Can You Walk On Your RV Roof?

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Updated March 31, 2024

People ask us all the time if it’s safe to walk on their RV roof to perform maintenance, view a beautiful sunset or watch a NASCAR race. The answer depends on several factors such as the RV manufacturer’s recommended weight limit, the type of material used to construct the roof system and the condition of the roof.

From time to time and for many different reasons, you may want to get up onto your RV’s roof. For example, there may be something wrong with one of the roof components like the AC unit or a roof vent, and it’s necessary to go up onto the RV roof to see what’s going on.

So it’s important to know whether you can walk safely on the RV roof or if you’ll need to stand on a ladder to have access to the roof. In this article, we will discuss how much weight an RV roof can hold, the types of RV roofs, how to walk on your roof, and safety considerations while on the roof.

And we have a special tip for walking safely on a wet RV Roof. See Pro Tip # 11 below!

No matter why you need to access your roof, this article will hopefully help ensure you can do so safely without damaging the roof or any of the components on the RV roof.

How Much Weight Can an RV Roof Hold?

So, how do you know if you can walk on your RV roof? I was wondering this the other day after climbing onto my roof to perform a visual inspection, which I do several times a year. Most recently, I was up there because a tree branch scraped along the roof, and I wanted to make sure there was no damage.

I don’t like being on my RV roof so of course, I was wondering how much weight an RV roof can support. And what’s the maximum weight an RV roof can hold? So, I decided to do some research, and I found that there really isn’t much information on the subject.

There are many comments in RV forums that an RV roof is generally able to support 250 lbs. However, it is very hard to find any solid information on RV roof weight limits.

I have looked at the manuals and specs of several RVs and found no information about the amount of weight an RV roof will support. It’s typically not listed under the RV Specs section of the owners manual.

The real answer is that you need to call your RV manufacturer and ask how much weight the roof for your specific make and model of RV can support. If the manufacturer is unable to tell you the weight limit of the roof, then you need to use some common sense before walking on the RV roof.

Common Sense Rules For Walking on an RV Roof

• If an RV has a roof ladder, then there is a good chance that the roof is walkable
• Some RV models, including travel trailers, 5th wheels and other types of campers will have a sticker located on the back of the RV that states the weight limit. If you weigh more than the weight limit, you should not go on the roof
• Consider the condition of the roof
• Consider the age of the roof
• If you have a fiberglass roof, you can most likely walk on it since it is the strongest. We will review the three roof types in the next section of the article.
• Do not walk on a wet roof – no matter how much weight it can hold, a wet roof is slippery and dangerous.
• Don’t take a chance and walk on a badly damaged RV roof

Types of RV Roofs

There are three different types of RV roofs: fiberglass, rubber, or aluminum, with the rubber roof being the most common. Each roof type is constructed differently and can handle a different amount of weight.

Rubber – Rubber roofs come in two different types. An EPDM RV roof (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer), or a TPO RV roof (Thermal Poly Olefin). No matter which type of rubber is used, the basic construction of the roof is the same. The roof consists of metal cross braces that support 3/8″ plywood which is covered by the rubber roof membrane. Insulation is installed between the metal cross braces.

Fiberglass – A fiberglass RV roof is a shiny, hard surface that is strong and requires less maintenance than rubber RV roofs. It provides a strong, hard surface to walk on that won’t bend or flex. Fiberglass roofs are good for walking on, but they can be extremely slippery when wet.

Aluminum – It’s fairly unlikely that you will find an RV with an aluminum roof unless the RV is pretty old. Aluminum roofs are not very strong and they also add unwanted weight to the RV.

It’s important to understand the type of material your RV roof is made of. If you have some general knowledge about the type of material used to construct a camper roof, you will have a good idea about the roof’s walkability.

How To Walk On Your RV Roof

We know that walking on an RV roof depends on the roof’s structural support. Every roof has strong areas and weak areas. Knowing where the strong and weak areas of the roof are will help you to navigate your way across the roof safely.

And knowing how to walk on your RV roof will also keep you from causing damage to the roof. Walking on an RV roof is as simple as walking on the strongest areas and avoiding the weakest areas of the roof.

Walk On The Strongest Areas

The RV roof’s strongest part is right on top of the side wall of the RV. Obviously, this is where the roof has the most support. The roof becomes weaker as you move from the outside walls toward the middle of the roof. So the safest place to walk on an RV roof is as close as you can to the sides as you can without falling over the edge.

Avoid the Weakest Areas

The weakest areas of an RV roof are in the center and anywhere that the roof has been cut. The center of the roof is furthest from the side support, and therefore this area is the weakest, so do your best to avoid walking in the center of the roof.

Also, any areas of the roof that have been cut out to allow for the A/C unit, roof vents, skylights, and other intrusions are weak spots. Avoid stepping too close to these cut-out areas so you don’t stress and possibly crack the roof or the seals around these intrusions.

RV Repair Club has a short but good video they created about how to walk on an RV roof that is worth a quick look. Just click on this link to check it out. 

11 Safety Tips While on an RV Roof

There are several safety tips you need to be aware of to avoid a nasty fall off of the roof or damaging the roof while walking around on it.

1. Distribute Your Weight While on the Roof – The best way to do that is by laying some plywood or 2 x 4’s on your roof and walking on them to distribute your weight more evenly.
2. Crawl Instead of Walk – Since you will be trying to stay near the edge of the roof since that is the strongest area of the roof it is safer to crawl than walk in those areas.
3. Never Walk on a Wet Roof – Obviously, an RV roof is slippery when wet! Especially if it is made of fiberglass.
4. Don’t Lean Over the Side of the RV – If you find yourself needing to work on the side of the RV use a ladder rather a]than leaning over the side.
5. If You’ve Had a Few Beers Stay Off the Roof – Why Take a Chance on Losing Your Balance after a few Beers.
6. Never Walk Backwards on an RV Roof – I’ve seen people walk backward while installing or removing their RV cover.
7. Avoid Stepping on or Near the Roof Components – As we discussed the roof is weak anywhere it has been cut for a roof component to go through the roof so avoid stepping on or around the A/C, roof vents, skylights or any other intrusions.
8. Walk Slowly and Feel for Soft Spots – If you have an older roof or a roof in poor condition, go slow and use your weight to feel for soft spots before stepping with your full body weight.
9. Use the RV’s Roof Ladder to Climb onto the Roof – this is the most secure method to access the roof.
10. Use a Ladder – If there is no roof ladder, you will need to use one. The ladder must extend to at least 2 feet beyond the height of the RV Roof, and you should have a partner hold the ladder steady while you climb it.
11. PRO TIP: We recently learned a really cool tip from one of our subscribers. Susan took a picture of me washing our Class A roof in bare feet. ( It was really slippery!) Our subscriber recommended wearing socks instead of going barefoot. It worked great! So now, we always recommend wearing socks while walking on your RV roof if it is wet.

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Learn More:

– Can You Repair Your RV Roof From The Inside?
– Does Eterna Bond Really Work at Stopping RV Roof Leaks?
– RV ROOF RESEAL COST
– 9 Easy Tips for Cleaning Your RV Rubber Roof
– Can I Use Flex Seal on My RV Roof?

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Conclusion

Walking on an RV or travel trailer roof can be dangerous but if you check with the manufacturer for weight limits, use some common sense and follow the safety tips above, you will be safe and not harm your roof while you are up there.

I hope you found this article helpful. Hopefully, you won’t need to spend much time on your RV roof but if you do you will be as prepared as possible.

Thanks for reading this article. Do you have any advice or safety tips for walking on an RV roof you would like to share? Please share your comments below!

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