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Here are some things to consider before beginning an interior painting project in your camper or motorhome to help make sure you get a result you are happy with.
1. Don’t compare apples to oranges.
While blogs and social media can be a great resource for learning about other people’s experiences, keep in mind that there are multiple factors to consider when choosing the right products and methods for a paint project, and just because a certain product worked for one person doesn’t mean it’s necessary or even right for your project.
Don’t let anyone make you feel like you are bound to fail because you didn’t do things exactly the way they did; there are multiple products and methods that may work equally well. Gather and compare information from as many sources as possible, including a paint expert your local paint store, before making a final decision about which methods and products to purchase.
2. Choose the right paint for the surface.
The most important consideration when choosing paint and/or primer is what type of surface you are painting. Generally, you want to look for paint that will adequately cover and adhere to whatever surface you’re painting. Primer is used to prepare a non-ideal surface for paint. Talk to a paint expert to determine what you need for your situation. I also go into more detail about what kinds of paints and primers are ideal for various surfaces in my e-book, The Ultimate Guide to Painting Your RV Interior.
3. Read all labels and instructions.
Carefully read the label of any primer, paint, or preparation product you plan to use, both before purchasing and again before using, and make sure you follow the instructions.
For example, Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) is a heavy-duty degreaser commonly recommended in Facebook groups for cleaning walls prior to painting, but this chemical can actually react with some types of paint and prevent it from adhering properly, and some paint labels say not to use TSP; if cleaning is needed, there are other products that may work just as well and won’t cause this problem.
Paint labels also tell you the ideal temperature range for using the paint. Painting in an environment that’s too cold or too hot can keep the paint from drying evenly.
Related article: RV Owners Who Painted Their Cabinets
4. Don’t skimp on the prep work.
It’s so tempting to dive into the “fun” part of a painting project to start seeing results sooner, but the more thoroughly you follow the instructions for preparation, the better your chances of getting results you’ll be happy with.
It might be worth investing a little more in tools that make this stage of the project easier. For example, if you have a lot of sanding to do, consider purchasing (or renting) an electric sander, or using a chemical stripper or deglosser to loosen old paint or varnish and make it easier to scrape off.
5. Test your colors.
Paint colors can look completely different on your wall in different lighting than they looked on the card in the store next to all the other colors. Grays can appear blue, browns can appear purple, and colors can end up looking lighter or darker than you expected.
To avoid investing a lot of money and effort into a project only to end up hating the color, test your top color choices. To do this, purchase a small test amount of each color you’re considering, and use it to paint a sample area or a few sample areas inside your space.
Of course you will be painting over this later, but if you’re worried about painting the actual surface (or if the surface hasn’t yet been adequately prepared for painting), you can instead paint a piece of poster board and move it to different areas. Look at the colors in different types of lighting–during the day and at night–and compare it to fabrics, flooring, and other elements in your house to see if it matches.
Paint stores will happily sell you a small test amount of multiple paint colors, usually for less than $5 per container. Lowe’s (and probably Home Depot too) often runs half-off sales on these, often around Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend I’ve noticed.
6. Use the right tool for the job.
Cheap paint brushes and rollers can leave bristles and lint behind in your paint and cause brush strokes to appear. Spending a little extra on a quality, soft-bristled paint brush and better quality rollers will help you achieve a more professional looking result with less effort.
For example, for cutting in next to trim and along the ceiling, a cheap paint brush can be difficult to control and can cause you to make mistakes, but a quality angled brush (I like Purdy brand myself) holds just the right amount of paint and easily glides along the surface. With proper care and cleaning, a quality paint brush can be used for multiple painting projects.
Related article: 12 Painting Mistakes Made By RV Owners (and How to Avoid Them)
7. Plan on multiple coats.
Some paints are advertised as only requiring a single coat, but I never allow myself to get my hopes up that this will actually be the case. Laying the paint on too thickly or re-painting areas that have already begun to dry to try to finish the job in one take can interfere with drying and bonding. Go ahead and plan on a second coat in case it’s needed; then you can be pleasantly surprised if you find that a second coat actually isn’t needed.
If you’re worried about buying more paint than you need, you can just buy enough for one coat and then plan to buy more for the second coat. In my experience the second coat sometimes takes less paint anyway.
8. Prepare for mistakes.
Even though we might try to be careful, mistakes do happen. Cover everything you don’t want painted with plastic. Keep a rag nearby (damp with water for latex paint and paint thinner for oil-based paint) to wipe off mistakes as soon as they happen. Use a razor blade to gently scrape off mistakes that have already dried. Paint that has already dried will become more difficult to remove after a few days because the paint will have cured.
9. Allow plenty of time for drying and curing.
Each coat of primer or paint needs to be completely dry before another layer is applied on top. Read the label on the can to see exactly how many hours you need to wait; usually overnight is the minimum.
After the project is completely finished, it will take several days or even a week for the paint to cure, so take care when moving furniture during this time as the paint can be easily scratched. This is normal! If the paint does get scratched accidentally, just sand the area and touch it up and allow a little more time it to dry and cure.
I am having trouble removing the glue from the boarder paper that is left on the walls. Any suggestions?
Goo Gone is what worked best for me!
Pure citrus air freshener from Walmart! The adhesive scrapes right off! It is miraculous!
Thanks for the tip!
Thank you for the tip. The border in our trailer has been a nightmare to remove.
What is the color that is on the cabinets on the first picture?
Sorry, I don’t know the name of the color and it appears that the owners of this RV have taken down their Instagram account since I last talked to them!
what are the steps to prepping the wall for paint after you remove wallpaper in rv
Actually it’s best not to remove the wallpaper as it’s not regular wallpaper but is instead a vinyl layer that’s bonded to the paneling with very strong glue. Most people (including myself) just paint right over it. You’ll want to make sure it’s free of dust, grime, and adhesives before painting (I just used a rag damp with water to clean mine, but if you have very grimy walls you can clean with a solution of water mixed with TSP Alternative). After cleaning I just painted with Valspar Signature latex-base paint + primer all-in-one from Lowe’s. Some people use a bonding primer first and if your walls are a smooth texture that’s probably a good idea. My RV walls were textured so primer wasn’t necessary. If you need more info I’ve written a guide to painting RV walls which you can find here!
Is there a particular paint I need to get to paint my rv cabinets?
It depends on what your cabinets are made of, and there are several good options that will work on any material. I go the options for each material in detail and suggest some specific brands in my Ultimate RV Painting Guide; if you want to check it out you can get it here!
What do you suggest if the original wallpaper in the camper is peeling quite badly? Can you still paint over it?
Hi Nicole, do you have any idea what’s causing the wallpaper to peel? If the RV is old and it’s peeling throughout the camper, it might be just due to age and the adhesive deteriorating over time. In that case I’d probably go ahead and remove it.
Wallpaper can also peel due to moisture, either because of condensation getting behind it or, even worse, a leak. If that’s a possibility, you might want to investigate and make sure there isn’t a deeper issue that needs to be fixed.
If the wallpaper is only peeling in one small area, you could try just gluing it down, but keep in mind that if you paint over the wallpaper and it continues to peel, it might be harder to remove later.
Good luck!
Re: Removing glued-on wallpaper borders
What’s always worked for me is scoring the border with a metal ChoreGirl, spraying it with 409, & giving it a minute to set. Peels right off easily.
Thanks for the tip!
Would you suggest wallpaper over existing vinyl that comes with the trailer?
Yes, I have seen lots of RV’s with wallpaper added over the existing wall material. I would probably go for a peel-and-stick type (that has good reviews) rather than the kind that uses wallpaper paste if the RV is likely to undergo drastic changes in temperature and humidity.
Also how can I buy your new book on remodeling RV ‘s?
Hi Karen, I actually haven’t published a book on remodeling RV’s. I do have a book about painting RV interiors, which you can get here. I also have a page of renovation related resources that might be of use. If you have any specific questions, let me know and I’ll see if I can help point you in the direction of the answer!
Hi! Ok so I’m the paint expert that you mention DIYers try to consult. For anyone interested, I see a lot of misinformation out there.
All YOUR tips are SPOT ON.
I want to address the comment on number 7 about not trusting one coat paint. You are correct not to. Those one coats refer to color coverage that’s it. Even then you still can’t paint white over red or black etc in one coat. They are great durable paints but you still need to properly prep including cleaning and primer.
I love the recommendation to spend good money on high quality applicators. Cheap applicators make a $70 a gal paint look like $20 paint.
According to consumerreports.org the best paints on the market are Behr and Valspar and I agree. A couple of under appreciated brands that I like are Kelly Moore and PPG. PPG is a great paint for the lower price.
Have a great day. Thanks for giving out great info.
Thank you for your encouraging comment! 🙂
I want to paint my vinyl cupboards what type of paint do I use? I have bought 2 different primers and they both scratch off the vinyl.
Hi Shari, I’m sorry to hear the primers you’ve tried so far haven’t worked for you; I’m sure that’s frustrating! To be honest, I don’t know of a type of paint that’s sure to work for painting over vinyl. Beyond Paint is supposed to work for that purpose, but recently someone emailed to tell me it scratched off when they used it. I’ve also heard Sherwin Williams Extreme Bond primer recommended, but someone also told me recently that a Sherwin Williams primer scraped off their cabinets (I’m not sure if it was that type or not). I know a lot of people use and recommend Glidden Gripper – have you tried that one? I would also maybe consider a spray paint that’s designed for plastic, as long as you don’t have too many cabinets to paint (because that could get expensive). Sorry don’t have an easy answer for you!