Interior Paint remodel

[HappierCampDad]

Hey all!

I just got a Perris pacer and it has the carpet walls. As shagadelic as it may be, the wife and I are looks to epoxy the inside. I saw some people post about using Zinsser 1-2-3 primer and epoxy the top coat.
I’m a bit worried about my skills with a roller (bad experience resurfacing spa). Does anyone have some tips, videos or suggest I outsource this work?

Also if anyone is Southern California might want to give me a price to help I’d be more then willing to talk with them!

[thrifty bill]

First, congratulations on scoring a really nice trailer.

Unless you have a lot of experience refurbishing one of these older molded FG trailers, I would spend some time thinking and learning first. I would not remove anything, as those are permanent steps.


If you have a lot of experience refurbishing a trailer, then IGNORE the rest of my comments!!

I am not a fan of carpeted walls either. They are common in the FG market, as they do serve an important purpose of insulating the walls, some sound deadening, and blocking light too. Removing it means replacing it with something else to serve the same purpose = a lot of work.

I would not remove any appliances either. Even something as seemingly useless as an icebox does have some value. First, it can be used as an ice box. Me, I'd use it as a secure food storage area and keep a truck style compressor refrigerator in my tow vehicle. Secondly, it fits a spot in the cabinetry. Take it out, and you have to fill that spot back in. Putting a refrigerator in its spot can be a lot of work as there is no exterior venting for ice boxes, and no utilities ran to it. And depending on its size, you may not be able to find a refrigerator that fits.

Instead, I would focus on what I call "delayed maintenance". First up is resealing the windows. If they are like my Trillium, the windows are attached to pieces of wood on the inside of the trailer. Over 40+ years, windows leak and this wood rots out. Secondly are however the body of the trailer is attached to the frame. Those bolts break and rot out. Third up is the frame itself. These frames tended to be under-built, and need a close look. Fourth is the axle. Standard torsion axles have a stated life of 15 years. Then wheel bearings. Then the joint between the top and bottom of the body. Then the electrical inside the trailer. If you keep the original axle, wheel bearings. And so it goes....

[jokra]

Hi, I agree with Thrifty Bill's recommendations. I have done rebuilt 2 trillis, the first one was a pre-trillium. I know because the interior was bare FG no gelcoat just FG primer same with the outside, all FG primer and the door did not have the trilli emblem. We decided to cover the interior walls with a light carpet as that was the least objectionable, had the most insulating values for sound and temp and we were strapped for $ at the time. Your existing carpet may be difficult to remove depending on the glue and the carpet backing. I also started from the ground up, replacing the frame bolts, getting the frame and axle/suspension checked before putting the body back on. It was not a pretty trailer like the new ones but kept my family comfortable in bad weather while on trips up and down the east coast.

[HappierCampDad]

Bill,

Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge with me. I'm going back and forth on what to do for the interior carpet replacement. My wife does really like look and ability to clean the epoxy surface. If we were to remove the carpet and sand away all residue, would it be possible to get a smooth surface? (Granted we would need to be willing to sacrifice the termal/ sound insulation)

[thrifty bill]

No, you need some wall covering, or the trailer will sweat a lot. And reinsulating the walls is a lot of work. Read the various threads where people have done it.

Do the basic deferred maintenance first. That alone will take a fair amount of time. I'm about 300 hours into deferred maintenance on my Trillium.

On a single wall trailer like yours, if manufacturers could get away with just painting the inside fiberglass they would. And do not assume the inside of the fiberglass is smooth and ready for paint. When fiberglass is molded, typically one side is smooth and the other side rough.

Short answer live with the carpet. If it’s dirty clean it. Brighten up the inside of the trailer through curtains, cushion fabric and paint cabinets.

As always, your trailer, your decision!

[HappierCampDad]

Bill,

I talked with my wife and I think we're going to go with a marine carpet and paint hard surfaces white. Glad I got to think it over before starting the work.

You do have me thinking of inspecting the frame. I've been needing a reason to get an angle grinder guess this might be it!

I'll just need to keep searching the forms on everything people have done.