An RV is pretty much like a second home for a lot of people, or even a primary home in case you prefer living off-grid and at a peaceful location away from all the noise and distractions of a town. Even if you only use your RV for long-distance traveling and camping, there are a lot more things that you should change about the RV to make it feel like more of a home than just a portable shelter.
Fortunately, most RVs these days offer almost all of the features and appliances that you would find in your homes like a cooking station, bathroom, dining area, shelves, and a lot more. But, to actually make your RV feel like a home, you need to customize it completely. And the best way to do that is by painting the interior of your RV.
By painting the interior of your RV, you will be able to feel like you are right in the comfort of your home even if you are traveling hundreds of miles away. And to do that, you need to choose the perfect material to first build RV interior walls. If you are not an experienced RVer, you probably don’t know about various materials that can be used to build RV interior walls. But worry not, we will be covering all you need to know about RV interior walls in this guide.
Material Options for RV Interior Walls
If you have purchased a used RV, or have been using yours for quite some time now, it is the perfect time to change its interior walls to give it a modern and fresh makeover. Not only will replacing your RV’s interior walls increase its aesthetics, but also improve the interior design and allow you to use the new and sturdy walls for various applications. But before you do that, you need to know the options that are available around you for an RV interior wall makeover. And for that, you should know the different types of materials that are used for RV’s interior walls.
There are several options available on the market for an RV’s interior wall and the best option for your RV depends on a few things. Before anything else, you will have to consider your budget range. Also, you should consider the fact that while some options are suitable for a DIY project, some require professional help and you would have to hire a workman to finish the job, affecting the overall initial investment. Another important factor to keep in mind is the reliability of the structure which depends from material to material.
To help you with that, we are going to enlist all of the possible options that you can use for your RV interior walls. You will find an apt description for all of these options along with a handful of pros and cons so that you can easily make a decision. We will suggest checking out all of the options before you make a choice.
1. Composite Plywood
Composite plywood is the preferred choice for many RV users and it is the most popular option on the market for RVs interior walls. As the name suggests, it is actually a blend of many different types of wood that are joined together to form a thick layer of plywood. But since the thickness of each individual layer is not formidable, you can easily cut through composite plywood to fit the size and shape.
In most cases, the interior surface of the plywood is made up of wood whereas the exterior is a nice veneer to make it appear pleasing and distinctive. In hindsight, plywood is quite durable and does not break off easily. However, it is still prone to get damaged in case it comes in contact with water. So even a small leakage on your RVs roof on a rainy night can easily damage the walls, or weaken them greatly.
Advantages of Composite Plywood
1. Strong Structural Integrity
Plywood is probably the strongest of all options presented on this list. It is quite difficult to bend or break plywood, even on purpose. So, you can rely on the durability of the material once it is installed in your RV.
2. Natural Wooden Design
Plywood is also the most authentic-looking material that you can find for your RV interior walls. For that reason, it is also preferred for interior home decoration since it brings a unique wooden design along with added strength. It is surely a preferable option over metal or plastic for RV’s interior walls.
3. Many Options for Decoration
As you may have guessed already, composite plywood can easily sustain further decorations that you might need in your RV. You will be able to hang heavy appliances on the wall such as a wall-mounted TV without any worries. Also, due to its flat and level surface, it is quite easy to paint over the wall or apply wallpaper on composite plywood.
Disadvantages of Composite Plywood
1. Prone to Get Mold
Whenever there is wood, there are problems caused by water damage. Wood soaks up the water and holds it, causing it to get weaker over time. While the plywood won’t get damaged after the first rain, it will surely start showing signs of damage by the end of the monsoon.
2. Water Damage is Imminent
Another thing that happens with wooden walls is mold which is also caused by water contact. Even if there is a little amount of water leaking from the roof, it can cause mold to grow within the wall, making it weaker and causing it to fail over time.
2. Vinyl
Vinyl used to be a premium alternative back in the day when it was first introduced in the market. But now, it has come a long way and is available at an affordable price range. In comparison to other options, vinyl is simply a highly durable form of plastic, making it an obvious choice to avoid water damage. There are many color and texture options available with vinyl that make it a suitable candidate for an RVs interior wall.
Vinyl is slowly becoming a preferred option for many buyers since it is probably the best-looking option out of all. There are a lot of ways to make vinyl look like a premium material by applying a colorful coating on its top surface. So, you can find vinyl options that look like wood or even other premium alternatives. Another great thing about vinyl is that you will be able to install a vinyl RV wall by yourself and it costs nearly half as much compared to real plywood. Also, vinyl offers ease of application and there aren’t any special tools that you will need for the job. Even a simple sharp knife can help you while cutting the vinyl in shape.
Advantages of Vinyl
1. Low Budget Alternative
Compared to other choices, vinyl is probably going to cost you the least, even if you are covering the entire interior area of your RV walls with vinyl. And most RVs these days come with vinyl interior walls by default, allowing you to save money on recreating the walls from scratch.
2. Versatile Range of Options
Vinyl offers the widest range of options when it comes to colors and textures. Starting with the budget options with basic attributes, you can find even some premium alternatives that mimic the look of a premium RV wall material and you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference at all. You will also find different options when it comes to the thickness of the vinyl sheet.
3. Easy for Application
Unlike many other RV interior wall materials, vinyl is probably the easiest option to work with. It is the only option that does not require you to have a special set of tools and accessories for its application. It can also be a handy option for a DIY project.
Disadvantages of Vinyl
1. Relatively Weaker Option
A great disadvantage of vinyl is that it is the least durable option of all. Generally, even without excessive wear and tear, vinyl material will start showing signs of damage within a couple of years after installation. Fortunately, you can easily get the whole thing replaced without spending half as much as you would on other options.
3. Medium Density Fiberboard Or MDF
MDF or medium-density fiberboard is basically a cheaper variant compared to composite plywood. MDF is also created by gluing sawdust together to create a thick and sustainable layer of MDF pressed between 2 or more layers of wood veneer. As you can imagine, it also brings some handy benefits to the table such as lower material weight as well as lower pricing due to ease of production and low production cost.
Even though MDF might not sound good considering its design and structure, a lot of manufacturers offer high-quality MDF material that can be a better alternative for you. But still, such options come at a higher price and you may want to rethink your choice between MDF and composite plywood at a certain point.
Advantages of Medium Density Fiberboard
1. Highly Affordable Option
Right now, medium-density fiberboard is probably the cheapest option that you can find for your RV interior walls. It is also easily available in the market and the excess of suppliers certainly helps with the pricing. So, medium-density fiberboard can certainly bring down your initial investment.
2. Lightweight Material
One of the biggest advantages of medium-density fiberboard is its lightweight design. It does not increase the overall weight of the RV as much as a few other options. Thus, it is a fine choice if you travel a lot in your RV.
3. Highly Flexible Material
As we mentioned earlier, it is quite easy to cut and shape medium-density fiberboard. And since you are going to use the material for your RV, it is going to be very beneficial when it comes to covering corners and angles.
4. Versatile for Application
Once you create a wall of medium-density fiberboard, you have a lot of options for further decoration. You can put wallpaper on top of it, paint it, or even use it to hang various items without any problem.
Disadvantages of Medium Density Fiberboard
1. Shorter Lifespan
If there is one disadvantage of medium-density fiberboard that can be a deal breaker for many, it is its shorter lifespan. Usually, medium-density fiberboard is made up of sawdust glued together to form a thick layer. So, it can easily get damaged over time. And the damage is even faster in case of water contact.
Importance of RV Interior Walls
Just like the walls of your home, the interior walls of your RV are very important. Apart from creating a good aesthetic and decor inside your RV, you also need these walls to install some important RV accessories that must be wall mounted for better efficiency. Also, walls should be generally 2 to 2½ inches thick, making the interior walls even more important. Here are some reasons why you should pay attention to the interior wall of your RV.
1. Insulation From Surrounding Weather
Insulation is something that differentiates between the interior and exterior status of an object, and the walls of your RV can be considered as insulation to prevent you from surrounding weather issues. Most RVs on the market are rated for 3-seasons since they are not good enough for extreme cold, hot, or rainy seasons. But, with proper interior walls, it is possible to use the same RVs throughout the year without worrying about the surrounding weather. With the correct material and thickness of the interior wall, you can maintain the desired temperature inside the RV in all seasons.
2. Looks and Appearance
The main purpose of installing interior walls inside an RV for most people is the look and aesthetics it brings along with it. Some of you might be using the same RV for decades now and at this point, the interior of the RV might have started to look dull and lifeless. To change that, you can choose a cheaper yet effective option for an interior RV wall so that you can bring new life to the interior decor of your RV and make it appear as good as its newer model on the market. Apart from the walls, you can also add some extra decoration on the wall such as photo frames or wallpapers to further improve its looks and design. The walls can simply become a shelf to showcase the memories that you may have collected, or will collect throughout your journey.
3. Soundproofing of the Inside
Another important task of the RV interior walls is to make the RV soundproof. If you have ever visited an RV campground, you must know that these places can get annoyingly loud at times and it becomes highly uncomfortable for some campers, especially at night. While the body of your RVs does offer soundproofing, sometimes it is simply not enough to block all of the noise that prevents you from sleeping peacefully. But, an additional layer of interior walls can certainly get the job done and make the RV completely soundproof if the right materials are selected. For that, MDF or plywood walls are the best options.
Conclusion
Installing interior walls inside your RV can definitely seem to be a very difficult job. But truth be told, it is quite simple and straightforward once you get the right tools and material for the job. Some users prefer to do the whole job by themselves without needing an extra hand at all. Here, you can read about the importance of RV’s interior walls and different options that are available on the market to help you with the job. We have also explained each of these options in detail along with a handful of pros and cons to make your choice even clearer. If you have any doubt about these choices, you can reach us via the comment section below. Until then, Happy RVing!
