I just purchased a home, the dream home, but like any new purchase, even a brand new RV, we are changing stuff. I have just about finished all the main rooms, and now our focus is turning towards the kitchen. It is, well let’s just say “vintage” but not in a good way. It is period correct for 1986, and I’m positive that is a style that will never again go back into style.
Perhaps your RV is suffering the same time capsule fate as my home kitchen. Maybe you are even too embarrassed to have other RV’ers over for as much as a cup of coffee. Maybe one of your 2016 goals is to gut your RV or coach’s kitchen or, at least, bring it into this decade.
While parallels can be drawn about how I plan to re-do my kitchen at home, and what can be done to an RV, there are some major differences that anyone considering an RV kitchen re-do needs to consider.
First of all, I have zero concern for weight in my home kitchen, but if I were redoing an RV, the weight would be a huge deciding factor. With a home kitchen I can tile the floors, purchase top of the line appliances, and build cabinets out of whatever material strikes my fancy. I can even start knocking down walls and making my kitchen bigger so long as the walls are not load bearing. My only limit is budget and the constraints of good taste.
Not so for an RV. For the most part, you are stuck with a certain footprint, although some things can be altered to give you more space, but you will sacrifice something else to gain that space. We all know what a premium space is in an RV and smart layouts utilize ever nook and cranny. Each appliance that you replace has to factor in the power consumption the appliance will draw, or the propane that it will consume in the case of the RV fridge.
Cabinetry is built differently as well. In a home, you can use hardwoods, and build them to last a century. With an RV cabinet, you want them to look nice, and last, but their construction is different and is geared towards weight savings. They are constructed often of different materials and rely on laminates or paint for the finish.
Countertops in a home and an RV do cross over (other than the concrete tops mentioned above). Many people will consider granite, solid surface, Corian and even tile for their RVs, but again, weight should be a consideration as well as wear and tear. Laminate is always the most economical option. It is possible for the do-it -yourself to apply new laminate over existing laminate, you just need to make sure to sand the surface well and wipe clean.
Flooring options that we recommend the most are simply to use laminate flooring. You can even find a laminate that looks like tile stone, or even bamboo and cork. Of course, new vinyl flooring is also an option, but certain steps must be taken if your RV has slideouts so as not to damage the flooring.
Where to get an RV kitchen remodeled.
In my home, I can call contractors for bids and even get Home Depot to do it. This is not the case with an RV. However, you might be able to find a contractor willing to do the work. Most will tell you that it is not their area of expertise; even cabinet shop might tell you that.
At Coach Specialists of Texas, we can not only perform the entire kitchen remodel, but we have an RV interior designer on staff who can design the RV kitchen of your dreams.