Community Forums

Anna Marie · 04-04-2008, 04:26 PM

We just bought our first 5er, yesterday. I would like to change the color of the walls. Any advice about whether that wallboard can be painted or wallpapered over?

Anna Marie · 04-04-2008, 04:26 PM

We just bought our first 5er, yesterday. I would like to change the color of the walls. Any advice about whether that wallboard can be painted or wallpapered over?

apackof2 · 04-07-2008, 05:42 PM

I don't see why you couldn't paint or wallpaper.

However you should probably apply a primer coat like Bin (water based)before doing either

Its seals and primes

I plan on painting the interior of my rig (when I finally get one)

Lynnvt · 04-08-2008, 05:09 AM

I'm sure you can paint. I agree with the Bin suggestion. I have seriously considered sanding down the oak cabinets in our rig and doing a white wash to lighten it up in there. The chances of my actually getting around to it are slight...

GraciesMom · 04-16-2008, 02:23 PM

When I bought my 2002 Teton, the walls were a grey fancy wallboard and I hated it. I hired a professional wallpaper person to wallpaper it. He used the heavy duty adhesive and it STILL would scrape away too easily. I saved rolls of it in order to do patch jobs. Thankfully, it was a stucco pattern so I could just tear strips of wallpaper and glue it right over wherever it scraped away and you couldn't tell the difference. Probably wouldn't work well with any other wallpaper pattern. Now I have an Itasca Suncruiser and the wallboard looks like something from the 60's . . .white with pink/blue/green markings on it - like someone took a pen and doodled. I hate it. Soooooo . . . I am going to prime it and I'm going to paint it with one of those Ralph Lauren textured paints. I'll let you know how that goes. The only successful wallpapering story I've heard is from someone who used the heavy duty vinyl wallpaper and heavy duty wallpaper paste and let it sit for a week before getting near it. That type of wallpaper doesn't tear as easily ad paper wallpaper. Best of luck - I know it'll look great when you're done!! It always makes me feel better to make the rig look like MINE and not like whatever crazy decorator picked the colors!

Anna Marie · 04-16-2008, 02:49 PM

THANKS for all the great first hand info! I was worried that wallpaper wouldn't stick to the semi-shiny paper that is on the RV walls, now. I would love to hear back from you after you have painted. We painted our paneling in our den of our home, using a high-adhesion primer, then paint. It has worked pretty well, with only a minimum of scratches where the dining room chairs have rubbed the wall. I was really surprised that a '97 trailer would have such a'60's-'70's look! I may just leave the walls (the design is very pale) and add color with the carpet, linoleum and curtains and upholstery. I'm a little "CHICKEN"....don't want to ruin or buckle the walls in the RV. I also wondered if we did a darker color (it's basically white, now) if it would make it feel like a cave. Thanks again, for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience. Can't wait to take it out for the first time!

GraciesMom · 05-29-2008, 04:14 PM

I was in Lowe's the other day in the wallpaper section and saw this new wallpaper that is a stucco design like you see in most new RV's. The way you apply it is to TEAR IT into pieces and paste it up. that safes all the pattern matching, seams, cutting around wierd spaces, etc. Well - I figured if you can do it with that wallpaper, you should be able to do it with any stucco patterned wallpaper so that's what I'm going to do. Going to try the bathroom first.

And has anyone reupholstered your valances??? I cannot sew - but I can handle a staple gun. I like the cording that's sewn in on the bottom edge and I don't know how to add that - maybe glue it on??

Anna Marie · 05-29-2008, 04:36 PM

We can surely help one another! I just recovered the valances and made new curtains for the bedroom of our 5th wheeler last month, so I'll tell you how to do the valances, and you can tell me how your bathroom turns out! Deal?

Anna Marie · 05-29-2008, 05:04 PM

Recovering the valances(or cornice boards) is not hard...just VERY time consuming. The majority of the time is spent taking out the HUNDREDS of staples that it is put together with. I did most of that in the evenings, while I watched TV. As I took the fabric and different components off, I would take notes and draw simple diagrams to help me remember how to re-assemble it. I also took care to keep the old fabric pieces(and the piping and the cardboard strips) intact, so I could re-use them. I just added the new fabric over the old on the piping. You will see as you take it apart how they did it. If you take good notes and do one step at the time, you should be able to recover them. I also left the existing foam on the cornice board and just covered over it with the new fabric. My old ones had gathered fabric on the front of the cornice board, but I stretched the new fabric straight across, without the gathers. I also reused the old hardware for the curtains. And also any velcro that was used. Just take it slow, and don't get in a hurry. It's do-able! I don't know how to add photos, or I would attach the "before and after" pics.

GraciesMom · 06-11-2008, 10:01 AM

I found this wallpaper at Lowe's that you tear and paste up to make it look like a faux finish. It's a little pricey but I bought it and did my bathroom and it looks GREAT! And it was so much easier because you weren't having to line up edges and match patterns and stuff. So now, I found a regular stucco patterned wallpaper and I'm going to do the bedroom and the living area with that. I'm also going to paint a matte sealant over it to make SURE it doesn't peel or get scratched off. I'm also going to do the inside of the door, and since it's outside more than inside in the summer, I'm going to put a coat of marine varnish (matte of course) over that as well. Wow - is this coach ever going to look great! Whether I sell it or keep it, it's a vast improvement and hopefully will help bring a better sales price.
If you have any questions, ask! It really was the easiest wallpapering I've ever done and looks like a professional faux finish.

GraciesMom · 06-11-2008, 10:02 AM

About recovering valances - I just recovered over the old fabric. I took them apart when I did my Teton and it was such a pain - that this time I'm just covering over the old fabric. Using hot glue to attach the trim. No sewing needed.