Eternabond Tape: Removing The Protective Layer!

FlyboyTR · 06-05-2019, 04:21 PM

Recently there has been a lot of discussion about Eternabond Tape. Amazing stuff! But removing the back protective layer can be a bit challenging at times. This is a short video that shows how to release the back layer and yet another caution about silicone.

https://youtu.be/9wynbKA97Z4

**Larryjb** · 06-06-2019, 11:03 PM

I am not so impressed with Eternabond tape. I tried it and if you don't get it on perfectly straight, you can get bubbles and folds. Perhaps it's a newbie mistake, but I'm becoming more convinced that the best way to seal vents and seams is to remove the vent or trim, apply an RV grade sealant (avoid silicone) then reattach the vent or trim piece to sandwich the sealant. Screws should be sealed by removing them, squirting RV sealant into the screw hole, then reinserting the screw.

I thought I had my trailer sealed, and I have yet to find where my sealing jobs failed, but I'm betting on the eternabond tape I used around one vent, or the screws that are "topped" with sealant.

Again, maybe I just don't know how to do it properly. I'll try to do some water tests later, but my new fiber board job has water damage now. That was a pain to install, so I hope I can still keep it. I didn't get a chance to tarp it this winter either.

It's been a tough year, actually.

FlyboyTR · 06-07-2019, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larryjb

I am not so impressed with Eternabond tape. I tried it and if you don't get it on perfectly straight, you can get bubbles and folds. Perhaps it's a newbie mistake, but I'm becoming more convinced that the best way to seal vents and seams is to remove the vent or trim, apply an RV grade sealant (avoid silicone) then reattach the vent or trim piece to sandwich the sealant. Screws should be sealed by removing them, squirting RV sealant into the screw hole, then reinserting the screw.

I thought I had my trailer sealed, and I have yet to find where my sealing jobs failed, but I'm betting on the eternabond tape I used around one vent, or the screws that are "topped" with sealant.

Again, maybe I just don't know how to do it properly. I'll try to do some water tests later, but my new fiber board job has water damage now. That was a pain to install, so I hope I can still keep it. I didn't get a chance to tarp it this winter either.

It's been a tough year, actually.

I have never had a failure. But the surface must be prepped and clean (no silicone!). It does take some finesse in laying it down and if you get a fold, crease or something...then that is something you just have to live with or remove it (which can be problematic). Bubbles can be easily fixed by squeezing/pressing the tape to make the bubble tighter and then inserting a needle into the tape near the edge of the bubble. Then pull the needle gently sideways (to open the tiny hole) while pressing out the air through the tiny hole. Then just press the spot where the needle hole was with a tool or knuckle and it will be fine.

I agree that when you can remove everything and rebed a vent (or whatever) that doing that is always the best option.

Sorry to hear you are having a bad year...sometimes life just happens that way. Hope the latter half of 2019 is better!

Expanderoo · 06-12-2019, 12:09 AM

Ah! That is great to know about the bubble removal technique.

Somewhat related question: how critical is buying that metal roller? I was thinking about just 3d printing some adapter so I could put basically the handle from a paint roller (or something similar) onto the huge socket I bought for the water heater element (1.5"

). It's a nice hefty chunk of metal and seems like it would work as a roller. It might even be too big but I have some other hefty but smaller sockets too.

FlyboyTR · 06-12-2019, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Expanderoo

Ah! That is great to know about the bubble removal technique.

Somewhat related question: how critical is buying that metal roller? I was thinking about just 3d printing some adapter so I could put basically the handle from a paint roller (or something similar) onto the huge socket I bought for the water heater element (1.5"

). It's a nice hefty chunk of metal and seems like it would work as a roller. It might even be too big but I have some other hefty but smaller sockets too.

I didn't mention anything about a roller in this thread. But, I believe I did mention it on the Facebook Fans group. If that is the case... there is a small rubber roller used for sealing seams when installing wallpaper. Some just have a plastic wheel with no rubber ($2-$5). This only weighs a few ounces. That allows you to apply pressure as/where you need it. Due to all the irregular shapes frequently found under Eternabond tape, I think I would still want to use one of those...versus having to build something.

Below is a link to Amazon that shows many examples of what I am talking about. The last one I bought came from Dollar General for $2.99. It was plastic...but did the job!

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=wallpaper...b_sb_ss_i_3_12