Poll: elastomeric vs. white paint on roof

[onenationundergoat]

I want to know if it's worth the extra money to buy elastomeric paint for the roof. It would take two five-gallon buckets to do two coats, costing $150 for the lower-quality version at Lowes.

I'd like to know a few things from people who have experience with white roofs of both types.

1. If you have just white paint, how much difference in temperature do you generally see in your bus (without the AC on, and in the sun).

2. If you have just white paint, do you have problems with it cracking and peeling? If so, how long did it last?

3. If you have just white paint, did you use oil based or latex?

4. If you have elastomeric paint, how much temperature difference do you see (no AC, in sunlight)

5. If you have elastomeric, how many coats did you use? If you only did one, was it sufficient?

6. Has anyone tried doing a layer or two of regular paint under the elastomeric, or vice-versa? Did it work, or did it peel?

(I don't actually know how to put this in real poll format. )

 

[jazty]

Here's my thread that primarily discusses elastomeric paint and ceramic beads, but also discusses normal white paint: http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f13/insulating-paint-beads-feedback-from-real-people-please-9291.html

1. If you have just white paint, how much difference in temperature do you generally see in your bus (without the AC on, and in the sun).

Some discussion of this in the thread mentioned above.

2. If you have just white paint, do you have problems with it cracking and peeling? If so, how long did it last?

If you use the right paint and do the job properly you will never see cracking. Peeling will eventually come with rust, but that'll be far down the road.

3. If you have just white paint, did you use oil based or latex?

As mentioned, a proper paint job will last the life of the bus. In my opinion, latex has no place on the exterior of a skoolie, or anything metal. Use automotive paint. Some people have had good results with products such as Tremclad (Rustoleum). My biggest problem with Tremclad is the dry time.. It can still be soft after a month of drying.

4. If you have elastomeric paint, how much temperature difference do you see (no AC, in sunlight)

See thread mentioned above.

5. If you have elastomeric, how many coats did you use? If you only did one, was it sufficient?

See thread mentioned above. I put down as many layers as would empty the pail: 5 coats for my shortie.

6. Has anyone tried doing a layer or two of regular paint under the elastomeric, or vice-versa? Did it work, or did it peel?

I can't see any point.. Do you have a reason for doing this?
The elastomeric paint goes on top of the existing bus paint. No peeling if the proper prep work is done.

 

[EastCoastCB]

I'll say this- the white sure helps.
Here in Florida almost every bus has a white roof for this very reason.

 

[USMCRockinRV]

I'm not gonna lie... from my experience Bus Kote has got to be the best.

I went from a blistering (literally - my leg while installing the AC) hot roof - to a cool to the touch roof. THE most important thing I did. Second most important in my opinion was the additional spray in insulation. That was $500 and I regretted it at the time. But it transfers zero heat. In Houston that is important - in west Texas I could heat the whole bus with one small floor heater and my electric fireplace which doesn't crank out much heat.

But for the small investment I can't sing the NASA Technology praises enough about BUS KOTE... They some how put a super vacuum on microscopic beads of ceramic and it creates a void inside which has no matter - with no matter there is not heat transfer. It goes on easy and sticks like nothing else.

Anyhoo... that's my thoughts on roofs. Because my behind was frying inside with a Coleman Mach 15 pumping away on the roof and I was still sweating inside.

Another thing I did was on my windows I layered as follows:

Dark Window Tent
Bubble Foil
3/4" Foam Board
Paneling
Closet Cedar Planks

Also no heat transfer after that.

I have to run my AC between blue and red or else you can hang meat in there...

My Floor is 3/4" Foam Board
3/4" Plywood
Solid Bamboo Flooring

Windows though they be nice are killers of coolness... But that's here in the Coastal regions of the South!~

 

[jazty]

I'm not gonna lie... from my experience Bus Kote has got to be the best.

Sure, it works. Not any better than any other elastomeric paint, though. I advise people to skip the Bus Kote with magic beans... I mean beads... and just get an elastomeric paint.
You say it has got to be the best, but have you tried it against any others? I found it to be nothing special.

But for the small investment I can't sing the NASA Technology praises enough about BUS KOTE... They some how put a super vacuum on microscopic beads of ceramic and it creates a void inside which has no matter - with no matter there is not heat transfer.

Snake oil, I says. We haven't yet been able to harness black hole physics for our insulation products. I'm working on it, though.. In the meantime, sawdust is equally as impressive as anti-matter beads.

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f13/insulating-paint-beads-feedback-from-real-people-please-9291.html
^ I'll mention this thread again.

 

[milkmania]

Second most important in my opinion was the additional spray in insulation. That was $500 and I regretted it at the time. But it transfers zero heat. *snip

can you elaborate?
did you have it sprayed by someone, or spray it yourself?
what were the processes involved?

you can post it over at your Rockin' RV thread if you want, so's we don't jack this one too bad:greetings:

 

[Crazy]

can you elaborate?
did you have it sprayed by someone, or spray it yourself?
what were the processes involved?

you can post it over at your Rockin' RV thread if you want, so's we don't jack this one too bad:greetings:

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f13/new-skoolie-here-1995-thomas-12row-rear-engine-7399-2.html

 

[USMCRockinRV]

When it comes to BUS KOTE - I've never had anything better... LOL

and real quick on the Spray in... I framed my Walls from the seat back with 2x3's taped everything off and had a guy commercially spray it - then the knock it down with an air tool to make it flush then I covered it all with Bead board. The bead board is just bead board - no NASA technology involved - Hahaha

My only area that heats up is my front window - when it's parked I have a rolled up Black Mesh Screen, bubble foil, and then a curtain... So THEN it's just my drivers window - I have a cutout of 3/4" Foam Board for that - and a pull / roll up Black Mesh Screen for my walk in door I got from IKEA~
And I put a fold down floor for my steps.

All that to say when I'm parked - I'm as good as a walk in cooler... But mostly that has to do with the NASA technology and some Rain Dancing... LOL

 

[Tango-SKO]

The only application I have personally seen using the bead technology in paint absolutely sold me. Was added to cheap HD latex and applied to the interior of an 80 year old corrugated metal roof in an old industrial building. It was in Houston, in August and about 104 outside. The inside of the tin roof felt barely above skin temperature when I put my hand on it.

There has been a fair amount of discussion & chatter here that has ranged from it being a miracle cure for cancer to it being the aforementioned "snake oil". All I know for cetain is what I have seen in person and it was damned impressive. Yes...I am using it in many places on my bus.

As for"elastomeric paint"...it's only real purpose is to form a monolithic water barrier...i.e., seal/prevent leaks.

NOTE...the bead application referenced above was NOT "BusKote" but rather the HyTech beads added to conventional paint at a ratio of about 25%.

 

[jazty]

As for"elastomeric paint"...it's only real purpose is to form a monolithic water barrier...i.e., seal/prevent leaks

I, and Henrys, disagree with that. White elastomeric paint is the functional component in buskote. It's sold worldwide specifically as a roof coating to keep roof temperatures down. In fact, the product data sheets specify that it shouldn't be used where water pools. It works to seal things up better, but it isn't necessarily a waterproof membrane like a rubber roof.
Henry Company
Sta-Kool- SK-7805
^ those are just two products. There are many more.

 

[onenationundergoat]

Jazty, I remember reading that thread but couldn't find it earlier. Thanks! I had forgotten about the sawdust experiment. Someone on there mentioned glass bubble additives on there too, and I think that sounds like a grand idea. I think a few coats of white paint with the glass bubbles mixed in should do the trick, and cheaper than elastomeric! Our roof has no leaks, so that will be the winner.

 

[jazty]

Jazty, I remember reading that thread but couldn't find it earlier. Thanks! I had forgotten about the sawdust experiment. Someone on there mentioned glass bubble additives on there too, and I think that sounds like a grand idea. I think a few coats of white paint with the glass bubbles mixed in should do the trick, and cheaper than elastomeric! Our roof has no leaks, so that will be the winner.

I think you'll have a tough time making it cheaper by using glass bubbles. A previous member was considering something similar, but after the glass bubble purchase price + shipping it worked out to about the same price as buying additional white roofing paint, which provides a nicer product and equal benefit.

How much are you getting the white paint for? The elastomeric stuff is $15 a gallon and made for roofs. I wouldn't dream of using typical latex house paint. It won't last. So the other accessible option is to use Rustoleum at $20-$25 a gallon.

The elastomeric paint really isn't that expensive and it works great at reflecting the sun.. Seriously, the stuff can near blind you if you look at it on a sunny day. Glass or ceramic bubbles make for an ugly finish and provide only the same benefits as a couple extra coats of nice paint.

I understand that people want to believe in this stuff, but you just can't effectively insulate paint. The FTC has tested and decided this, as well as third-party tests. You can control its thickness, colour and choose a thick, rubber type product to reflect the sun away, but it's not insulation by any real measure. You're 95% feeling the effects of reflected sunlight.

I also understand that people want to take a quick and cheap route that provides good results.. and I'm telling you from a good deal of experimentation and success that this IS the quick and cheap route that provides good results. It doesn't get much easier. Buy paint. Clean. Spread paint.

But in the end, it doesn't matter.. It's your money... It's your bus...

 

[onenationundergoat]

I think the price difference comes in the coverage area.
According to the coverage guide on the back of the 5-gallon elastomeric, it would take one bucket per coat.
At $27 a gallon, the Rustoleum would cover three coats with two gallons.

 

[USMCRockinRV]

I think whatever you find best is what's best for you~
I love the whole Goat and Dogs thing... Hahaha...
I wish I could just take off - one day... One Day

 

[jazty]

I think the price difference comes in the coverage area.
According to the coverage guide on the back of the 5-gallon elastomeric, it would take one bucket per coat.
At $27 a gallon, the Rustoleum would cover three coats with two gallons.

That's an arbitrary measurement, though. The real question is how thick the product is after one coat. There's no standard that I know of for recommending the number of coats or paint thickness. It just depends on what the manufacturer is advising based on what the paint is supposed to accomplish. Rustoleum is designed to colour and protect metal. White roofing paint is designed to reflect sun.

One coat of elastomeric paint could be three times as thick as one coat of rustoleum. I don't actually know, though. I haven't done a comparison of that particular trait side-by-side, but I've used both paints individually. To paint my solar panel mounts I brushed on 5 coats of white Tremclad (Canadian name for Rustoleum). On my roof I rolled 5 coats of Henry's Solarflex. Not a direct comparison, obviously, but the Solarflex is easily twice as thick as the Rustoleum.

 

[onenationundergoat]

Why is the aluminum roof paint so much cheaper? Does it make much difference? Other than blinding people as I go down the road...

 

[jazty]

Like this?

4.75 Gal. 555 Premium Aluminum Roof Coating

Can't say I've ever used it.. Home depot's website has it for $80 for a 4.75 US gallon pail.

 

[Piersg]

Interesting and timely thread as I'm about to move on to working on the roof.

Is there an added benefit to spending the money and going with a 100% Silicone roof covering like Henry's Tropi Cool versus a standard elastomeric coating? I noticed the Tropi cool comes with a lifetime warranty versus a 10yr for the elastomeric stuff, but there is quite a bit of difference in price.

Silicone Roof Coating - Henry Company

 

[jazty]

Interesting and timely thread as I'm about to move on to working on the roof.

Is there an added benefit to spending the money and going with a 100% Silicone roof covering like Henry's Tropi Cool versus a standard elastomeric coating? I noticed the Tropi cool comes with a lifetime warranty versus a 10yr for the elastomeric stuff, but there is quite a bit of difference in price.

Silicone Roof Coating - Henry Company

I wouldn't expect there to be any difference in performance, but it's likely a more resilient product. That would make sense considering they offer a lifetime warranty on it.

 

[The-Breeze]

I bought a 5 gallon bucket of HyTech powder when we first got the bus. I've used it on the walls and the floor with whatever paint I used. I don't remember exactly how much I used so far, but I do know I have enough still for two to three gallons of paint to paint the roof.

The roof was painted white when we bought the bus. It's very smooth so I don't know what was used. It actually doesn't need to be painted, we're just going to do a couple coats of Rustoleum white with Hytech powder when we get up there to take off the roof rack and patch up the holes from the rack. Don't get me going on the subject of removing the rack (I want to keep it).

So far, the bus sits all day until around 4 in the direct sun and the temperature inside has only gotten to be around 5 degrees hotter than it is outside.

The walls are not even warm nor is the floor during that time, so a couple of coats of HyTech on the roof should really help with cooling.

In other words, I agree wholeheartedly with Tangos opinion.

I guess, bottom line in response to your question, buy & use whatever suits your fancy. I bet you were already leaning towards a certain product when you first posted you question and most likely just wanted someone else's approval. Which, if so, you may or may not have gotten.