painting over vinyl drywall

**Nadams** · 06-17-2011, 01:08 PM

We live in a mobile home... we want to paint the walls. currently it is just the thin drywall covered with vinyl. I know others have painted right over the vinyl but i'm wondering if i need to use a primer? or some other thing? will any kind of interior paint stick or do i need a special kind (like latex vs whatever else?)? the vinyl does have texture to it. I think it's vinyl anyway....

also what to use between the cracks? we plan on ripping out the gap strips on the wall - can any kind of spackle be used.... we've never painted over this type of wall before so any advice is appreciated... we'd hate to go get paint and then have it peel off!

**CrazyCat** · 06-17-2011, 02:35 PM

We live in a modular which has the same type of walls, and I recently painted the Youngest son's room cammo.

We DID use a primer....and Valspar paint from Lowes. It looks good....but took off the "strips"...and put drywall tape over it and spackled it. You can't tell now there were even strips ON the wall. It looks AWESOME~!

**Greebo** · 06-17-2011, 02:47 PM

Absolutely use a primer - one designed to work with vinyl. Otherwise the paint will start peeling off in sheets, in almost no time.

**Brat** · 06-18-2011, 06:51 AM

Mine was in the kirchen so I washed it good and rinsed it ..After it dryed good I used a primer and then painted over it with semi gloss latex paint..It has not peeled and I have washed it down several times since.

**Gabe** · 06-21-2011, 02:09 AM

Might help if you post a picture.

Typically drywall involves doing joints with compound.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3sQ6z_ZKkE]YouTube - ‪Home Remodeling: Mudding Drywall : Mudding Drywall: Applying 1st Coat of Joint Compound‬‏[/ame]

**Brat** · 06-21-2011, 04:34 AM

I left the diver strips on as I had been the one that put the vinel wall board up and knew that they interlocked the panels..I painted right over them..They didn't really show up after painted.

**Nadams** · 06-26-2011, 02:53 AM

thanks for all the tips... and thanks for the video gabe that made it easier to visualize for me... now i know what kind of tools i am going to need ... !

**houstenh** · 07-01-2011, 11:11 AM

We hired plumbers from the local mobile home supply store to re-plumb our doublewide with pex and install full size bathtubs. During the process they had to cut into the drywall in different areas. They recommend that we use Kilz primer to cover up the walls before painting.