How to Remodel a Camper Trailer Easy and Cheap
How to remodel a camper trailer easy and cheap, especially if you don’t have a lot of time to get it done
We bought this old and tired looking camper because it was waiting for me to make it pretty. I heard him say “buy me” and this is what we did. The next day I started making color schemes, searching for ideas, and hunting for material.
This Travel Trailer remodel was done within a week. And with a very tight budget, our little camper came back to life. Here are all the tips you need to know to update your Camper/RV or Motorhome too:
This is how our Travel Trailer looks after the remodel:
Now is the best time to buy a used camper or RV, especially if you are planning some road trips and you just want to drive along and feel the freedom.
Get all the tips and tricks on how to update an older camper trailer easy and of course on a budget in this E-book:
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How to remodel a camper trailer easy and cheap
If you are thinking about buying a used camper or you have one sitting in your driveway but it definitely needs an update, here are my best tips on how to remodel a camper trailer easy and cheap. And I didn’t spend a lot of money on the remodeling either. So go for it – you have nothing to lose.
All campers we looked at during our search were brown or beige on the inside. Not very appealing to me.
Therefore I did some research on how hard it is to update an old camper or RV and decided that I can do this on my own.
We looked at really bad ones and some looked sort of o.k. At the end of our search, we decided to buy a 10-year-old “FunFinder”, 18 ft. long, in decent shape, because ‘he talked to me’.
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Here are the before pictures:
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How to start remodeling your camper easy and cheap:
- First, we removed all the ugly brown valances and just left the blinds on the windows. Read all the details in How to replace curtains in an RV
- Then I decided on a maximum of two main colors. White, light grey, light blue is always a good option to start with. I picked a light blue paint for the walls. Check out how to decide on a color scheme here.
- After this, I painted our cabinets with milk paint. No need to sand them down which will make your life so much easier. If you want to be 100% sure the paint will stick well, sand the cabinets lightly and then use the deglosser. Here is a fast read on how to paint cabinets and walls. Camper Remodel How to paint camper walls and cabinets
- I added some glam with teal backsplash tiles in the kitchen area. It took me almost a whole day, because I tiled it without grouting and it was a little tricky, but so worth it. It is easier and much faster if you buy self-adhesive tiles, just stick them on the walls, line them up, and done. That’s what I did in the bathroom.
- First I thought I would keep the floor, but the brown beige color sucked all the light in and didn’t look good with all the other colors. So I added a new white vinyl floor. I glued the new self-adhesive vinyl tiles on top of the old linoleum. It looks great. It took me (with the help of my husband) about 5 hours to get it done because some of the tiles had to be cut to fit.
- Of course, the couch was brown/beige also. First I cleaned it with a carpet foam and brushed the stains off. There are ready-made covers to buy at Amazon, but I covered the jack-knife-sofa with a white/grey sheet. Add some velcro strips at the back of the sofa so it stays in place.
- I added some splashes of color with a tiny rug, pillows, sheets, and a curtain. Most of the items I didn’t have to buy.
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You don’t feel like painting walls or cabinets?
If you don’t feel like painting, here are the best tips that you can do easily without painting.
And you will still get an updated and refreshed look if you follow these simple steps.
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Here is the deal:
Painting the cabinets took the longest because you have to paint and let dry and paint again. But with my method, you skip the sanding and the priming step, which helps immensely on cutting downtime. Camper Remodel How to paint camper walls and cabinets
Painting kitchen cabinets can go fast if you stay on the job and work consistently. It is so much fun to watch the transformation from ugly to beautiful.
If you have decided to glam up your camper, check out all the resources and links I have collected here in this Ebook, this will give you so many ideas about your remodel:
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How our Travel Trailer looks now:
This is the “kitchen”, big enough to prepare a dinner for two! Love the backsplash.
New vinyl tiles in white. It makes everything look so much bigger and brighter. Underneath you can see small parts of the old floor. Install them in a pattern, start with a full-length plank, and the next row with a half-length plank, and so on. The tiles are still holding up great.
The section with the couch (can be pulled out to a bed) is a slide-out. Space is very limited without the slide-out.
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How long did the Camper remodel take?
It took me about 1 week to get it done. I worked for 2-3 hours every day on it.
It wasn’t a hard job to do. If you can park the camper right next to your home and you are able to work on it consistently, it can be done within a week.
Of course, this camper did not have any leaks or major renovation issues. The only thing I had to do was making the inside prettier.
It is so rewarding to watch it look getting better every day, the more brown and beige disappeared the happier it looked. Also, it looks so much bigger now which doesn’t hurt at all.
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How to find more space in a small camper?
So far we did four trips with our little camper.
There is not a lot of space in the ‘kitchen’, especially for cooking or washing dishes, but you get used to it. And you need to know some storage hacks in order to organize all your stuff.
The camper works well for two people and a dog because we are mainly outside anyhow. It can get cramped when everybody is inside though. Especially our dog Apache uses a lot of space.
The best thing about traveling with a camper is that we can bring her. We normally have to book a doggy camp for her when we go on vacation and I feel horrible leaving her behind.
Definitely know what to bring for your dog when you go on trips.
So now I am just happy to have my little fur baby with me whenever we decide to take a road trip or go on a weekend getaway.
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And because I get asked so often, where I bought the material I used for the remodel here are some links.
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Where can you buy the material I used:
This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
For painting the cabinets and the doors I used Milk Paint in Seagull Grey. No sanding or priming required, just two coats of paint, let it dry and then apply 3 coats of Top Coat which goes pretty fast.
Read the full tutorial about how to paint the cabinets and doors Paint your kitchen cabinets without sanding and priming DIY
Here is the link for your convenience, of course, there are a lot of other color options available:
Cabinet paint color:
Vinyl Floor tiles
White vinyl floor planks. The ones I used are from Lowes, but I can’t find them anymore. Here is something similar, unfortunately, more expensive:
Peel and stick backsplash:
If you like it clean white:
Or you like it colorful:
A lot of the decor I found at Walmart for a couple of Dollars. I also made my own printables which you can download, print out, and frame if you like to get some decor for free:
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This is Apache, our cute rescue dog. And talking about dogs, do you know what to bring on your trips for your dogs? Definitely look into the dog must-haves
Let me see your remodels, I am so curious. And if you have any questions, let me know in the comments below.
If you are thinking about remodeling your Travel Trailer/RV/Motorhome now, get the Ebook, which helps you walk through all the steps you need to do to update the look of your interior. I am sure you won’t regret it.
Final thoughts on updating an older Camper
It is definitely worth buying a used Camper or RV because the devaluation of a new one is insane. Just be sure you check for mold, leaks any water damage because this is hard and expensive to fix.
If you like to add color, pretty fabrics, and decor, you can make a Glamper easy out of an ordinary Camper.
Here is the Checklist you want to download before you start researching for a Camper:
8 things you need to know Camper_RV 101
Scroll down and see the material recommended in order to get a light and airy look inside of your Camper. My Camper remodel didn’t cost more than $ 200!
See you on the road,
Conny xoxo
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Find related articles you need to read before painting cabinets:
Paint kitchen cabinets without sanding and priming and see the transformation of my dark and ugly kitchen to a pretty bright new kitchen. It’s awesome.
Camper kitchen remodel / RV kitchen remodel
RV/Camper 101 for first-timers
Want to remember ‘How to remodel an RV/Travel Trailer easy and cheap’? Pin this image to your favorite board:

These are the main shopping items I used for my Camper remodel:
Depending on the size of your Camper you have to order the amount accordingly.
I used Milk Paint and the Top Coat to paint the cabinets and the doors.
Use peel and stick backsplash in your kitchen and bathroom
I love light and bright floors, changes everything inside the Camper
This is the runner I have ordered for my Camper. I love the colors and the pattern. I ordered it because it is washable and this is a game changer for me. Husband and dog are a little messy and it helps to be able to throw the rug in the washing machine. Check it out.
I will keep you updated when I have used it for a couple of weeks and washed it.

Thank you for the info! But, the milk paint is highly expensive!
Hi Brittany, yes it is not cheap but cheaper than chalk paint and it works and saves you a lot of time. Also, the paint really goes a long way.
How did you paint without sanding? I looked up milk paint – I think even the same brand you affialite linked – and the first step in preparation says to sand:
Before applying paint, all raw wood projects require preparation sanding, and all existing finishes require prep cleaning and sanding. If you skip this critical step, your finish may fail.
Hi Carrie,
I used Deglosser and cleaned the cabinets off any grease or dirt. I have done many cabinets without sanding and I have never had any issues with it. If you are skeptical if it works on your cabinets, try the paint on the inside of a door or cabinet first before you move on to the outside. Let me know your results.
Did you use the milk paint on the doors also
Hi Jean, yes I did use Milk Paint on the doors and even on my countertop. I just applied 3 coats of Top Coat on the countertop, one coat on the door. Let me know if you have any other questions.
What exactly is milk paint and the factor about it? For sheen or a different outlook? Sorry I’m clueless about different paints.
Hi Kathy, this is the explanation for Milk Paint: Milk paint is a nontoxic 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.”
Milk Paint is thicker than regular paint and therefore covers surface like wood much better. Similar to chalk paint, not so thick though and much cheaper to buy.
I absolutely love to paint with milk paint, especially because I don’t like sanding wood.
Hope this answered your question.
Cheers, Conny
Hello I’m just wondering if you have s link to the floor tiles? Everywhere I look at is quite expensive
Hi Krista, yes I have links in my other camper post ‘Camper remodel ideas on a Budget’. I can’t find the same tiles anymore I have used, but similar ones on Amazon. They look pretty similar. I will check around and see what else I can find for you.