Painting an RV Dash Area
The question is; can you (or should you) paint the dashboard of a car or RV? Perhaps a better question is; what can’t you paint? If you know me, you know there are very few things I haven’t attempted to paint in my life. Despite my history of painting, I was still a bit reluctant to paint the dash area of our 90’s Class A RV. How would it look? How well would it hold up? I had seen other people that have used different products on their dash with varying success. My original plan was to clean it really well, try and fill holes and scrape off crusted-on-junk. Painting it happened originally by accident! While priming the cabinets around the dash, some primer fell on the dash and I could not for the life of me, get it off. In that moment I thought “it can’t get any worse than it already is, right?”
It can’t get any worse than it already is, right?
What To Do
This project is far from done, and you can see all the little details surrounding this area that aren’t finished yet. But, I’m going to share with you what I did! I’m pretty happy with the results and am hopeful with how well it will hold up long-term! Here is what I did:
- Use a metal putty knife or paint scraper to get off any large chunks of sticky stuff or crusted on food (gross!)
- Use WD-40 or Goo Gone to remove left over sticky stuff
- I filled holes with this caulk
- Sand with fine grit sand paper or sanding block
- Clean with a degreaser and rubbing alcohol
- Paint with gripping primer like Gripper, Kilz or Stix
- Top with latex paint of your choice! I used white Glidden paint (eggshell finish) but also love Behr. Use a roller and brush.
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Before Pictures
Now that you see how it looks after some work, here are the before pictures! Notice how crusty and gross it all was. Hence why I figured, it couldn’t get any worse! I also plan on cleaning up the black parts, knobs and controls. I may use a product like this to make them more shiny and new looking! I’ll post another update when it is completely finished.
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Lisa Brennan
Great post. Would this be the same procedure to paint a 19 foot open bow boats dash?
Martha Butler
How about painting cupboards in a Class B camper?
Sarah Lemp
Hi Martha! I just wrote a post about painting the interior of an RV, it doesn’t specifically address cupboards, but my advice would be the same :) https://www.allthingswithpurpose.com/how-to-paint-the-interior-walls-of-an-old-rv/
Victoria OGrady
Hi! I need help with my 95′ Class A RV. I have health issues but wonder if I paid a visit and helped out you would you redo mine? I have no place to work on it or I would try on my own. Please seriously think about it! I would pay you and you would have me as a helper. I don’t want to learn how to flip RVs, I don’t have a place to do that and I don’t want to, lol. I’m homeless right now and mine is so UGLY inside and depressing. I can’t believe what you can do! Wow!! PLEASE help me transform mine…I have money to pay and my service to help. My health won’t let me do this on my own so that’s why I don’t want to learn. Im 65, no family left and I want to start RVing the USA next week ! I can swing by anytime!! Please let me know! I’m available! You will still will be making money and my RV home won’t be depressing anymore, ha!! I used to be a surgical RN but now I struggle with MS and I’m disabled. I can function very well I just have exhaustion issues and I only last about 4 hours if I do major work. Think about it!