The difficulty in painting a motor home is not in the actual painting. It is in the amount of paint that must be applied to completely cover the motor home. For this reason, the best way to tackle the job at home is with single-stage paint. You can skip the expensive clear coat, and with careful spraying, you can also avoid sanding and buffing. What you cannot bypass, however, is a thorough cleaning of the surface before you paint.
Instructions
- 1
Gather clean rags and a bucket. Clean the surface of the motor home thoroughly using automotive soap and water. This is the most important aspect of repainting. Any tar or other debris could prevent the paint from adhering properly. Use the ladder to reach the roof and upper sides of the motor home.
2Remove or mask off parts of the motor home that are not to be painted. This includes any chrome railings, spare tires, awnings or other equipment that should not be painted.
If you are masking parts off, use the masking tape and masking paper. Mask off all the windows of the motor home, as well as the tires and wheels.
3Peel off decals that are on the motor home using a paint scraper. Painting over these is possible, but that creates an untidy appearance and makes the paint job look cheap.
4Wipe the entire surface of the motor home with a rag soaked with wax and grease remover. This ensures you have completely cleaned the surface. Use the ladder to reach the roof and upper sides of the motor home.
5Scuff the paint of the motor home using a gray, automotive scuff pad. You will need several scuff pads to complete the job. Discard the pads when they no longer remove the original gloss effectively. Scuffing is critical to the project's success, because paint will not adhere to the surface if it is glossy.
6Pour the single-stage paint into the HVLP spray gun's paint reservoir. You need at least a gallon of paint or more depending on the size of the motor home. Consider purchasing at least five gallons of single-stage paint to ensure you have enough on hand.
7Plug the air compressor and air line into the fitting at the base of the HVLP spray gun, then climb up to the roof of the motor home. Use extreme caution when walking on the roof, because it is not designed to hold weight for long.
Begin at the front of the roof, and work toward the back, holding the spray gun approximately 12 inches from the surface. Overlap each pass you make by half, and apply a heavy, thick coat of paint so that you will not have to apply a second coat. The roof of the motor home will likely use a full gallon of paint.
8Set up the ladder to allow you to paint the sides of the motor home. When painting the sides, however, apply the paint in two coats to help avoid runs in the paint.
The first coat should be medium-wet, or just heavy enough to hide the paint underneath. As in painting the roof, overlap each pass with the spray gun by half. Work from the top of the motor home to the bottom, focusing on one section at a time. Each side of the motor home will use approximately one gallon of paint.
9Paint the back and front of the motor home in the same way that you painted the sides, overlapping the pass by half and applying two coats for full coverage.
The front and back of the motor home will use about one gallon of paint. Allow the motor home to dry completely for 24 hours before attempting to drive. The single-stage paint does not require clear coat or final sanding and buffing.
