We all know that painting a home is about more than just slapping some paint on the walls. It’s an art form, and you need to give it time and respect if you want your house to look good for years.
Painting paneling in a mobile home can be tricky because there may not be much wall space to work with, so this post will take you through what you need to know before trying it yourself.
The first thing we’ll cover is how long the job should take. For most people, this should only take one day as long as they have enough supplies handy!
You don’t want to start something like this without being prepared! The next thing we’ll talk about is safety precautions which include using proper ventilation tools such as masks, goggles and gloves.
We’ll also cover the types of paint you should use for this project so you don’t have to worry about painting over wallpaper or anything like that.
Last but not least we’ll cover the tools you need to get the job done right.
How To Paint Mobile Home Paneling?
Here are procedures to paint paneling in mobile homes.
Steps of Paneling Painting Process
The process of painting mobile home paneling is not much different from painting a room’s walls.
1- First, the painter needs to clean all the panels with a dry cloth before applying any primer or paint. If there is dirt, don’t use water because it will seep in between joints and cause problems later when it dries up.
2- Before applying primer/paint, you should also ensure that paneling has been repaired properly and trim boards aren’t peeling anywhere.
3- If they are then fix them before moving on to priming and painting since this will help prolong the life of your mobile home.
4- After cleaning the surface completely you can start applying paint over it. You would need a wide brush or roller for this since applying paint directly by the brush would be difficult.
5- You should also do two coats to get sufficient coverage. For sealing it, you can use many things like clear water-based polyurethane or shellac.
Ensure that your primer is not oil-based because then you will not able to seal it with these products.
Also, never use flat paints on paneling as they tend to absorb more heat and cause problems when exposed to sunlight.
Here are some tips to remember while painting Mobile Home Paneling
- You need at least 1 day of preparation work before starting the actual process of application.
- Ensure that you clean all dirt off the surface completely before priming/painting.
- You can use wide brushes or rollers with your primer.
- Ensure that you do two coats to get sufficient coverage.
- Use water-based sealants to ensure long term problems with humidity/water.
Types of Paint Needed for Mobile Home Paneling
For painting mobile home paneling, you are free to use any kind of paint available in the market but choose between latex and oil-based paints.
Latex paint is easier to handle because it emits less odor and comes in a wider variety of colors compared to oil based paints. It doesn’t have any strong fumes that would cause internal strain on the lungs over time, so it’s advisable for people who are sensitive to chemicals.
However, oil-based paints are much stronger and hold well on walls for longer periods.
The main problem with latex paint is that you can’t use it where the oil-based primer has already been applied. It should be the other way around because applying latex paint over primer can cause bubbling effects.
Also Read: Best Paint For Mobile Home Cabinets
Tools Needed to Paint Mobile Home Paneling
The tools needed for painting mobile home paneling are similar to those required for regular painting.
You would need painters tape, brushes, rollers, plastic sheeting, cup, but there is one more thing you will require which is a sprayer set. These sets aren’t very expensive and come in all sizes so choose as per your convenience.
Other than this, you would need two brushes- one long and the other short.
The long brush is required to paint those high areas where a regular brush can’t reach, and the short brush is used for hard to reach corners.
Many other things could be useful, as an extra cup, extension cords for your electrical tools since mobile homes don’t have much space and things may get tangled up easily.
The final thing you will require is dropping clothes, these sheets of plastic should be laid out before starting work so the paint wouldn’t spill everywhere.
It’s always better to ask for help from experts if you aren’t sure about doing things yourself or how to do them correctly. Painting such a large surface takes labor and time, but it takes even longer when you aren’t experienced.
How do you paint vinyl wood paneling?
Vinyl wood paneling has a waxy feeling to it and has an oily base, so if you just apply regular paint on top your walls will peel off very quickly.
To make sure this doesn’t happen, use oil-based primers to give the latex paint something strong to adhere to.
It’s better to use rollers or brushes with oil-based primer because they won’t leave any brush marks and spread evenly over the surface.
You can also follow these steps:
- Clean off any dirt from the panels before applying primer.
- Apply two coats of oil-based primer over the panels.
- Wait for at least an hour before applying latex paint.
The above mention steps are crucial, otherwise, your walls might peel off very quickly after painting them.
How do you paint exterior paneling in Mobile home?
Since mobile home paneling is very different from regular paneling, it’s better to ask for help rather than trying to figure things out yourself.
Painting mobile home paneling requires special attention and can become very tiring if you aren’t experienced enough with painting works.
It’s important to buy oil-based primers before starting work since these primers can stick well to surfaces that have oily stains or feel waxy.
You also need to choose between latex or oil-based paints depending on the type of paneling. Both paints give good results if you use them properly, but it’s still better to choose oil paint because they don’t peel off as easily as latex paint does.
You can even use acrylic paints for your mobile home panels, but they need a primer first before implementation.
These types of paints are water-based and dry very quickly, which makes life easier for painters.
What kind of paint will stick to paneling?
Since you are painting mobile home paneling, you must choose between oil or latex-based paints.
Oil-based paints work great for regular exterior surfaces because they hold well on walls and don’t wear out easily.
However, these kinds of paints aren’t suitable to use inside the house because they give off strong fumes while drying up which can cause breathing problems in people with sensitive lungs.
Related Article: Best Paint For Mobile Home Aluminum Siding
Latex paint is a good alternative since it emits less odor compared to oil paint and can be used on interior walls as well.
You have more variety of colors in latex paint, but the downside is that they might not withstand humidity very well.
What kind of brushes does one use to paint mobile home paneling?
Mobile home paneling can be painted using normal painting tools like brushes and rollers for regular surfaces.
However, there might be some places that are difficult to reach with a regular brush or roller because of their height, so you will need painters tape to make sure that these areas don’t get any paint on them.
You should also get high-quality brushes that have synthetic bristles rather than natural ones because they hold more quantity of paint and don’t leave brush marks on the walls.
Using short brushes helps in reaching difficult areas like corners which are normally skipped by painters because of their awkward height.
Final Words
The paneling should be painted with a high-quality primer and paint. A good quality primer will help the color to adhere better, as well as resist chipping or peeling over time.
Painting is an investment in your home that pays off exponentially through years of durability and beauty!
Mobile home paneling should be primed with the same paint you intend to use on it. Once dry, apply two coats of your desired color and wait until completely dry before moving furniture back into the room.