RV Kitchen and Cabinet Renovation Made Easy
Your RV kitchen design doesn’t need to be drab. There’re numerous ways you could add a touch of class and modernity to your RV.
Even then, it’s important to have a stylistic theme to give your RV kitchen a unique character.
Now, whether you choose a tranquil, coastal, rustic, contemporary, or industrial kitchen design, a few tweaks here and there can make your kitchen the special place you’d want to spend most of your time.
Renovating an RV Kitchen
You don’t need special skills or tools to furnish your dream kitchen. The only thing to remember is that most RV kitchens require you to work in a tight space.
Therefore, before you start working on the RV kitchen project, you might need to move most of the items to a new location. Portable storage containers will usually come in handy for this task.
With that out of the way, let’s jump into the different kitchen RV renovation ideas to consider:
Updating your Kitchen Cabinets
The RV kitchen cabinets, often sitting at eye level, are usually the first to notice when you walk into any kitchen.
You could update your RV kitchen cabinets by repainting or replacing them.
Refacing cabinets and replacing the doors, hinges, and drawers is only worth it if the underlying cabinet has quality framing.
Repainting
If you don’t need a complex cabinet overhaul and like your existing kitchen floor plan, I would suggest painting. Repainting is also an option if the cupboards are in good repair and you don’t see the need to change them.
Here’s a step-by-step procedure for painting your RV cabinets:
- My suggestion is to start by pulling out all the drawers and cabinet contents.
- The next step is to check for any dampness in your cabinets. If it’s too much, then painting isn’t worth it.
- Give everything a really good deep scrub and sand out the rough spots. If there’re any existing cracks in the wood, use woody putty or caulk to seal them off.
- The final step is a paint job. For a quality paint job that will last, you need to de-gloss, prime, paint and seal. It ensures the coat will hold up well.
I prefer glossy paint for a sleek, industrial look on my RV. However, depending on your RV’s theme, you can choose bright, bold colors or statement prints to complement your style.
RV Cabinet Replace
While painting kitchen cabinets seems like the easier way out, I’d want to mention that it’s a bit challenging. Your cabinets won’t have the professional touch even with the time, patience, and equipment to do it.
It’s a ton of work, in my opinion, especially if your RV kitchen cabinet is completely water damaged.
Replacing RV cabinets isn’t easy either, but if you’re reasonably handy and can use a level and a drill, it’s easy to install an RV cabinet.
Simply locate the connecting screws, which are typically below the exterior panel. Then using a drill, gently remove them, and this makes it easier to remove the cabinet.
Cabinet installation isn’t arduous. I’d recommend the Ikea RV kitchen cabinets. They’re easier to install than regular cabinets, thanks to their mounting racks for wall cabinets. The base cabinets also have adjustable legs for leveling, so no shimming is needed.
Updating the Kitchen Worktop
A simple replacement or treat of your RV kitchen worktop is a great way of adding class to your space without ripping the entire kitchen.
However, you must be careful when removing the worktop. In particular, pay attention to the screws holding the worktop. Most screws required to hold a worktop are usually heavy-duty.
Formica is the most common material for worktops, but you can always replace the material with new laminates for a more luxurious feel. Some materials to consider for worktop replacement include stainless steel, bamboo, reclaimed wood, etc.
Whatever material you choose for your worktop, ensure that you first varnish and treat the material, so it remains practical and aesthetically appealing.
Tile Backsplash
A backsplash is a pleasant way to add color and character to your RV kitchen. The perfect backsplash for your kitchen should make the theme pop- ideally, it should tie in with the existing kitchen theme.
There’re several backsplash tiles to choose from, but I’m a huge favorite of regular ceramic tiles. But you don’t always have to go with that- you can pick broken ceramic tiles for a rustic look or pebbles.
The key thing to remember is to measure up the space before applying the tiles.
Preparation is key with tile backsplash. Ensure the surface is clean and even. Also, plan out the layout so that all the cuts are hidden as much as possible.
It would also help if you learned how to cut the tiles, especially if you plan to DIY on a budget. It’s not the most difficult skill, but you need a good tile cutter.
With that said, here are some tips to help with the RV tile backsplash:
- Take your time and plan. Do your research first, and get inspiration from YouTube.
- Save your cuts for the end! Start by laying out all the tiles, and fill in the gaps later. It’ll save you a lot of time and effort.
- Use a wet saw, or otherwise, you won’t get the perfect cut
- Buy extra tiles
If you feel updating the kitchen walls with a tile backsplash is too much work, you could consider a cool wallpaper print. Or even paint the room to make everything pop out.
As with the tiles, the choice of color, theme, character, and everything should match the kitchen look.
Lighting may also help with the backsplash wall upgrade. Keeping the lights bright generally makes your RV kitchen bigger. On the other hand, dark and trendy colors will generally close up your space and make your RV kitchen smaller than it already is.
Other Smaller Kitchen Updates
Fix your Kitchen Sink
If your RV kitchen has seen better days, you could fix it by getting a new faucet.
Overhauling the kitchen sink isn’t only an affordable upgrade and easy to install. And depending on the model you pick, you could benefit greatly from added utilities. For example, some RV kitchen faucets come with pull-out hoses with different spray settings for easy cleaning.
RV Kitchen Appliances
Sometimes, a kitchen renovation isn’t about so much about the kitchen but about what’s stocked.
Do yourself a favor, and stock your RV kitchen with some exciting accessories. Some handy accessories include an instant pot, collapsible bowls, a collapsible dish drying rack, a collapsible colander, portable gas, etc.
Most of these accessories will not only add aesthetics to your RV kitchen, but they’re also handy RV utilities.
Get Organized
RV organization may seem like a minor upgrade, but the proper organization may change the way you move in your kitchen.
Organization is crucial, especially considering most kitchen space is usually crammed and may feel claustrophobic. When you’ve limited storage, your space is also likely to get cluttered-that’s not the way to enjoy your outdoor life.
Along with arranging things orderly, you must also invest in storage containers. These come in handy from cramming dry goods into the cabinets.
