Making progress

Just a quick update on what I’ve accomplished over the past few months.

• New paint – Cleaned, cleaned and cleaned the interior skin. Used a degreaser and then cleaned with TSP and washed it all down with water. Had to remove the “plasticizer” film that was sticky and glossy. I then I rented a paint rig to spray a coating of XIM adhesion primer. Once dry, I sprayed on a new paint from Sherwin Williams that is as easy to clean as glossy paint, but has a matte finish. I went with a simple white. Supposedly it cleans just as easy as glossy paint. I love the look – clean and modern.

• New floor – I looked at every type of floor option out there. I really wanted marmoleum, but installation was expensive and there was no guarantee it wouldn’t crack. Laminate or wood floor had the potential of warping with humidity and extreme temperatures. Carpet is gross. Tile would never make a trip down the road. That left vinyl. Cheap. Flexible and moisture resistant. I found some decent looking sheet vinyl at Home Depot. It also was made with a spongy material, so it was soft on the feet and more flexible then the old plastic stuff. Laying one single sheet not only looks better, but it eliminates the potential for moisture and dirt getting stuck in the seams.

• New cabinets – I didn’t have the money to hire a cabinetmaker and I wanted something sleek and contemporary. The answer was Ikea. The problem, as most saw it, was that Ikea cabinets are made of pressed wood fibers (particle board). Heavy and suitable durable against moisture. Not ideal for a travel trailer. I decided to go with it anyway. I had to cut every single cabinet a different way to get them to all fit and look uniform. To reduce weight, I hollowed out the walls so that they were more of a skeletal frame. To reduce moisture problems, I coated all the open cuts with polyurethane. To keep them somewhat flexible in the trailer, I only fastened them to the walls. A few trips down the road will tell me if this was a good idea or not.

• New plumbing – Wasn’t planning on replacing the copper, but it seemed to be the easiest way to re-route some lines and ensure joints were leak-free. I used PEX tubing and Quick Connect Shark fittings (super expensive, but no tools were required. Just snap it all together!)

• New furnace – Replaced the 70s Suburban furnace with a brand new one. They haven’t changed…AT ALL!

• New water heater – Really, really wanted a tankless unit, but I was already way over budget. $1,000 vs. $250….hmmm. Bought a 6-gallon Atwood tank

• New water pump – The original pump still worked, but it just didn’t seem right to keep it with everything else being all new. Bought the Shur Flo Extreme Series. Still trying to get it installed.