How to paint camper walls and cabinets – Step by Step guide
Camper Remodel or How to paint interior camper walls and cabinets the easy way if you are not sure where to start: Watch the video to see how to do it easily
If you are desperately thinking about remodeling your camper, start with painting the walls and then decide if you want to tackle the cabinets.
It is easy to paint the walls if you are renovating an old camper that is gutted and empty and it makes all the difference – believe me.
I am showing you how to paint your camper walls and cabinets with all your furniture inside in a couple of days. Start with painting the walls and then use Milk Paint on your cabinets. No need to sand cabinets or doors before painting. Here is the step-by-step guide:
How to paint interior camper walls easily

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How to paint camper walls: Select your wall paint first
Don’t buy cheap paint. I love Sherwin Williams and I use it for most of my painting projects. And most of the paints have a primer already included which means it saves you one coat of primer.
Best paint for interior RV walls
I used interior paint from Sherwin Williams with primer in a semi-gloss finish.
If you love Behr or Benjamin Moore, go for it. I do not recommend a flat finish, because it is hard to clean. Use a semi-gloss or satin finish. I wouldn’t recommend eggshell finish if you need to clean more often because of kids and dogs…
If you have the color already selected, get a sample mixed at your local Lowes or Home Depot.
Choose a light color to freshen up your camper. I love light blue, green, or rose. Don’t buy a yellowish beige, it makes everything pretty dull looking.
These are some good color choices if you want to add a white color to the walls:
- Sherwin Williams Iconic White (bright white)
- Sherwin Williams Snowbound (off-white)
- Sherwin Williams Belgian White (warm white)
- Behr Moonlit Beach (pinkish white)
Always get a sample and try it out inside your Camper before you buy the paint.
If you need some help deciding on the wall color, take the free mini-course to find the right wall color for your RV here.
How to find the right color scheme for your RV/Travel Trailer
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Are the interior walls in really bad condition? Paint the camper walls
Check the walls. If they are really dark, old, and dated, you have to apply one coat of Kilz Primer (or similar). Especially if you have decided to use flat paint (which I don’t suggest), it doesn’t adhere well to a glossy wall.
If you are changing the color of your wall from dark to light (which I am suggesting if you want a lighter look) priming it first will make it easier to cover with the lighter color and could save you from applying a second or even third coat of paint.
How to paint interior camper walls
Before you start painting, prep the walls
Clean the walls, they have to be dust-free and clean. Wipe them down with warm water and detergent or use a deglosser if the walls are really bad. TSP is cheap and does the job well.
Remove all stickers and the wallpaper border. If you have holes in the walls, fill them up with wood filler or use a Spackling Small Hole Repair Kit. Sand over it lightly after it is dry. Sand all the seams of the paper so it is flush.
DO NOT remove the wallpaper, unless it is coming off by itself. Normally the wallpaper (it is not wallpaper) can’t be removed because it is glued onto the luan board/cardboard walls, which will be destroyed when you try to remove them.
In case the wallpaper ‘bubbles’ just remove the uneven part carefully, then sand over the edges to make it smooth.
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Test the paint before you start – can you actually paint camper walls?
If your camper walls are really dark, you want to consider applying a primer before you start painting. If you have bought paint that includes a primer already, then you can skip adding a separate primer.
But it all depends on the surface if the paint is easy to apply.
To find out how your paint will cover the wallpaper, try it out. Apply paint to a small area on a wall (I tried it on my kitchen wall) and see for yourself.
You can see it here on the right of the picture, the light blue is looking good and covers the wallpaper color great. And this is just one coat.

Painting the walls in your camper is not hard if you follow my easy steps:
How to paint a camper interior in steps
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1. Remove the valances
Unfortunately, you have to unscrew the valances, which can be a struggle on some windows. Use a good power drill to get them off.
I removed mine and never put them back up because they looked awful. If you want to keep yours, just screw them back on when you are done painting.
RV Interior Wall Material
This is what you need for painting interior walls:
- Medium size Foam Roller
- Small Foam Roller
- Paint tray
- Primer
- enough paint for 2 coats (depending on your RV size but 1/2 Gallon is normally plenty)
- angled brush small and medium
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How do you start painting the walls? Painting RV walls in steps:
If your camper is empty, then it is no problem. You might need to cover the floor if you don’t want to have stains.
If you have furniture inside, cover everything with a plastic protection cover.
I would not use a paint sprayer inside. First of all, you have to cover everything up well, and second, you don’t want to inhale all the fumes.
I used a paint sprayer in my garage, which was o.k. because the garage was empty, but camper walls need to be painted with a roller if the furniture is inside.
One step after the other
The first step is the most important. Take your time and paint all the edges and corners first with the angled brush. This might take a little time but makes using the roller afterward so much easier.
And I don’t use frog tape to protect furniture, floor, or ceiling. If you take your time while using the angled brush, you can do it without taping.
- Pour some paint into the tray. Use your medium-sized brush and a small brush and paint around all the corners and edges of the windows, furniture, sofa, cabinets…
- Now use your medium-sized foam roller and paint the walls from top to bottom. Don’t stop in between, just finish one wall after the other.
- Load enough paint onto your roller. Don’t overload it, the roller shouldn’t drip. The roller should roll easily onto the wall, don’t use a lot of pressure.
- Paint in one direction only – from top to bottom.
- Use the small foam roller for the small walls or spots that are hard to reach.
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6. Let the paint dry. Then check if the walls look good with one coat or if you need to apply another one. Give the paint enough time to dry before you add another coat if it is necessary otherwise the paint won’t stick.
7. Check again. If you find small imperfections, use your brush otherwise use your small roller to go over it one more time.
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The RV walls are done!
Painting the walls in my little camper (18 ft.) took me maybe 2 to 3 hours. If you stay focused and work consistently from one wall to the other. It is important to paint one full wall after the other and then let it dry to eliminate streaks.
And the next day I started painting all of my cabinets and the bathroom door.
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But wait, we are not done yet, now it is time to paint the cabinets and the doors:
How to paint RV kitchen cabinets and doors / Painting RV cabinets
I love to use Milk Paint on cabinets and doors. And above all, I love to use Milk Paint in the camper because it does not smell toxic or has a bad odor. You can stay inside your RV while you paint.
If you wonder what Milk Paint is, here is the explanation:
“Milk paint is a non-toxic water-based paint. It can be made from milk and lime, generally with pigments added for color. Milk Paint has been used for thousands of years.”
And milk paint is a little thicker than regular paint. Not as thick as chalk paint. The best reason for me is, that it is cheaper than chalk paint.
House Kitchen remodel
I painted my kitchen with Milk Paint 3 years ago when we moved into our ‘new’ home. It still looks great.
You can see a lot of pictures and a short video of how my kitchen looks today if you click here.
Paint your kitchen cabinets without sanding and priming DIY
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How to start painting RV cabinets and doors with Milk Paint:
How to paint RV cabinets step-by-step:
- Take off all of the hardware.
- Use Deglosser to clean all the grease off the cabinets and lightly sand them. Wipe them down again using clear water.
- Take the cabinet doors outside and put them on a plastic cover.
- Start painting the cabinet doors with a foam roller and a brush.
- Let them dry for at least 24 hours. Paint again.
- Decide if you want to paint the inside of the doors also, I painted some.
- Paint the outside of your cabinets with a brush and a small foam roller.
- I did not paint the inside of the cabinets because I used a cabinet liner.
- Apply one more coat.
- Let dry overnight.
- Apply Top Coat protection in Satin finish with a wide brush at least 3 times (goes very fast but is necessary for protection).
- Let the painted cabinets dry and cure for at least 2 to 3 days before starting to use them.
Attach your hardware when everything is completely dry and screw the doors back onto your cabinets. If you don’t like the color of your hardware, use spray paint to change it.
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How long does it take to paint RV walls and cabinets?
After we bought the camper I cleaned it thoroughly. It wasn’t in the best shape at all.
The next day I started painting the walls with Sherwin Williams interior paint, which took me maybe 2 – 3 hours. Our camper is pretty small (18 ft.) but it has a lot of small wall spaces, especially in the bathroom.
The next day I painted all of the cabinets and the bathroom door with Milk Paint. This took me at least 4 hours one day and another 2 hours the next day because I had to wait in between to let it dry to apply another coat.
On day three I applied the Top Coat on the kitchen cabinets 3 times. The Top Coat protects the paint from scratching and chipping, which is a must if you want it to look good for a long time.
How much did it cost to paint RV walls and RV cabinets?
Hard to say because I used all the paint from previous projects, but you will probably spend around 100 $ if you need to buy everything new.
Can beginners paint RV walls and cabinets?
Definitely, everyone can do this. If you do one step after the other you take your time and focus on the job, it is easy to do. Just do not rush and don’t stop in between painting a wall. Always finish one wall otherwise you will see dry lines that are hard to get rid of.
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Do you want to shop for this look?
Of course, you can buy a lot of different Milk Paint colors. I love to use Seagull Grey because it is a very neutral and light grey. Don’t forget to get the Top Coat to protect the paint from chipping. There are many colors to choose from.
If your kitchen is bigger, how about using a darker color on the bottom cabinets and a lighter color on the upper cabinets? I love the combination of dark blue and light grey in an RV or Motorhome. Looks very classic and clean.
This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
Do you have any questions about ‘How to paint Camper walls and cabinets?’
Did I forget anything? Do you have a question? Let me know in the comments below and I will be glad to answer you.
If you are struggling with whether or not you want to update your camper or RV, go for it. What a transformation it is if you look at the before and after pictures.
Start with the walls, then take a break, and then move on to the cabinets. You are going to love how light and airy your RV will look. Promise.
Have you just decided to go all in now? You don’t want to stop after you painted the walls, you want to update the floor, the lights the overall look of your RV. But you are a little scared of how to do all that on your own?
I did this a couple of years ago and learned a lot about how to update a Camper. So if you want to have a guide you can refer to and get all the tips on how to do it, get my Ebook ‘How to update the interior of an older RV’ and get going:
https://colorfuldesigner.com/e-book-how-to-update-the-interior-of-an-older-rv-easy/
There is so much more you can do to update your camper:
5 Best Tips to Remodel your Camper and also
How to Remodel a Camper Trailer Easy and Cheap
Want to see some before and after pictures:




I peeled the wallpaper boarder off but it left a sticky residue behind,I’ve tried tons of different things to remove it like TSP even used something to try to scrape it off but it’s still there how can I get it off so I can paint the walls?
Hi Vikki, sorry about your trouble. The only thing I can recommend is Pure Citrus Air Freshener, many have had good results using this. I haven’t used it as my wallpaper border came off without any residue. Another option is to use a blowdryer to warm the residue in order to scrape it off better. I hope this helps.
I have brass hinges and pulls on my cabinets. I was gonna get new but painting them might work. Any advice for prep or brand of paint to use on metal? I’m afraid the movement of the hinges will cause them to crack and peel or the paint will be too thick for them to work.
Hi Tammy, clean them with TSP or a deglosser, use a spray primer and then spray paint them with appliance spray. Just let them dry long enough before putting them back on. To make sure that the paint doesn’t peel off, add a protection spray. You can get the items from Rustoleum in your hardware store.
You can use the spray paint on other decors too. Hope this helps.
You mentioned that you painted the countertops also. What are they made of? Ours is like a solid surface that is dark brown. Can you paint this type?
Hi Crystal, my countertop is like a Formica-type countertop. I also used Milk Paint to paint over it and then added about 3-4 coats of Top Coat. No issues at all. Just make sure you clean it well before you start painting. I always use deglosser to get all the grease and dirt off. You can also lightly sand over it. Hope this helps.
These are awesome tips! Thanks so much for sharing. I had a hard time with trying to get my camper up and going for some winter trips this year, but we are now looking forward to spring with some beautiful cabinets and walls. All that’s left cosmetically is to add a floor.
Hi, Can you use milk paint for RV walls? If not, why not?
Hi Kasey, yes you can use milk paint for walls also, it is just more expensive.
Did you paint the countertops with the same paint as the cabinets?
Hi Samantha, yes I did. And I used about 3 layers of top coat to protect the paint. Works great.
Can I add sand texture to the paint for the walls? Just a small amount to hide the imperfections?
Hi Amy, yes you can, if it is not a lot. Test it out before.
Hi Connie.
I live in northern mn and I’m just itching to get into my new to me rv and give it my tlc.
I want to paint ceiling and walls. I have already washed them . My question is. … Would it be ok to paint now , with temps in the 30’s . If I heat camper to 50 or so degrees .. for a few days ? Especially after for curing?
Hi Lori, I understand that you can’t wait to get into that camper. I remodeled mine in cold temperatures and froze my hands off. If you read the paint instructions, they normally suggest having a room temperature of around 70, so keep the camper at least at 60 to make the paint dry and cure well.
Make sure there is no detergent on the walls, wipe it down with clear water after washing. Start with the ceiling.
Good luck and send pictures.
My camper has a rubbery type “tape” that runs along the place where the walls meet the ceiling and where walls meet the walls. Just got the camper so I’m not sure what it is called. Maybe a weather seal? In any case, do I paint over that? Around it? Remove it? Advice appreciated! Thanks.
Hi Jillian, I guess it is the stripe to cover the seams you are talking about. I painted over it, works fine.
Conny
Hi. So my walls are a light beige and I want to paint white. Do I need to sand the walls first? And since I’m not going dark fo light will a paint with primer be sufficient or do I need to prime first? TIA
Hi Julie, no you don’t need to sand the walls first. Wipe them down and make sure there is no dust or grease on the walls. Get a Sherwin Williams paint with primer included and 2 coats of paint should be enough. Have fun doing this, it will look awesome.
If we didn’t use milk paint, just a regular interior paint on the cabinets,
Should we (can we?) still use the top coats to protect it? We are
Finding it’s not adhering very well 😭
Hi Rachel, you can try but I have never done this.
I either use milk paint or chalk paint because it just works so well and this is what I am recommending.
Clean the cabinets well (use deglosser) then try on the inside of a cabinet if it works out.
If yes, let it dry a couple of days and then use the top coat.
Hope this helps.
When I ordered the milk paint on amazon that you listed I ordered snow white. In the description it says to not use a top coat that it will turn the cabinets yellow. Should I still apply the 3 coats?
Hi Charise, you have to apply the top coat because it protects the paint from scratches and chips. Snow white in combination with a top coat tends to yellow a little bit after some time. It depends on the light in your Camper if you can actually see it, but just be aware of it. It will look awesome.
Hi! I followed your tutorial and when I started to peel of the paint it ripped off some of the paint and primer. Is this a bad sign? Did my kilz primer not work? Or was my paint too tacky. I’m freaking out that I’m going to have to repaint everything. Help!! 🙂
Emily, you mean you peeled off the tape? You have to let it dry before you do that. Did you use milk paint, or are you talking about the walls? Don’t freak out, let it dry and use a knife to cut down at the edge of the tape to be 100 % sure. Let me know how it goes.
Hi. Our cabinets have a paper coating instead of stained or painted. How do we paint over that?
Hi Shelley, most of RV’s have paper covered fake wood. So it shouldn’t be an issue to paint it. Either use Milk Paint or Chalk Paint to paint the cabinets. It is always good to try it out on the inside of a door before you paint the outside, just to be 100 % sure.
Wouldnt the paint make the paper warp and bubble
Hi Kasia, no actually not. If you let the paint dry in between coats and don’t water the paint down it is no issue. The wallpaper isn’t really wallpaper in RV’s, it is somehow cardboard/plywood/wallpaper, so very hard to remove.
What about the cabinets with the paper coating?
Hi Lauren, most of the cabinets in campers have lightweight cabinets with paper coating. Therefore I recommend not to sand but clean it with deglosser. Always try it out first, best is to paint the inside of a cabinet or door to be sure it works. It worked well with my cabinets. Let me know how it went.
If your camper needs a bit of a makeover, or if you just need a change then painting the walls and cabinets is an excellent idea. I find that changing the color immediately gives you a whole new look and feel.
Yes Yvette, what a change a little bit of paint does. Thank you.
I may have missed it but you talk about colors but not what type of paint. Oil based, flat, gloss?
Hi Sheila, sorry if I wasn’t specific on the paint. I am using interior paint with primer included, water based for the walls. (I normally use Sherwin Williams paint). I do not recommend a flat finish, it is harder to paint, and you can’t wipe it down.
For cabinets I use Milk Paint from General Finishes.
Hope this clarifies,
Conny xoxo
My RV walls have a fabric look. One area has mold (I have treated with mold killer) and I would like to paint with the kind of paint that kills mold. My RV guy told me I could not paint over it. Have you ever painted fabric. I could use Kilz. Thanks
Hi Teresa, it depends on how much mold there is and if it is gone. I would be careful. If it is just a small area you can certainly treat it and scrape it off. But before you paint it, the mold has to be gone and the area dried out.
Is it hard to take the fabric off the wall? And then put new wallpaper up or if the wall looks good just paint it then? Send me a picture if you can.
What did you use for the backsplash?
Hi Norma,I used glass tiles but applied them one by one next to each other without grout (I took them off the net). These tiles are from Italy, but I have a link of similar backsplash on the post “Camper Remodel Ideas on a Budget”. Hope this information helps you. See you Conny
Did you move the couch when you painted? My hubs said the couch is screwed into floor
Hi Cindy, no I did not move the couch because I wanted to keep it and it would have been a lot of work to get it out. Yes, it is screwed into the floor. Just cover it up and paint around it. Works well. Cheers Conny