Come see how we renovated our early 90s $1000 camper from start to finish on a budget! Learn how to paint oak cupboards, reupholster camper seating, refinish an RV bathroom and more to update an old travel trailer.
Photo by Tracey Jazmin
By far one of the most asked about DIYs on my blog & YouTube channel is our renovated camper. I totally get it - we LOVE it too! It's provided us with so many wonderful memories already, and I love that we didn't spend a ton of money to create a little home on wheels that's both functional and adorable for our summertime adventures.
We started renovating our fifth wheel in May of 2017, and finished it just last summer with the bathroom remodel. It was a ton of work and there were so many steps involved, so I thought it would be a good idea to compile exactly what we did to our camper from start to finish in one giant blog post! (Plus, these new photos by Tracey Jazmin of the camper were too cute not to share! And I love that they show how well everything has held up!)
Photo by Tracey Jazmin
This renovation cost us about $1600, however we had many of the supplies on hand or they were given to us.
Please note that I'm a self-taught DIYer and not a trained professional, so this step-by-step guide is based on my experience only. However, if you love to do things yourself just like me, I think you'll find these steps effective if you're renovating your own RV!
How to Renovate an RV: Step-by-Step!
Jump to the Printable Instructions!
Step 1: Find an Old Camper for Sale & Assess It
There are lots of used RVs for sale on buy-and-sell sites like Facebook, Kijiji and Craigslist. I often see them along the side of the road, too! We were lucky and found ours for only $1000, but even spending a few thousand on an old camper can be worth it if the camper's in decent shape. It's still much less than a new RV! When looking for a used RV, check for things like water damage (common), mechanical issues, electrical issues and structural issues. Most other things can be repaired easily (like upholstery and finishes).
Step 2: Make any Necessary Repairs
Before working on the more fun things like painting and reupholstering, make any repairs to the structure or mechanics of your camper. We had to rip off the whole back wall of our fifth wheel and replace it because of water damage. You can see water damage in the front here too, which also had to be replaced. Thankfully, my hubby is great at this sort of thing!
Step 3: Rip it All Out!
Remove anything from the camper that you want to replace like old window treatments, carpet, linoleum, blinds, fabric panels etc. Don't attack your couch or dinette just yet - you can fix those later! I removed all of the old soft furnishings and carpet from our camper because I wanted fresh, easy-to-clean finishes.
Step 4: Prime & Paint the Walls & Cabinets
This will be the most time consuming step of your renovation, but it will make the biggest difference. Remove all of the cabinet doors in your RV, and then prime all of the walls, ceiling, cabinets and cabinet doors. I sanded everything first with liquid sandpaper, used Killz oil-based primer, and finished with latex paint. I painted the camper fridge the same way. You can also seal the cabinets with a Varathane sealant to prolong the life of the paint. For an inexpensive update, you can also spray paint the hinges and/or pulls on your cabinets. In the bathroom, you can use a paint especially formulated for painting over old bathroom fixtures to resurface your tub, toilet and sink if required. Get more details on our cupboard painting and camper kitchen renovation here.
Step 5: Add Decorative Surface Treatments like Wallpaper, Contact Paper & Peel-and-Stick Tile
To give your RV some personality, you can add wallpaper and/or peel-and-stick tile to accent walls and the kitchen wall in your camper. I found a dehumidifier to be essential when applying things like wallpaper so that everything dried nicely. It's also important to prime any walls you want to add paper or vinyl tile to. Consider covering an old kitchen counter with marble contact paper like we did; I love how our counter has held up! You can also replace any fabric panels in the cupboards with something more modern and durable like decorative tin panels. I spray painted and cut some to suit my style. We completely replaced our dinette table with an Ikea desk top and used the hardware from the old table.
Photo by Tracey Jazmin
Step 6: Install New Hardware, Lighting and Window Treatments
If you don't want to paint the old ones, new cupboard pulls can make a huge difference in the look of your RV. Buying hardware that fits the old holes of your cupboards makes it an easy swap! You can use regular light fixtures in your camper if you want to make a statement chandelier, just use light bulbs that are especially for RVs - they're the 12 volt kind. We used a pendant light an shortened it for over our dinette. Amazon has modern looking LED RV lights for a great price! For window treatments, consider installing simple blackout blinds that will help everyone sleep a little better. We found ours at Ikea.
Photo by Tracey Jazmin
Step 7: Recover or Slipcover Soft Furnishings
If the foam in your sofa and dinette is still good, you can recover or slipcover them. I've shared complete tutorials on how to do this, and you can learn how to recover dinette seats right here and how to make a slipcover for a jacknife sofa right here. Replace any foam that is destroyed, and replace any old mattresses.
Photo by Tracey Jazmin
Step 8: Install New Flooring
Consider installing vinyl plank as flooring for your RV. It's inexpensive, light and durable, and it's easy to install! You can lay it over old vinyl, and you can use a ruler and craft knife to cut it. We love how ours looks, feels and wears!
Photo by Tracey Jazmin
Step 9: Add the Final Touches!
Now's the extra fun part - adding the final accessories to make your RV both functional and beautiful. Add hooks and bars to the walls for added storage (I used wood screws to attach them), add hooks to the bottoms of your cupboards for storage or decorative items, attach art to the wall with wood screws or Command Photo Hanging Strips, make DIY pillow covers in your favourite colours to make your little home feel bright and cozy, and find durable melamine or metal dishware that you can store in your camper for your first trip!
Come see how I styled our camper in 2017, and see how I styled it in 2018 right here!
Give yourself more time than you think to complete the renovation of your camper. It will be a lot of work, but you'll be so proud when you're done! We've LOVED using our renovated camper, and I know you will love yours too!
Our DIY Camper Source List:
- Paint: Valspar Ultra White, Benjamin Moore Simply White, Valspar Noir (lower cupboards)
- Wood Wallpaper: Home Depot (found in store; I can’t find a link online)
- Peel & Stick Tile: Smart Tiles Metro Blanco
- Marble Contact Paper for Counter
- Fabric: Shibori Design, Indigo Velvet, Indoor / Outdoor Griege Linen Look from Fabric.com
- Flooring: Allure Stayplace from Home Depot
- Cupboard Pulls
- Dinette Light Fixture (we hacked it to make it flush)
- Dinette 12V Edison Bulb
- TVs: 32″ Samsung Smart TVs from The Brick
- Mattress: Springwall Endeavour 3 Euro-Top Firm Queen Mattress from The Brick
- Melamine Dinnerware: Costco, in-store
- Copper Flatware: Walmart, in-store
- Copper Mugs: vintage
- Blue Enamel Mugs
- Spray Paint: Rustoleum Copper Rose & Oil Rubbed Bronze Metallic
- Aluminum Sheet (for cupboard inserts)
- Butcher Block Table Top: Gerton Desk top
- Black Out Blinds
- Hanging Rods
- LED Ceiling Lights
- Navy Bed Sheets
- "Camper Sweet Camper" sign is a free printable here!
Watch my YouTube video on how to renovate an RV on a budget:
Let's make it!
How to Renovate an RV
Come see how we renovated our early 90s $1000 camper from start to finish on a budget! Learn how to paint oak cupboards, reupholster camper seating, refinish an RV bathroom and more to update an old travel trailer.
Materials
- Used RV
- Oil Based Primer
- Latex Paint
- Spray Paint
- Tub & Tile Paint
- Varathane Sealant
- Wallpaper
- Peel-and-Stick Tile
- Contact Paper
- Drawer Pulls
- Decorate Sheet Tin
- Indoor/Outdoor Fabric
- Velcro
- Blackout Blinds
- Vinyl Plank Flooring
- Light Fixtures
- 12V Light Bulbs
- Wall Hooks
- Wood Screws
Tools
- Staple Remover
- Crow Bar
- Paint Brush & Tray
- Sewing Machine
- Foam Brush
- Safety Mask
- Utility Knife
- Ruler
- Drill
Instructions
- Find an Old Camper for Sale & Assess It. There are lots of used RVs for sale on buy-and-sell sites like Facebook, Kijiji and Craigslist. I often see them along the side of the road, too! We were lucky and found ours for only $1000, but even spending a few thousand on an old camper can be worth it if the camper’s in decent shape. It’s still much less than a new RV! When looking for a used RV, check for things like water damage (common), mechanical issues, electrical issues and structural issues. Most other things can be repaired easily (like upholstery and finishes).
- Make any Necessary Repairs. Before working on the more fun things like painting and reupholstering, make any repairs to the structure or mechanics of your camper. We had to rip off the whole back wall of our fifth wheel and replace it because of water damage. You can see water damage in the front here too, which also had to be replaced. Thankfully, my hubby is great at this sort of thing!
- Rip it All Out! Remove anything from the camper that you want to replace like old window treatments, carpet, linoleum, blinds, fabric panels etc. Don’t attack your couch or dinette just yet – you can fix those later! I removed all of the old soft furnishings and carpet from our camper because I wanted fresh, easy-to-clean finishes.
- Prime & Paint the Walls & Cabinets. This will be the most time consuming step of your renovation, but it will make the biggest difference. Remove all of the cabinet doors in your RV, and then prime all of the walls, ceiling, cabinets and cabinet doors. I sanded everything first with liquid sandpaper, used Killz oil-based primer, and finished with latex paint. I painted the camper fridge the same way. You can also seal the cabinets with a Varathane sealant to prolong the life of the paint. For an inexpensive update, you can also spray paint the hinges and/or pulls on your cabinets. In the bathroom, you can use a paint especially formulated for painting over old bathroom fixtures to resurface your tub, toilet and sink if required.
- Add Decorative Surface Treatments like Wallpaper, Contact Paper & Peel-and-Stick Tile. To give your RV some personality, you can add wallpaper and/or peel-and-stick tile to accent walls and the kitchen wall in your camper. I found a dehumidifier to be essential when applying things like wallpaper so that everything dried nicely. It’s also important to prime any walls you want to add paper or vinyl tile to. Consider covering an old kitchen counter with marble contact paper like we did; I love how our counter has held up! You can also replace any fabric panels in the cupboards with something more modern and durable like decorative tin panels. I spray painted and cut some to suit my style. We completely replaced our dinette table with an Ikea desk top and used the hardware from the old table.
- Install New Hardware, Lighting and Window Treatments. If you don’t want to paint the old ones, new cupboard pulls can make a huge difference in the look of your RV. Buying hardware that fits the old holes of your cupboards makes it an easy swap! You can use regular light fixtures in your camper if you want to make a statement chandelier, just use light bulbs that are especially for RVs – they’re the 12 volt kind. We used a pendant light an shortened it for over our dinette. Amazon has modern looking LED RV lights for a great price! For window treatments, consider installing simple blackout blinds that will help everyone sleep a little better. We found ours at Ikea.
- Recover or Slipcover Soft Furnishings. If the foam in your sofa and dinette is still good, you can recover or slipcover them. I’ve shared complete tutorials on how to do this, and you can learn how to recover dinette seats right hereand how to make a slipcover for a jacknife sofa right here. Replace any foam that is destroyed, and replace any old mattresses.
- Install New Flooring. Consider installing vinyl plank as flooring for your RV. It’s inexpensive, light and durable, and it’s easy to install! You can lay it over old vinyl, and you can use a ruler and craft knife to cut it. We love how ours looks, feels and wears!
- Add the Final Touches! Now’s the extra fun part – adding the final accessories to make your RV both functional and beautiful. Add hooks and bars to the walls for added storage (I used wood screws to attach them), add hooks to the bottoms of your cupboards for storage or decorative items, attach art to the wall with wood screws or Command Photo Hanging Strips, make DIY pillow covers in your favourite colours to make your little home feel bright and cozy, and find durable melamine or metal dishware that you can store in your camper for your first trip!
Notes
I’m a self-taught DIYer and not a trained professional, so this step-by-step guide is based on my experience only. However, if you love to do things yourself just like me, I think you’ll find these steps effective if you’re renovating your own RV! Give yourself more time than you think to complete the renovation of your camper. It will be a lot of work, but you’ll be so proud when you’re done!
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
- Kohree 12V Led RV Ceiling Dome Light RV Interior Lighting for Trailer Camper with Switch, Single Dome 300LM Each (Pack of 2)
- M-D Building Products 57319 Decorative Union Jack Aluminum Sheet
- d-c-fix Decorative Self-Adhesive Film, Grey Marble, 17.71" x 78" Roll - 2 pk
- Smart Tiles Peel and Stick Backsplash and Wall Tile Metro Blanco (Pack of 4)
I super love the outcome of your RV! All the details are on point!
Your trailer is very similar to our Nomad which helps immensely. How did you get power for your flat screen on that wall? I don't see any cords hanging!
How long does an RV makeover usually take?
Christina worked on it over the course of a few months... it's a lot of work but that's how she kept the price down 😉
It such an wonderful DIY project. Describe very nicely from A to Z. Thanks for sharing all your throughout with us.
Absolutely this your RV renovation. My husband and I have been talking about getting an old vintage camper and you certainly show how to get it done. Thanks for sharing at #HomeMattersParty
What great results you have. I like the idea of renovating an RV. Make it more like home.
Thank you! It absolutely does feel more home-ey 🙂
What a stunning transformation! That turned out beautifully. Thank you so much for sharing with us at the Summer Fun party. Pinned!
Thanks so much!
You're very good at it! It's unbelievable! Good transformation.
What an amazing remodel with lots of great tips! This will be one of my features Monday at the Summer Fun Link Party!
Wow!!!!! This makeover is amazing! The small changes made a HUGE difference and brought this rv into the present. Love it!
You did such a beautiful job on your trailer reno, Christina! So much attention to detail. The marble contact paper counters look amazing. I know how much work it is but I also know how rewarding it is when you're finished and enjoying it every summer. Your post brought back so many memories from (I'm dating myself here) the late 70s when I updated a trailer from the early 60s. Put a lot of miles and memories on that trailer.
Hi Christina...
Great article! I too have an older RV and I love the tips you have shared here. It looks like your renovation turned out amazing. Hope when I decide to finally do this it will look as nice as your RV.
Thank you,
Bob
Hi Christina, I found an RV that would be perfect for a renovation like this. Im curious as to how much I should budget. It's in great condition so would be interior changes only.
Thanks!
Christina spent around $1200 but she had a lot of paint at home that she could use so, it just depends on whether you have access to leftover
supplies or if you're buying everything 🙂
Wow, Christina.... You did a bang-up job on this RV, and on such a great budget! The colors are perfect... love the black that 'grounds' the light and airy feel! I saw this over at the Handmade and Otherwise link party and clicked right over! If you have time, we would love for you to join us at Tuesday Turn About! We close tonight at midnight CST, but we open again on Tuesday at 5pm cst! Hope to see you there!
Thanks Julie! I'll check it out on Tuesday!
Hi Christina,
Thanks for this article.
I love your result in your RV renovation. Just quick question though my work with contact paper in the past is tough to go over corners or edges like countertops. Do you have any tips to help make this area stick better?
Hi Jennifer!
Christina didn't have any problems, but I'm wondering if it has to do with the brand of contact paper she used? It seemed to be extra sticky. She also really scrubbed down all the edges of the counter before applying the contact paper. Here is the one that she used: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z7VN2PM?ascsubtag=.MjI4Mzg0LTA.a395186e-cf2d-11e9-a23f-25ed6bf51bbf&tag=rewardstyle-20
Hi there! Thanks for this tutorial. I'm looking for a toilet DIY makeover and I guess its not that popular lol
Hi there! I was wondering if your RV had wall paper on the inside before you painted it? If so, did you peel the wall paper off first or paint over it? Thank you 🙂
She primed and painted right over the wallpaper. It was a vinyl sort of material.
Hello,
it's my first time to commenting anyplace when I read this paragraph i thought i could also create comment due to this good piece of writing.
This is EXCELLENT!! I am in the process of renovating our RV and this is going to be so helpful!! Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video and provide step-by-step instructions. One question, though - where did you get that floral pillow in the photo (behind the guitar)? It is everything to me!
Hi Tina! I'll pass your kind words on to Christina 🙂 She sewed that pillow from fabric she found at Spoonflower.com
Wow what a beautiful renovation. I am wondering about your dining table. Where did you find yours? I am looking to replace our table and bench dinette with something else.
Gorgeous! I am starting an RV renovation in the next few weeks and using this as inspiration. I am just curious how much paint I should buy? I don't want to run out but I also don't want to have a ton left over. Thanks and again, what a beautiful transformation!
Wow, Christina…. You did a bang-up job on this RV, and on such a great budget! The colors are perfect.