak, glass, stainless steel.

So I went on to another adhesive (my issue was trying to seal glass prisms mounted in teak decks with fiberglass below, balsa wood in the middle and stainless steel frames on top - talk about a nightmare!).

Somebody suggested 3M 795 sealant. It is a type of silicone. I actually called up the home office of 3M in Michigan one day and spoke with one of their techies. I asked the question: what adhesive/sealant do you have that sticks to steel, glass, teak and fiberglass. Without missing a beat he said "795." Sold! I bought some and tried it out. After 10 years, there were still several deck prisms that did not leak. I used it everywhere that needed to be sealed or caulked.

Anyway... I digressed again, sorry. There is also a GE formulation that is similar, but I don't know the name. The 795 and the GE equivalent are silicone sealants used to hold and seal windows in place in high-rise buildings. That is their most common use. They remain always flexible and stick to virtually anything and are very strong and UV resistant. The 3M product was not available when we were in Australia or NZ, but the GE product was so I suspect it can be found here. But, sorry, I don't remember the name of it.

Anyway, I find silicone sealants - for me - worked better than the others... just my experience, for what it's worth...

By the way... if you do use a silicone sealant, I suggest you consider using a "neutral cure" rather than the standard version. The regular ones cure using acetic acid - smells like vinegar - and is a bit caustic... Much easier on any metals that may be in contact.

Edited October 7, 2020 by Tommy T.

[hk blues]

1 hour ago, Tommy T. said:

 

Hmmm... I have had a bit of experience trying and using a variety of sealants on my yacht.

I started off when we first purchased it and used some sort of silicone sealant. It did not hold a seal nor stick well to much of anything.

Next was Sikaflex, which is a polyurethane sealant. It leaked after setting up and when exposed to extreme flexing and heavy weather. It turned out to not be so flexible or amenable to heavy UV exposure.

Then I tried 5200, another polyurethane... It is a great adhesive, but I found it is not very flexible - maybe not an issue with a roof, but it tended to harden and pull away from some surfaces that it did not adhere to so well - like teak, glass, stainless steel.

So I went on to another adhesive (my issue was trying to seal glass prisms mounted in teak decks with fiberglass below, balsa wood in the middle and stainless steel frames on top - talk about a nightmare!).

Somebody suggested 3M 795 sealant. It is a type of silicone. I actually called up the home office of 3M in Michigan one day and spoke with one of their techies. I asked the question: what adhesive/sealant do you have that sticks to steel, glass, teak and fiberglass. Without missing a beat he said "795." Sold! I bought some and tried it out. After 10 years, there were still several deck prisms that did not leak. I used it everywhere that needed to be sealed or caulked.

Anyway... I digressed again, sorry. There is also a GE formulation that is similar, but I don't know the name. The 795 and the GE equivalent are silicone sealants used to hold and seal windows in place in high-rise buildings. That is their most common use. They remain always flexible and stick to virtually anything and are very strong and UV resistant. The 3M product was not available when we were in Australia or NZ, but the GE product was so I suspect it can be found here. But, sorry, I don't remember the name of it.

Anyway, I find silicone sealants - for me - worked better than the others... just my experience, for what it's worth...

By the way... if you do use a silicone sealant, I suggest you consider using a "neutral cure" rather than the standard version. The regular ones cure using acetic acid - smells like vinegar - and is a bit caustic... Much easier on any metals that may be in contact.

Elastoseal is specifically designed to be used on steel/tin roofs and is readily available at all DIY stores, Tom. 

[Tommy T.]

1 hour ago, hk blues said:

Elastoseal is specifically designed to be used on steel/tin roofs and is readily available at all DIY stores, Tom. 

That certainly sounds like an easier fix than my typically long-winded and convoluted suggestion, HK!

[hk blues]

36 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

That certainly sounds like an easier fix than my typically long-winded and convoluted suggestion, HK!

I think so Tom!

The downside is it doesn't dry clear so may not look great but works well - big plus is that it doesn't need to cure and therefore you don't need to wait for a dry spell unlike most silicone sealants.  

[graham59]

The locals use Bostik Super Vulcaseal around these parts...for leaky 'umbrella' roof' nails...probably the most common source of drips.  

[Mike J]

13 hours ago, graham59 said:

The locals use Bostik Super Vulcaseal around these parts...for leaky 'umbrella' roof' nails...probably the most common source of drips.  

Vulcaseal is also what my workers have used when they find small leaks.  A real bitch to get off your hands.

[graham59]

Time to deploy the rubber gloves.