My Hi/Lo has the same vinyl type wallpaper coating that most have with a very fine woven type texture. I would like to make the walls flat without having to remove all that wallpaper as the laminated wood they put this on comes apart in layers. Is there anything anyone knows of that I could skim coat or roll a coat on that would stand up to the bouncing and flexing of the trailer when being towed? I don't think normal joint compound would hold up. Maybe thin down some elastomeric roof coating and roll a coat on the walls. I'm kinda at a loss here and any feedback would help.

You will never get the walls perfectly flat if you are skim coating over the existing material. The only skim coating material I know about is sold at HD. In the dry wall area. It is a powder that you mix with water and you only mix up what you can use in 90minutes. Maybe some one has experience and can comment. We tore our wall on the drivers side back to the fiberglass. New 1/8th paneling with vinyl covering was installed. We also had to do some wall repair behind the vanity and around the door.

Thanks Sam. I am familiar with the powder. That is quick set joint compound. Even with paint on it I am afraid that would chip while the trailer is in motion. I had planned on removing all the wallboard and replacing it but in '88 they glued the wallboard to everything. Basically fiberglass siding on the outside, a layer of styrofoam insulation, and wallboard inside glued to the frame and the styrofoam. Talk about a nightmare to remove. The one wall I had to take out to repair was a major ordeal. That made my mind up about removing the rest of it. Now the problem is when I put new wood in on the wall I repaired, It isn't going to have the texture of the other vinyl covered walls. Hence the reason for coating it to make it flat. I need something that will level the wall but still be flexible enough to not crack or chip when the trailer flexes.

They sell a wall paper at Lowe's and home Depot that will cover the wall paper and wood . Shop Style Selections White Strippable Prepasted Textured Wallpaper at Lowes.com

It is a textured paper so you shouldn't be able to tell if it is covering the wall paper or the wood. I was going to do this but I think you would have to take the windows out. So I may try Zinsser peel stop triple thick that I was told would hide the different textures. Post what you did.


lincow Las Vegas NV
9220
0222

I actually have a roll of that wallpaper that looks like a normal splatter type texture that would be in a house. Bought it at Lowes 2 weeks ago. But it seems like a very tedious job in the trailer with everything I would have to cut around and I've never hung wallpaper so I don't think I want to learn in the trailer. LOL. But the Zinnser stuff sounds like a definite possibility. I will check that out. Thanks a lot!

Yep I think the Zinnser will work.

Thanks again!

Better get this product soon if you want it as it has been discontinued by HD and supplies are limited online. Amazon had it cheapest but Ebay has a little left also.

The walls in a classic are composed of 1/8th vinyl coated paneling. Then 1/8th luan . Next comes a sheet of foam insulation. In order to remove all this it takes a multi tool blade,scraper,razor blade and lots of hand strength. Some where in there we found soggy brown paper. You can get it stripped back to the fiberglass with lots of determination.

Mine wasn't like that Sam. It just has the Luan covered with the vinyl wallpaper. It was a major ordeal getting the side I removed out of there and I've still got about 4 foot to remove near the front. That side had water damage so I had to remove it. The rest isn't in horrible condition. Just lots of screw holes and some peeling vinyl. With the minor damage that is present, I just can't seem to justify the work involved in changing it all. From what I have seen about the Zinnser product, I believe it will do exactly what I need and level the wall out nicely for paint. If not, well then I guess it will just have a little texture to it. Nothing I can't live with. I really did start out planning on changing it all until I realized it was glued everywhere. That changed the whole ballgame. Just gonna do a quick remodel for now. One day I will gut it and start over from scratch. Just wanna get out there and do some camping before it gets cold (which here in Texas isn't until late November). All work and no play makes Jon grumpy. LOL.

Sounds like you have come up with a good game plan. My hands weren't strong enough to get the walls torn out. I've had three hand surgeries. Thank goodness DH is strong and patient. We only tore two walls back to the fiberglass.

It wouldn't be so bad if it was wallboard over luan. Then I could just take the wallboard out and leave the luan. But being that the vinyl is directly on the luan, and the luan is glued to everything, and it comes apart in layers, it is a whole lot of work. Put the first piece of new Luan in today. Will post pics of the weekends progress in my "Beginning of a major remodel" post under pictures category. Looking better!