How To Paint an RV Shower: 7 Tips and Helpful Guide
Paint covers many sins. That is one of the attractive features of paint. It makes bad mistakes look good when the paint job is done just right. Plus painting an old surface helps showers, etc., look like new again.
How To Paint an RV Shower: It is going to take some work but you can paint your RV shower. The key is to do a thorough cleaning, remove old caulking, do a little sanding and use a primer. After all that is done, you can paint.
To find more specific tips and details about painting your RV shower, just continue to read our article. It is filled with those guidelines you need to do a good job.
Tip #1: paint works best when you clean the shower first. Your shower surface needs to be absolutely clean before you paint and make sure it is dry as well. Running paint does not look good
Tip #2: good prep work is key to a successful paint job. You can use alcohol, an adhesive remover and a citrus cleaner to remove all the impurities on your shower.
Can You Paint an RV Shower
Yes, you can paint your RV shower but the issue is that most people do not know how to paint fiberglass correctly. Their paint job looks like someone just slapped a coat of paint on the surface and walked away. To make it look good you need to do real work and take your time.
Tip #3: you need to remove the old silicone caulking as paint does not attach itself to that surface. You can always re-caulk after the paint dries.
Recommended Paint for RV Shower
The key to painting your RV’ s shower is to use paint and primer that match your shower’s fiberglass characteristics. If yo do not do this and mix and match paints and primers from different manufacturers, your result may not be as desired.
If you match the paint and primer together with the fiberglass characteristics, then you should be able to use any paint product on the market today. The best paints to use are 1 part polyurethane. 2 part epoxies work well also.
Try to avoid using paint and primer that contain isocyanoacrylates. Those products can damage your lungs and cause you severe health issues. Boat paints like Pettit Easypoxy or Interlux Brightsides are also good to use.
Tip #4: Sanding is vital. You need to rough up the surface of the fiberglass so the paint will stick. A very fine grit sand paper is best here. Just lightly sand then clean the surface with a tack cloth
Spray Paint an RV Shower
When people hear the words spray paint, they usually think of those spray paints that come in a can and can be found in every hobby store. Those are not the versions of spray paint you want to use.
A 2 part epoxy is the best spray paint version you can use. Just remember that spraying can get messy. Make sure to use a steady hand and keep the paint even. Going too slow will build up paint and it will run.
If you go to fast, you run the risk of not putting enough paint on your shower walls. In either situation, you will add to your work load and make cleanup more of a hassle.
You will need to make sure you cover all the parts you do not want covered in paint. This can be done with plastic tarps, old sheets or masking tape. A good job of covering and masking will save you on the clean up after you have finished painting the shower.
Tip #5: You will want to use a paint brush to apply the primer. A steady hand with a paint brush can cover a lot of territory and make sure all the little nooks and crannies are filled.
Painting RV Shower Walls
One of the tricks to painting in small areas like an RV shower is to make sure the area is well vented. Paints can be overpowering and the odor can be damaging to your lungs and other internal parts.
A dusk mask is not good for paint fumes. You may need a good respirator to make sure the fumes do not cause any damage to your body. If you can fit a small fan nearby and open the vents, that will help with ventilation and breathing immensely.
One characteristic in RV paint you should consider is that it should be submersible. Waterproof or water resistant paint may not be enough protection when you or your family take long showers.
Krylon paint is good but it is not submersible and your paint may rub off over time. Rust-Oleum is another good paint brand to use but make sure the paint can handle a lot of water over a long period of time.
Tip #6: For a good looking paint job when you are done, you may want to apply several thin coats instead of trying to get the job over quickly with one thick coat. When you are done, you can re-caulk the shower with silicone caulking
Tip #7: Use a spray gun when applying the paint. This will help you get the thin coats of paint you want. Plus, after the first coat has dried, sand it down lightly before applying the next coat.
Some final comments
Some RV users and owners recommend that you simply replace those RV shower parts you want to paint. They claim that the cost is minimal and it saves you a lot of headaches.
The choice is yours. If you follow the tips and guidelines above, you can repaint your RV shower and have it look good as new. The choice is up to you, your budget and your preference.
If you do not like painting from scratch, there are some paint kits available you can use. These make your paint job faster and easier. Or you can turn to a professional and let them handle the task for you.
Which ever way you go, your RV shower will look great.
