Painting ensolite interior without removing furniture

[ShelleyP]

Hey all! I'm about to start prep work for painting the interior ensolite, but here's the thing ( there always seems to be a 'thing') I don't have a garage to rip it all apart, and am planning on painting around the furniture. I have noticed nobody seems to do that, and was wondering if this is a silly idea. I'm an experienced house painter, so getting in the nooks and crannies should be ok. Just wondering if I'm missing something, I suppose most people paint furniture at the same time as walls, so maybe that's it. Cheers!

[Elisabeth Crisp]

I have a Trillium. Except for the top bunk, my furniture is all molded fiberglass. Not removable. I primed and painted my ensolite. It worked just fine. A two inch sash brush and a roll of green frog tape did the trick. Here's the end result.

[ShelleyP]

It's gorgeous! Feel much more confident about my project now. except that I love the colour u picked so much I'm rethinking the boring beige I was gonna go with. Haha time to get scrubbing and taping! Thanks!

[dbir]

I sprayed mine through an HVLP gun, the ensolite came out fantastic, not sure about the durability yet on the fiberglass parts. We'll see over time.

[Spanke]

Originally Posted by Elisabeth Crisp

I have a Trillium. Except for the top bunk, my furniture is all molded fiberglass. Not removable. I primed and painted my ensolite. It worked just fine. A two inch sash brush and a roll of green frog tape did the trick. Here's the end result.

I've been contemplating painting my walls trillium green to match the trillium green fixtures. WOW! Looks Cool!

I think I would probably leave my ceiling white but hey, whatever floats your boat!

Where did you get the paint color matched or is it a standard color somewhere?

Thanks for the Pics,

Spanke

[Ian G.]

Painting the Inside
After a lot of research on the interior Elephant skin lining and trying to get the surface clean and white I came to the conclusion painting was the only alternative. Researching paint I found some very interesting information. First was surface preparation, I have always used trisodium phosphate (TSP) as a cleaner but discovered that many paint manufacturers will void their warrantee if it is used. The reason appears to be related to insufficient rinsing which leaves a residue that the paint will not adhere to. The recommended cleaning agent is ammonia and water in a 1:1 ratio. The ammonia water cleaner works very well on oil, grease and stubborn stains, it also does not require rinsing and dries leaving no residue. After cleaning, and with the seam tape removed, all the seams are filled with a paintable latex caulking. I used DAP Dynaflex 230, which is and indoor outdoor caulking that is incredibly easy to work with and offers a 50-year satisfaction guarantee. The entire interior is primed using a high adhesive primer, I used Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3, this is a Rustoleum product that can be used to prime ceramic tile for painting so it should work. Over the primer use a high quality latex paint, I used Rustoleum Painter’s Touch in gloss white. The paint has currently been on for 3 years and I am extremely pleased with the look and durability at this time.

[Spanke]

Thanks for the info Ian!

Spanke

[Elisabeth Crisp]

The green paint in the photo is Glidden Interior house paint in eggshell finish. The color is from their Master Palette. (The Home Depot guy gave me the book of paint chips.) The name of the color is Windsurfer #10GY 74/325. I do not have the cool green fiberglass. Mine is the cream color.

I painted it all one color because there's no dividing line between ceiling and wall. I also think having it all the same expands the space visually.

I did use TSP to clean. Nothing else worked. I applied it highly diluted in a spray bottle, wiped it down, and rinsed with water on a clean sponge. I caulked the random holes and cracks with latex calk, and primed everything with Glidden Gripper. I didn't remove the T-molding. I painted over it. The paint adhered just fine, and after a year, and two cross-country road trips, it still looks good.

Keep in mind that I live in San Antonio, Texas. We have no real winter. Paint may react differently in cold climates.

[Maia]

Elizabeth,

Did you brush or spray on the paint? Did you treat the Ensolite areas differently than the fiberglass areas?

Maia

[Elisabeth Crisp]

I didn't paint the fiberglass at all. I just cleaned it up really well. I painted the Ensolite with a brush.

[christinamchap]

How well did the paint hold up on the fiberglass?

Originally Posted by dbir

I sprayed mine through an HVLP gun, the ensolite came out fantastic, not sure about the durability yet on the fiberglass parts. We'll see over time.

[dbir]

At first it was really soft/rubbery, it took a while before the paint fully cured and became durable, scratches still happen, but quick touchups are easy with a brush and hide pretty well.

[emij]

Originally Posted by Ian G.

Painting the Inside
The entire interior is primed using a high adhesive primer, I used Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3, this is a Rustoleum product that can be used to prime ceramic tile for painting so it should work. Over the primer use a high quality latex paint, I used Rustoleum Painter’s Touch in gloss white. The paint has currently been on for 3 years and I am extremely pleased with the look and durability at this time.

These products are exactly what we used to paint our ensolite last May. After one season, it still looks great. We didn't do anything to the fiberglass pieces.