We sat down with Dale Hutchinson, one of the most experienced polyurea applicators in our certified network, to talk about what 15 years in the field has taught him — and what every RV owner should know before getting their roof coated.
How did you get started with polyurea RV roof coatings?
“I came from the commercial roofing world,” Dale explains. “We were using polyurea on industrial warehouses and parking structures. When I started seeing the same product being adapted for RV roofs, it made total sense to me. The chemistry is the same — it’s incredibly tough, flexible, and UV-stable. I got certified, bought a sprayer, and within six months I had more RV clients than commercial ones.”
What’s the most common mistake you see RV owners make?
“Without question: waiting too long. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve shown up and the owner says ‘I knew I should have done this two summers ago.’ By then, water has been working its way in through microcracks for months. The interior damage is already done. If you see any of the warning signs described in this guide on RV roof leak detection, don’t wait another week.”
What’s the biggest misconception about polyurea?
“People think it’s just another coating — like painting on another layer of rubber. It’s completely different. Polyurea bonds chemically to your existing roof substrate, whether that’s EPDM rubber, TPO, fiberglass, or aluminum. It doesn’t just sit on top — it becomes part of the roof. That’s why it doesn’t peel, crack, or delaminate. I wrote more about this in our resource on why polyurea outperforms other options.”
Walk us through what a typical roof coating job looks like.
“Day one is all prep work — that’s actually the most important part. We inspect every seam, every vent base, every AC unit gasket. We clean the entire surface with a degreasing agent, sand any rough spots, and apply a bonding primer where needed. The actual spray takes maybe 45 minutes on a typical Class A. The polyurea gels in about 30 seconds and you can walk on it within minutes. We do a final inspection, document everything for the warranty, and we’re usually done by lunch.”
For owners who want to understand the process before calling us, our how polyurea works page walks through the chemistry and application steps in detail.
What roof types respond best to polyurea coating?
“All of them do well, honestly, but I’ve seen the most dramatic improvements on older EPDM roofs that have started to oxidize and get chalky. The polyurea bonds right over it, restores the surface integrity, and gives you 20 more years easy. TPO roofs that haven’t been maintained are similar. Fiberglass roofs almost never need full replacement once they’ve been coated — even ones with small stress cracks.”
If you’re not sure which roof type you have, our comparison guide on EPDM vs. TPO vs. fiberglass vs. polyurea will help you identify your material and understand the upgrade path.
Any advice for someone choosing a certified applicator?
“Ask to see their portfolio — actual photos of their work, before and after. Ask about the specific product they’re using and whether it meets the minimum elongation and tensile specs for RV applications. And check whether they’re part of a certified network like ours, because that guarantees they’ve been trained and vetted.” You can search our directory on the find an applicator page — every listed professional meets our certification standards.
What’s the future of RV roof protection look like to you?
“I think we’re 10 years away from polyurea being the standard for every new RV that rolls off the factory floor. It just makes too much economic sense. Right now, it’s the smart RV owners who are getting ahead of the curve.” Want to be one of them? Request a free quote from a certified applicator near you.