How do you paint the walls?

[Lopo]

I've been searching for threads about painting the walls inside. One thing I like about having an older model is that I don't hesitate to paint it and just totally redo it like I would with a newer one. But I'm a bit thrown by how to paint the walls when they're covered with whatever they're covered with. Who's managed to do that and have it come out well? I'm scared to death I'll screw up big time and make a mess!

Just use Kilz or some other good sealer first and then latex or ???? I don't think I'll paint the cabinets if I can paint the walls, but I do want to cover the mirror inserts in the doors above the dinette. Any ideas for that? Oh, and if I get brave and remove the dinette and put a chair there, like a recliner or something, does it have to be fastened to the floor? I'm having a 30 amp line put in at my house tomorrow so that I can run the a/c. It's just way too hot to try to work in there without it, and I don't want to wait til November!

[oregonrambler1]

Our FourWinds had poly contact paper wallpaper (?) that totally buckled in the heat of Arizona one summer. We removed all of it with a window blade scraper, being careful to not gouge the wood panel underneath. Some of the stuff came off in big sheets but around the edges it was pretty stuck on. Luckily not much glue residue remained on the wood. We then used regular semi gloss paint on the wood, then I sponged painted a top layer for decor and color. It came out so well in the living area in beige and mocha that we did the bathroom in a 3 color scheme with lavender as the first color, then did the bedroom with cream as the base and the lavender from the bathroom as the sponge layer. My cousin is still enjoying the fruits of our labor

[avalen]

before I put my rv in storage I had started painting in the kitchen over that pressed on wallpaper stuff thats like vinyl. It showed every little
flaw in the wallpaper that wasn't noticeable before. I ended up getting my steamer out and steaming the wallpaper off the wall. It came off
easy enough but the steam was getting to me and wasn't helping with the a/c. I will continue the project when I pull my rv out of storage.
Thats gonna be awhile so I know I'm really no help now but I did paint my ceiling with Kilz.

The flaws in my wallpaper that showed up were where the paper had seperated from the wall, probably from the heat of Arizona. I first noticed
it when my shower rod slipped down and took the paper with it. I was surpised but decided since it was wood underneath I could wash any
adhesive residue off and paint.

[Lopo]

Well, Ava, that really helps, especially that photo. It's sure making me think twice about painting over it, that's for sure.

[retiredhappy]

My class C had cupboards that had a really orangey stain so I painted them. Light sanding, one coat of Kilz and two coats of latex paint. They came out great. I also had glass cupboard inserts which I hated. Again, sand, two coats of Kilz and two coats of paint. You couldn't tell they were glass.

[Lopo]

Thanks, Paulette and Mary, and Karen.( Didn't see Paulette's and Mary's entry earlier - guess I'm in my dotage.) I'm excited to know that I can paint the mirrors on those upper cupboards! I'm sure they were a big selling feature in '94, but in '12, not so much. I don't think I'll try to remove the wallpaper because I know myself too well - I'll get discouraged and leave it a mess. But those mirrors have got to go!

[JudyJB]

I have a brand new Class C, and I had the dealer remove the dinette before I took delivery. Actually, they just loosened it, and I put the pieces into storage so that when i do sell someday, I will be able to put the dinette back in. I was told it would be hard to resell without the dinette, but frankly I have had a lot of compliments on replacing the dinette, so I think the dealers are wrong, but at least I am covered.

I have a wall-hugger recliner in the place where the dinette was. It is sitting on a throw rug that has a rubber backing and hardly ever moves at all, even over big bumps.

However, I DO have holes in the floor and in the wall where the table was attached. (I have saved all of the screws, nuts, and bolts.) My eventual plan is to get some sort of narrow table or shelf I can attach to the wall using those same holes and bolts. I need to get a larger throw rug to cover the ones on the floor. I want something washable and something plush so the recliner legs will sink into it and something with a rubber backing so it won't move. The rest of my floors are vinyl, so it would slide on that!

A problem with most of these RVs is that they don't make the walls strong enough to hold extra shelves or such on the walls, so at least the holes tell me where the wall has been reinforced so I can safely put something there.