Our 80’s Glamper
Many people have inquired about the 1987 vintage camper that we renovated. Since posting about it, we have sold the camper, but I want to take a quick journey back through the restoration process. We took this drab, outdated camper and turned it into a modern glamper in the time span of ONE WEEK!
That’s right, one week. My friend Julia came to visit from Illinois, and she thought it would be “fun” to see if we could flip a camper in a week. We enlisted the help our kids, at least the seven that were old enough to help.
Let me tell you, if you’re ever concerned about your kids acting too spoiled or entitled, or you just think they’ve been sitting around enjoying life a little too much
…make them paint a trailer (maniacal laughter)!
I give you, Exhibit A.
Finding the Right Trailer
We knew we wanted something with a lot of room for decorative upgrades, without a lot of structural damage. We also wanted a good price so that after additional spending on upgrades, we would still be able to sell and make a profit.
There were two main spots of concern for water damage. Both of these spots were obvious because the previous owners had already started to pull the wall apart and inspect it. We were able to pinpoint exactly where water was coming in which made sealing everything up a little easier.
Aside from the water damage, hideous smell and outdated decor, we loved the layout and those quad bunk beds!
What We Did
Here are a few of the things we did:
- Removed original window coverings and valences
- Removed original couch and cushions
- Rebuilt and reinforced frame that had water damaged
- Re-caulked and sealed up outside
- Added rain gutter above windows and problem areas
- Deep cleaned the inside and outside
- Painted walls and cabinets
- Painted floor with floor paint
- Spray painted nobs and door pulls
- Built a frame around water tanks and heater to hold a new futon bed
- Replaced shower faucet
- New decor
Supplies
Here are a few of the supplies we used:
- DAP Extreme stretch caulk
- White interior Behr Marquee paint in satin finish on the interior
- White exterior Behr Marquee paint in satin finish on the exterior
- Black exterior Behr Marquee paint in satin finish on exterior
- Glidden Porch and Floor paint
Decor
Here are a few of the things we used to decorate the interior:
- Large Clock from Walmart
- Artwork from Walmart
- Aztec pillow from Walmart
- Swiss cross pillow from Amazon
- Pillow from IKEA
- Futon from Walmart
- Towel from Walmart – Similar at Target
- Rugs from Walmart
- Sheets and blankets from Walmart
- Greenery from IKEA
Check out my other trailer renovations!
Find them here: Camper Renovating
Pin-It for Later!
For Sale: Updated Salem Cruise Lite Travel Trailer
What kind of brushes did you use to paint outside of camper? Thank you! Love this camper its beautiful inside and out
Hi Jennifer! I rolled on the paint with a standard 3/8″ roller. You can read details here: https://www.allthingswithpurpose.com/painting-the-exterior-of-an-rv-or-trailer/
We just began working on our 1997 camper and your blog is a constant source of inspiration! I’m amazed by your results on a budget!! So I have two windows that I had to pull back walls like in the before photo of your quad bunks. I am a little unsure how to repair the walls. I will reinforce the frame and replace insulation. And I’ve priced some 1/4 plywood but I can’t see how I’ll install it so seamlessly. Did you have to replace to entire wall to get a smooth look, or are there seams where you replaced one part where it buts up to the old undamaged wall? And really curious how you managed to cut the new walls to perfectly fit the window curve. Sorry for question overload…I may be in over my head here :)
Hi Taylor! Thanks so much and I’m so glad you have found helpful information here!
So… it depends on the particular project, but if the wall is really damaged, I usually remove a full section of paneling so I can easily cut and hang a replacement piece that will fit nicely and line up with studs. Does that makes sense? You can cut away at a wall, but if you haven’t removed it far enough to reveal a stud, your new piece wont have anything to connect with. There will obviously be a seam. You can caulk this seam and paint over it, or use a very thin piece of trim. Vintage trailers use tiny pieces of wood trim, while newer trailers use a vinyl trim. As far as cutting around a window, I create a paper template and use a jigsaw (like this: https://amzn.to/3cC3Nya) to make the cuts. Sometimes there is window trim you can remove first, other times you can just wedge the new wall panel in behind the window trim. Sorry, I’m having a hard time figuring out how to word this LOL If all else fails, caulk and paint work wonders! Or, if you wall is really rough, use wallpaper!
Thanks so much for your reply! I see what you’re saying–I’ll go past the water damage some to remove/replace a nice full panel so it lines up and so I can get to the studs. Great tip with the paper template! I feel much more confident knowing that will work. I think I’ll be popping said windows out anyway so do a really thorough resealing job so that will help when replacing the panels. And yesss I am all about that white paint after–like they say white paint covers a multitude of sin :) Peel and stick wallpaper is also in my cart. I’m ready to get to the fun finishing touches as soon as I figure out this wall mess! Thanks again!
What more can I say but WOW! What a splendid pimp of that trailer of yours. This is one project I have to tackle one day and sure hope the results turn out as good as yours. You guys should be proud of yourselves as you did an amazing job. Just ❤️ It.
Did your cabinets have that oh so lovely plastic trim and if so, did you take that off, paint them? I am lost on how to eliminate that horrible plastic. Your reno is beautiful! Thanks for the inpiration and showing all of us how, these old beauties have a second beautiful life
Sarah! I have read your posts about how you do your camper exteriors – love it! The transformations are amazing
But I have a question – we are renovating a 1973 camper for our family and I’m unclear if you recommend priming the metal siding or not? The paint is not peeling, I have pressure washed her 2x and will seal her next. I’d like to slap some paint on (because she’s kind of an eyesore, I’m sure you can relate) but I want to make sure I prime if it’s necessary- but would LOVE to skip it if it’s not…
Thanks Mama! Your posts are so encouraging!
Hi Katie!! Thank you for being so nice, you just made my day! :)
Sounds like you have a fun project going on!! I have done it both ways: used a primer like Stix or Gripper first, then painted OR used just Behr Marquee paint directly on the surface. Both ways have worked, but I’d say it kind of depends on how glossy your finish is. If it is super dull, then a quality paint that is self priming or has the primer in it should work just fine! If it has a bit of a gloss to it, you might want to use a gripping primer first… but I feel ya, I’m all about skipping extra steps whenever I can!! :)
Did you spray paint the exterior?
Hi Candy,
You can find all the details on what I did here: https://www.allthingswithpurpose.com/painting-the-exterior-of-an-rv-or-trailer/
Hi Sarah,
What was the total cost and profit from the Reno? My hubby and I are thinking of remodeling and flipping an RV, maybe even renting one out and we are wondering about the overall costs. I know each project is different, but I’m gathering a ballpark.
Hi Megan,
I wrote all about the cost breakdown and profit in this post: https://www.allthingswithpurpose.com/cost-breakdown-for-renovating-a-camper/
Have a great day!!
What did you recover the walls with after you fixed the water leaks? Also what did you do to the front window cover? We just bought a very similar camper that I’m eager to fix up.
Hi Kara!
I painted the front window cover – see how it turned out in this post: https://www.allthingswithpurpose.com/painting-the-exterior-of-an-rv-or-trailer/
Anywhere that I have had to repair I have either covered with paint, wallpaper or sheets of faux vinyl tile. Hope that helps!
Hi Sarah! Just curious did you sand your paneling and cabinet before you painted or did you just use primer.
Hi Wanda! I used a liquid sander/deglosser like this one: https://amzn.to/2WSJE2q It works great!!
I don’t see after pictures of the bathroom. I am in the middle of remodeling my RV bathroom and the before looks similar to yours. I was looking at ideas for my after. The rest is beautiful!
Hey
I have the same trailer I’m renovating under your futon didnt you have the wheel covering sticking up ? Or is your futon a foot away from the window??
Hi! Where did you get the stripe pillows on the dining table seats? Thanks
Hi Brittany! They are actually outdoor pillows from Better Homes and Gardens at Walmart! I bought them at the end of the season last year for like $1.99 each, but I have seen similar ones on sale this year :)
Hi! Loving this!! Can you share what exact product you used for the window gutters, etc.? What prep did you do to the exterior before painting?
Hi Heather! To prep the surface, we power washed it and scrubbed it clean. Use a degreaser like this one: https://amzn.to/2FeuKuZ I used Behr Marquee exterior paint, paint and primer in one. On previous trailers I have used Stix bonding primer first: https://amzn.to/2FiAqUP but this particular trailer I wanted to test the durability of Marquee paint. Here are the window gutters I bought: https://amzn.to/2JRiizY