{"id":1971,"date":"2021-08-25T02:15:38","date_gmt":"2021-08-25T02:15:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emilyronehome.com\/?p=1971"},"modified":"2021-08-26T00:35:30","modified_gmt":"2021-08-26T00:35:30","slug":"how-to-affordable-diy-rv-remodel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emilyronehome.com\/?p=1971","title":{"rendered":"How to: Affordable DIY RV Remodel"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Covid has caused\u00a0a lot of change- notably in the way families feel comfortable traveling. Whether temporary or permanent, a lot of folks\u00a0have stayed out of the sky and instead hit the road! And what better way to travel than RV? I know you might\u00a0be seeing dollar signs, but it is possible to find an older camper, travel trailer, fifth wheel or RV at a reasonable price. The only downside? It may show some age. Let me teach you how to take that home on wheels from drab to fab in just two weeks with this DIY RV remodel.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n


I had such a neat opportunity to help a neighbor revamp their fifth wheel trailer and I’m going to walk you through it. I worked with the owner to complete 7 easy DIY’s to update her RV. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SUPPLIES for your DIY RV Remodel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

220 grit sanding sponge<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rag<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vinegar and water solution<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kilz Adhesion Primer<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interior latex paint<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peel & stick wallpaper<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peel and stick backsplash\/floor tiles<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paint brushes\/rollers<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Painters tape <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wrapping paper <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact Paper<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Measuring tape <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scissors<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Box cutter<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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STEP 1: Prep the Walls<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Interior walls of an RV are not drywall, that would be too heavy and trailer type travel vehicles are meant to be as light as possible. They feel soft and slick, and seem like wallpaper but are actually vinyl. This particular\u00a0RV had a tan and brown pattern on them. Definitely\u00a0making the space look smaller, dated and darker. Lightening up the space was a priority and an obvious first step in this DIY RV remodel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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To prep RV walls for paint, start by using a 220 grit sanding sponge to scuff them up a bit and give the paint something to stick to. Be mindful not to ruin the vinyl coating on the walls, or vinyl seam tape you’ll find every 4ft between wall panels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are fixing up an RV, my bets are its used. So after sanding, scrub the walls well with a watered down vinegar solution to get rid of any dirt, grease or grime. Lots of tutorials I came across recommended using TSP. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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TSP (Trisodium Phosphate) is a heavy-duty chemical cleaner safe for walls, woodwork and floors found at most hardware stores. I get hesitant using hard core chemicals, and I typically prefer natural cleaning solutions. I also did not like that it would be a 2 step process of cleaning all the surfaces, then rinsing all the surfaces. If water\/vinegar was enough\u00a0to\u00a0clean the interior walls of our house after 30 years of smoking\u00a0<\/a>I’m sure its enough for this RV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To ensure proper prep and adhesion, it’s important to prime the walls. Due to the unique surface of RV walls, Kilz Adhesion primer is recommended. PPG Gripper worked as well if you don’t have access to Kilz Adhesion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t be shy, make sure and paint a nice thick coat of primer on the walls. I wanted to make sure and do all my work by the book, which\u00a0meant I would be taping off all the surfaces bordering the walls. Typically I don’t tape when I paint, but this was a good learning experience for me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What I discovered is that if you tape, there is more time spent on prep work but the actual painting (especially edging) goes much more quickly. So it’s up to you! Either spend more time prepping on the front end with tape, or more time edging with a steady hand without tape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I also had some painful moments with the tape. I used Scotch blue Sharp Lines Multi-Surface tape, which was a first for me. In the past, I have only used Frog Tape. Due to the amount of area to be primed and painted, the tape was adhered for a few days in the Memphis heat before removal. As recommended, the paint was dry before I took the tape off. However, it did not come off in one piece, or even two pieces. I peeled and scraped for hours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Unfortunately, the tape also took off the wood veneer in some places from the cabinets. This was a problem because we decided not to paint the wood! The owner of the RV came up with a great idea and used a colored pencil to color in the areas where the tape removed the wood grain. Plan B was to use these wood grain markers<\/a>, but luckily plan A worked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n