Remove all the doors and hardware from your RV cabinets.

It’s easier to clean, sand, and paint without having to cut around the hardware. If you choose to replace your cabinetry hardware, this is the time to do it!

Check out these stylish matte black drawer pulls.

Use a good degreaser and wipe down all the RV cabinets.

You want to remove any oily residue to ensure proper paint adhesion.

Use a little caulk to fill the space if you have any small gaps on the front of the RV door panels. Wipe any excess off.

Important: Be sure you use a DAP extreme stretch caulk when painting RV cabinet doors. Since RVs are susceptible to frequent temperature changes, you don’t want your caulk to crack!

Now that you’ve cleaned and sanded the cabinetry, it’s time to prime the surface. Use a good primer like BIN Shellac Primer. Shellac primer has the best adhesion and prevents the oils from the wood coming through your paint.

Do one coat of primer on all parts of the cabinets. Wait 24-48 hours, then lightly sand and wipe down all the surfaces with a damp cloth or tack cloth to remove any debris before applying your first coat of paint.

Plan your RV renovation accordingly – you need to wait 24-48 hours before applying your first coat of paint.

Important: Do not skip priming! This step is important so that your paint doesn’t flake or scratch off in time.

After waiting at least 24 hours after priming, it’s time to paint your RV cabinets.

Let your first coat of paint dry for about 24-48 hours, then apply a second coat in the same manner. Again, wait 24-48 hours, and once the second coat is dry, be sure to lightly sand and wipe down between the coats.

Tips for getting the best finish when painting RV walls:

• Get good quality paint. At least an eggshell or satin finish is recommended.
• Use a brush to get in the corners of the cabinet doors and use a foam roller to smooth the finish and remove brush strokes. You could also use a paint spray for a flawless finish. I recommend the Graco Magnum paint sprayer.
• To hide any brush strokes, roller marks, or even to get a spray finish smooth as glass, it’s highly recommended to use Flood Floetrol. Mix 8oz in 1 gallon of paint.

RV cabinet paint recommendations:

• Behr Cabinet & Trim Enamel
• Benjamin Moore Advance
• Sherwin Williams Emerald
• Behr Ultra Scuff Defense (This is a flat finish and I’ve had great results with durability)

This step is optional, but it will seal your cabinets to prevent chipping. Use a matte water based polyurethane to seal the paint and prevent a long-lasting finish.

Put hardware and doors back on.

Be sure to use bumpers on the corners of the doors and drawers, so the paint doesn’t stick together.

Be careful with the freshly painted cabinets for about 2 weeks. They take awhile to fully cure and have a durable finish.