Chilled out, the tape goes on easier, and the backing paper zips right off. That’s because as the tape gets warm, it becomes more difficult to separate it from its backing paper. If you’re working in warm weather, it’s a good thing to stick your putty tape in the freezer for a few minutes. Regular putty tape damages this roof membrane. Butyl putty tape is the ONLY safe putty tape to use on a rubber (EPDM) roof. Why all this folderol? Because later, if we go to reseal a roof vent, we ONLY USE butyl putty tape in some circumstances. We use an indelible marking pen to write “BUTYL” on the inside of the roll core. One note for future safety: If you have any leftover butyl putty tape when you’re done with the job, clearly mark it.

Putty tape sticks to itself something fierce, and trying to pry rolls apart is a bear. When you buy it from the RV dealership, make sure you get the little squares of paper that go between rolls. Yes, it is a bit more expensive, but in the long run, you’re probably better off using it.

It lasts longer, weathers better, and just makes a whole lot better seal. For windows, we highly recommend the butyl. The material you’ll use to make a new seal is called “putty tape.” There are basically two breeds of putty tape around, the “regular” stuff and butyl putty tape. OK, maybe you don’t need to get “every last vestige” of the old material off, but by far you want to have as much as possible off to ensure the new sealant sticks well.

It’ll take awhile to get all the old sealing material off. A multipurpose painter’s tool (ours is a “Husky 6-in-1”) is really helpful getting down into crevices and around corners. We’ve found sitting down to the task with your favorite beverage and a friend makes the job easier. Removing the sealant from the window unit requires plenty of time and patience. Use care so as to not scratch the sidewall. You’ll want to take a putty knife after the RV sidewall to carefully scrape away all vestiges of the old sealant material. Probably the most involved and time-consuming part of the process is cleaning up the old sealant.

Rv butyl putty tape