I got impatient and put on too much at once... big mistake, it bubbled up in spots. It’s holding up okay, but I’m not convinced it’s a long-term fix, especially with all the rain we get. Still, it’s better than nothing if you’re in a pinch.
That sounds almost exactly like my first attempt last month. I underestimated how much prep it actually takes to get a decent bond—thought a quick scrub and rinse would be enough, but nope. I ended up having to sand down some spots and start over because the spray just wouldn’t stick right. The bubbling thing is real... I got a few of those too, mostly where I tried to “fix” a thin spot by loading on more before it dried.
I agree, though: for something that’s supposed to be a stopgap, it does buy you some time. We’ve had a couple of those classic spring downpours here (Midwest), and so far the drip edge hasn’t started leaking again. But I’m not expecting miracles. I figure it’ll hold through the season, and then I’ll probably need to look at a more permanent repair or maybe just replace that whole section.
Letting it cure fully before painting makes a huge difference. I was tempted to rush it because the weather was turning, but the areas where I waited are still holding up fine, while the rushed bits are already starting to peel at the edges. Lesson learned.
One thing I noticed—if you can get your hands on a wire brush attachment for a drill, it makes cleaning off the rust way less painful. Not perfect, but better than hand-scrubbing for an hour.
Honestly, it’s kind of reassuring to know I’m not the only one running into these issues. Sometimes DIY feels like a constant experiment... but even when it isn’t perfect, at least you know exactly what’s going on up there.
Sometimes DIY feels like a constant experiment... but even when it isn’t perfect, at least you know exactly what’s going on up there.
That’s the truth. Every time I get up there, I find some new quirk or problem I didn’t spot before. The bubbling thing tripped me up too—thought I could just slap a thick coat on and call it good, but it just made a mess. Ended up scraping off half of what I put down. Not my proudest moment.
I’ve also learned the hard way that cleaning the metal is half the battle. Last fall, I skipped over a couple rusty spots thinking it’d be fine, and sure enough, those are the first places to start peeling now. That wire brush tip is solid—saves your wrists and gets the gunk off way better than a regular brush.
I will say, though, I’m surprised how well the patched sections have held up through our last storm. Like you said, it’s not a miracle fix, but if you’re just trying to buy time until you can do it right, it’s worth the effort. Next time I’m definitely letting things dry the full 24 hours, no matter how impatient I get.
Letting things dry is always the hardest part, right? I’m always tempted to rush it too, especially when the weather’s about to turn. Curious—did you notice if the bubbling happened more in certain spots, like over seams or patches? Sometimes I wonder if it’s just the way older metal reacts. Either way, sounds like you learned a lot from this round. It’s never perfect, but at least you know what’s under there now.
Curious—did you notice if the bubbling happened more in certain spots, like over seams or patches? Sometimes I wonder if it’s just the way older metal reacts.
That’s exactly where I saw it—mostly along the seams and a couple of old patch jobs. I’m pretty sure it’s a combo of leftover moisture and those uneven surfaces. Older metal definitely seems less forgiving, at least in my experience. Next time, I’m going to try using a heat gun on low to speed up drying just over the tricky spots, but not sure if that’s overkill. At least now I know where to watch for issues down the road.
I’ve wondered about using a heat gun too, but I’m always worried I’ll end up warping something or making it worse. Did you notice if the bubbling actually affected how well the sealant stuck, or was it just cosmetic? I had a patch last year that looked rough but didn’t leak, so I left it alone... probably tempting fate, but sometimes I feel like fixing one thing just leads to another.
