Interior wall refinishing advice

[brians1969]

Sent: 2/22/2007 5:33 PM

I'm not liking the dark paneling I have in my winnie and wanted to get some advice from the group. I was thinking about painting (cheaper than wall paper). I know I have to primer with kilz or bin. Do I fill the grooves in the paneling or do I just paint the whole thing? 2 color scheme?
thanks gang!
brian

[Oz]

Sent: 2/22/2007 10:21 PM

There is quite a bit of info on this topic archived.  Using the keyword "paint" in the message search gave me these helpful discussions:
 
No need to fill the grooves.

A two color scheme is a good idea.  I don't know if you are talking about alternating the colors on different walls, making the walls one color and the trim another, or going half/half vertically.  Each method will greatly improve the feel of your interior.

My opinion is that using only one color, particularly white or very bright colors over all the walls has the reverse effect of the dark panelling.  With white or even off whites, it will definitely make it appear more open and spacious, however it also gives a "hospital" type of effect.  Or, with other colors, it becomes a bit monochromatic.

My solution was to plan how the entire interior was to tie together using the walls as the backdrop for additional visual diversity using counter top material and decor accessories.

In order to change the dark "cave" feel of the panelling to something with a more spacious yet appealing effect, I left the lower half of the walls paneled, put a trim piece around the back walls at dinette seat height, and painted the upper half.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Sent: 2/23/2007 9:03 AM

The trouble we have found with paint (and even wallpaper), especially when you live in your rig full time with two big German Shepherds, a fat cat, and a lovely wife, is that the paint scratches very easily, and the wallpaper scratches easily as well.  Of course, we used latex paint, so maybe a hard enamel would be more durable...especially with a good primer like Kilz under it.  Same thing with the wallpaper...Patti says it would be a lot more durable if I had primed the walls for her with Kilz.  If you decide to put up wallpaper, make sure you cut the wallpaper at the corners, especially at outer walls...the walls move slightly when travelling, so if you wallpaper into a corner (instead of cutting the wallpaper and matching it up at corners) it will tear out at the corners, and buckle and warp there as well.

Have fun!

Kev and Patti

[brians1969]

Sent: 2/23/2007 10:37 AM

Excellent thought on the walls moving, Kev. Sometimes I forget, these things do actually move!

Sob, the interior looks gorgeous! Can you describe how you painted the cabinet doors? Do I detect a faux painting technique in the photos? Don't worry, I wont be bringing up the topic of CURTAINS! :-)

brian

[camperguynj]

Sent: 2/25/2007 2:03 PM

Brian,

Many years ago I used a product recommended by a friend/architect to prep the surface of some dark, Mediterranean style, kitchen cabinets that I painted white with a latex paint. It was called something like "Wil-bond". A brown and tan can I think. Clean the surface, brush the Wil-bond on then your Kilz or primer. Excellent results without the scratching Kevin mentioned. (Though, I didn't have a large German Shepard pawing open the cupboards to fix himself a snack)

-Jim

[Oz]

Sent: 2/25/2007 10:09 PM

Brian,

The cabinets are still the same, original doors.  I used the same formica (very carefully cut) and glued them to the surface.  You notice that the "cut" of the insets have a uniform shape.  This shape was a thin routed line in the door faces.  I made templates with paper for each one (no two were exactly the same, and only two at any given time were even close to the same size).  This took quite some time, as did cleaning and polishing all the original hinges, drawer pulls and latches as well!  After gluing the insets in place, I used a fine paintbrush and filled the routed lines with gold paint.  I'll tell you that it really gives the whole thing a nice finishing touch (cheap too!)

I got really creative on the upper cabinets... I wanted them to stand out and really tie in the lower area and the upper area an include the palm tree motif.  Here's what Mr. Genius came up with ~LOL~!:  I took a tupperware container, centered it on each of the 4 pieces and traced around it.  I cut out the centers and got the palm tree wooden appliques from a craft store, hand painted them, and glued and nailed them to the faces... voila!  Sometimes being simple-minded has it's creative advantages in making something unique from scraps and very little else.

Notice that I also used the same formica as an insert on the oven door, the fridge doors and the dinette table (view that in my album).

These days, yes, I'm sure there are primers, even paints that have special bonding attributes, although I doubt any, even Imron exterior auto paint would withstand a scrape from the hounds of the Baskervilles!... but I went a different route.  More time consuming but equally, if not more, effective.  I used a light grit sand paper and sanded the surface to be painted, ensuring it had a dull, rather than shiny finish.  Now, add your Kilz or other bonding primer and you should have a good base to work with (I only wish I had thought about it before I had a good portion of the interior painted and realized how easily the paint scratches off... Ah well, I have no mechanical, carpentry, or painting experience whatsoever so... live and learn!).  That's one of the really good things about buying a really cheap rig;  it gives you that opportunity!

- Sob