Where to buy Butyl Caulk? - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 03-19-2013, 09:33 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
D Davis's Avatar
 
Name: Diane
Trailer: Casita, previously u-haul ct13
Virginia
Posts: 1,020
Where to buy Butyl Caulk?

Can someone reccomend where to buy Black Butyle Caulk? The kind you put into a caulk gun. I cannot find it locally, have found it online but not sure what type ( there are two) and the shipping is outragious. Planning to finally put in my windows next week and think I may need this for the job. It is not in hardware stores, or RV supply places. Am at a loss. Any help is appreciated.
D Davis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2013, 10:09 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Perry J's Avatar
 
Trailer: Toyota Sunrader and 16 ft Scamp
Posts: 975
Send a message via AIM to Perry J Send a message via Yahoo to Perry J
Quote:
Originally Posted by D Davis View Post
Can someone reccomend where to buy Black Butyle Caulk? The kind you put into a caulk gun. I cannot find it locally, have found it online but not sure what type ( there are two) and the shipping is outragious. Planning to finally put in my windows next week and think I may need this for the job. It is not in hardware stores, or RV supply places. Am at a loss. Any help is appreciated.
What's wrong with butyl tape?

How do you use the caulk type when doing your windows?

John
Perry J is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2013, 10:11 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Donna D.'s Avatar
 
Trailer: 1988 16 ft Scamp Deluxe
Posts: 25,697
You want to put window caulk in a gun? That's a new one on me, unless you're try to blob something on the outside of the window frame... which is a no-no

I'm confused....
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward - 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Double Yolk - 1988 16' Scamp Deluxe
Donna D. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2013, 04:16 AM   #4
Raz
Senior Member
 
Raz's Avatar
 
Trailer: Trillium 2010
Posts: 5,185
Ace has it labeled as Butyl caulk. Others (Home depot, Lowes) carry it as gutter sealant. I have seen white and gray, not sure about black. About $4 a tube. As others have said, tape is easier for windows. Good luck, Raz
Attached Thumbnails
image-429735958.jpg  
Raz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2013, 06:21 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Name: bob
Trailer: 1996 Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe; 1946 Modernistic teardrop
New York
Posts: 5,413
If you have the correct weatherstrip for the Uhaul windows you don't need any caulk. The only thing you need to seal up is those two 1/8" drilled holes at the top of the window frame if the weatherstrip doesn't cover them. A little dab of butyl tape will do it, pushed in after the window is installed.
mary and bob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2013, 08:04 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Thomas G.'s Avatar
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 5,112
I think that Bob made an important discovery with respect to matching the weatherstrip to the dimensions of the metal window frame and fiberglass opening.

That said, my observation is that the sealing technique on the side windows is just not robust. My UHaul camper came with the original weatherstrips and it leaked. The UHaul repair manual shows how to caulk the side window weatherstrip as a matter of course. Maybe UHaul used the wrong weather strip from the beginning, I don't know. It seems like the rubber cannot correct for irregularities in the sealing surfaces.

So, I can see where Diane wants to hedge her bets. I, too, looked for black butyl caulk and never found it at a reasonable price. I ended up painfully working butyl rope under the outer weatherstrip with Popsicle sticks, patience and much cursing. I still had a leak on the bottom inner seal and I used clear strip-able caulk to test the concept of caulking this area. It worked so well that I have left it for now.

A couple black butyl sources that I found:

Fastenal - these are a franchise and may be local to you. 10.1 oz Black Red Devil Blacktop & Roof Repair Butyl Sealant | Fastenal

Amazon: CRL Black 777 Butyl Rubber Sealant - Amazon.com
__________________
UHaul and Burro owners, join the UHaul Campers on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/529276933859491/
Thomas G. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2013, 10:52 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
D Davis's Avatar
 
Name: Diane
Trailer: Casita, previously u-haul ct13
Virginia
Posts: 1,020
I thought I had read somewhere to caulk the window, maybe in the repair manual? Then I read in a thread suggestion to use liquid black Butyl, so I just thought it must be the CRL Black 777 Butyle Rubber Sealent that I found online. I just want to head off any future leaks at the pass so to speak. Have been Plague for so long with these window leaks...And as dry as I try to keep my camper, noticed today mildew on the curtains! Will be switching over to some kind of washable plastic blind.
Thanks you guys.
D Davis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2013, 10:55 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
D Davis's Avatar
 
Name: Diane
Trailer: Casita, previously u-haul ct13
Virginia
Posts: 1,020
Quote:
Originally Posted by mary and bob View Post
If you have the correct weatherstrip for the Uhaul windows you don't need any caulk. The only thing you need to seal up is those two 1/8" drilled holes at the top of the window frame if the weatherstrip doesn't cover them. A little dab of butyl tape will do it, pushed in after the window is installed.
Thank you Bob & Mary, maybe I am getting too apprehensive...
D Davis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2013, 10:58 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
D Davis's Avatar
 
Name: Diane
Trailer: Casita, previously u-haul ct13
Virginia
Posts: 1,020
Quote:
Originally Posted by Perry J View Post
What's wrong with butyl tape?

How do you use the caulk type when doing your windows?

John
Donna and John, Duhh...Well I don't know...am sure I will learn some things.. And I do appreciate all of everyone's comments.
D Davis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2013, 11:18 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Name: Randy
Trailer: 1980Trillium 1300
Ontario
Posts: 373
...For those in Canada, butyl tapes are available with different sizes@ Cross Canada outlets(in my local anyway). To caulk/seal with glue/sillicon...on a trailer exterior/window/roof, this is...WHAT I used to do: Using paper/masking tapes, running parallel each other along where I intend to caulk then take the tape off after all. Hopefully it helps...
Thinh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2013, 11:30 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
rabbit's Avatar
 
Name: Jack
Trailer: '98 BURRO 17WB
Delaware
Posts: 2,548
What brand of windows were installed in UHauls. We're they Kinro or Hehr? Do they have a frame with overlaping flange outside and a lock ring inside which sandwiches the fiberglass wall? What does weatherstrip refer to in the context of these windows. A lock strip or gasket bead? Butyl tape as a gasket for the overlapping exterior flange? Where precisely is the ingress point of the leak? Between the frame and trailer wall or under the glazing to frame seal?

jack
rabbit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2013, 12:28 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
Name: bob
Trailer: 1996 Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe; 1946 Modernistic teardrop
New York
Posts: 5,413
Jack, Uhaul windows are installed like old time windshields that set in a rubber gasket. The rubber has a groove 1/4" wide that sets over the trailer wall, another groove 3/16" wide that the lip on the edge of the window frame sets in, and then a lock strip goes in a groove in the center to expand it. Tom probably can post a picture, or you can look on perfectfit.com and look up AS1456 to see what it looks like. I have no idea who made those windows originally, they are odd, just like most everything on the Uhauls. If the perfect weatherstrip was made, it would have both grooves 3/16" because that is the measurement of the wall thickness and the window lip. Apparently this dimension weatherstrip was not available when the trailers were made because they used weatherstrip with the 1/4" and 3/16" dimension. I found on my windows, one had the 3/16 groove on the wall, the other it was on the window. Probably because the original installer just did it that way. And one window used a removable lock strip with a pull tab so as to be an emergency escape window, the other window had a fold in type lockstrip. You can see illustrations of both types on that website.
mary and bob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2013, 12:30 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
Thomas G.'s Avatar
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 5,112
Quote:
Originally Posted by rabbit View Post
What brand of windows were installed in UHauls. We're they Kinro or Hehr?
Dunno that a manufacturer has been identified.
Quote:
Do they have a frame with overlaping flange outside and a lock ring inside which sandwiches the fiberglass wall?
The front and rear window have this system which works nicely. The side windows have a H cross section weather strip with locking strip.
Quote:
What does weatherstrip refer to in the context of these windows. A lock strip or gasket bead? Butyl tape as a gasket for the overlapping exterior flange?
The weather strip is this H cross section piece with the lock strip installed (see image below). There is no butyl tape by design.

Quote:
Where precisely is the ingress point of the leak? Between the frame and trailer wall or under the glazing to frame seal?
Water enters either between the wall and the seal at the top, or between the window frame and the seal at the bottom.
Attached Thumbnails
Seal.JPG  
__________________
UHaul and Burro owners, join the UHaul Campers on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/529276933859491/
Thomas G. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2013, 01:04 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Name: bob
Trailer: 1996 Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe; 1946 Modernistic teardrop
New York
Posts: 5,413
I knew Tom could post an illustration much easier than I could, thanks Tom. I'm wondering if Uhaul recommended using a sealer because of the one groove being wider than the window lip or the trailer wall. I don't see in the repair manual where they specify whether to put the 1/4" groove on the window or the wall. I didn't use any sealer other than for the two 1/8" holes, and haven't had any leaks. Someone we camped with recommended ProFlex RV flexible sealant as being good stuff. I got a couple tubes at a RV place, one tube clear, one tube white, and I used some of the clear but don't remember where. Don't remember the price either!
mary and bob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2013, 01:16 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
Thomas G.'s Avatar
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 5,112
Quote:
Originally Posted by mary and bob View Post
I knew Tom could post an illustration much easier than I could, thanks Tom. I'm wondering if Uhaul recommended using a sealer because of the one groove being wider than the window lip or the trailer wall. I don't see in the repair manual where they specify whether to put the 1/4" groove on the window or the wall. I didn't use any sealer other than for the two 1/8" holes, and haven't had any leaks. Someone we camped with recommended ProFlex RV flexible sealant as being good stuff. I got a couple tubes at a RV place, one tube clear, one tube white, and I used some of the clear but don't remember where. Don't remember the price either!
The Proflex gets good ratings online, but I couldn't find out if it is butyl or something else. It doesn't seem to be silicone. Clear might be a good alternative to black if not available.

For me the question is whether the rubber seal can reliably make a water tight seal around both its outer and inner circumference even over irregularities in the wall and window frame. Anecdotally, the answer seems to be no.
__________________
UHaul and Burro owners, join the UHaul Campers on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/529276933859491/
Thomas G. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2013, 01:31 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
rabbit's Avatar
 
Name: Jack
Trailer: '98 BURRO 17WB
Delaware
Posts: 2,548
Wow, thanks to both Bob and Tom for the specifics of the UHaul situation. I knew there were trailers which used the windshield style lock strip but did not know that UHaul had both bedded flange and lock strip type glazing. It's been an education. I have a hunch that I'm not the only one listening in and/or giving generic, "one size fits all" advice who did not fully appreciate the nature of the Uhaul side window problem. Black would be a desirable self-hiding color also?

Is it possible that Dicor lap sealant would provide a stop water between lock strip and fiberglass? I have no experience with the stuff. I can see that continuing to recommend butyl tape is beside the point.

jack
rabbit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2013, 01:47 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
Thomas G.'s Avatar
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 5,112
Quote:
Originally Posted by rabbit View Post
.......... I knew there were trailers which used the windshield style lock strip but did not know that UHaul had both bedded flange and lock strip type glazing.........jack
Interestingly, UHaul used this window as the emergency exit by providing a plastic handle that lets one rip out the lock strip and kick out the window. It actually works pretty well, as the window just pushes out once the lock strip is removed.
__________________
UHaul and Burro owners, join the UHaul Campers on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/529276933859491/
Thomas G. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2013, 02:40 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
Name: bob
Trailer: 1996 Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe; 1946 Modernistic teardrop
New York
Posts: 5,413
Tom, Proflex tube says it is a tripolymer sealant, paintable, and don't use it on EPDM or styrofoam. Jack; here's a bit of info I learned the hard way. I bought a side window and a rear window from Scamp. They came with a peel & stick foam gasket and use an inside trim ring. I was able to install the rear window in our Uhaul by enlarging the opening, and the side window by making an aluminum adapter. They both leaked, and I could not get the outside flange tight against the trailer wall. Had to pull them both out and reinstall with the butyl tape, no more leaks. I don't know how Scamp installs them at the factory, but that foam gasket just didn't work for me. A couple others have used the Scamp rear window in their Uhauls, and I stressed to them to not used the foam gasket.
mary and bob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2013, 02:43 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
rabbit's Avatar
 
Name: Jack
Trailer: '98 BURRO 17WB
Delaware
Posts: 2,548
Does anyone think that the very clear explanation of UHaul glazing and attendant problems/solutions in this thread should be made sticky in the UHaul manufacturer area index? Is a discussion of equivalent clarity available in threads archived in the maintenance or owners helping . . . subforums? This thread will be missed by search terms such as UHaul, window and leak.

jack
rabbit is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Best Butyl caulk? Craig D. Thompson Care and Feeding of Molded Fiberglass Trailers 7 02-25-2012 08:02 AM
Caulk Steve Dunkel Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 4 07-19-2009 04:33 AM
Butyl tape vs. butyl caulk- newbie looking for input Jason, M Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 9 08-11-2008 02:57 PM
which caulk to use Isaac Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 1 06-06-2007 11:31 PM
Caulk deidre falin General Chat 0 01-01-1970 12:00 AM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:50 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.