In this article
Quick answer: Inside most mobile homes, the walls are vinyl covered gypsum panels, and the key is the primer, not the paint. Clean the vinyl, then use a bonding primer made for glossy surfaces such as vinyl, followed by a good acrylic interior paint. Outside, choose the paint for the siding material: metal siding, vinyl siding and the roof each have their own rules.
Painting a manufactured home is a good way to change how it looks for far less than replacing walls or siding. It goes wrong when the surfaces are treated like ordinary drywall and wood siding, because most of them are not. This guide covers the interior walls first, then the exterior, then the details that catch people out.
Interior walls: what you are painting
Many manufactured homes have vinyl covered gypsum wall panels, often called VOG panels. They are gypsum board with a thin printed vinyl face, and the panel seams are usually covered with narrow vertical strips called battens. The vinyl face is smooth and slightly glossy, and that is the whole problem: ordinary latex paint has very little to grip on, so it can scratch or peel off with a fingernail.
To check what you have, look at a seam behind a batten strip or inside a closet. A vinyl face often has a printed pattern and a slight sheen, and it feels smooth rather than papery. Some homes, especially newer or remodeled ones, have standard taped and textured drywall instead. Painting regular drywall is covered in how to prep walls for painting.
The right primer for vinyl covered walls
Use a bonding primer whose maker lists vinyl among the surfaces it sticks to. Two examples:
- KILZ says its Adhesion primer is formulated to bond to tough to paint surfaces including PVC and vinyl, and can reduce or eliminate the need to sand dense, glossy surfaces. It also advises testing a small area for adhesion first.
- Benjamin Moore says its Insl-X Stix bonding primer adheres to challenging surfaces including glossy tile, PVC, vinyl and plastic.
These are examples of the category, not the only choices. What matters is that the primer is a bonding primer that names vinyl, and that you test it. Prime a small patch in a closet, let it dry for the time on the can, then press tape onto it and pull it off. If primer comes away on the tape, the surface needs more cleaning or a light scuff sand before you prime the rest.
Step by step: painting vinyl covered walls
- Clean the walls. Wash with a degreasing cleaner to remove cooking film, smoke residue and hand marks, rinse with clean water and let them dry. Paint will not bond to grease.
- Decide what to do with the battens. The simplest route is to paint them with the walls, or in a contrasting trim color. Some owners remove the battens, tape and mud the seams and texture the walls to look like drywall. That gives a smoother look but turns a paint job into a drywall job.
- Scuff glossy areas if your test failed. A light pass with a fine sanding sponge dulls the surface. Wipe the dust off.
- Prime with the bonding primer. Follow the can on drying time before topcoating.
- Paint two coats of acrylic interior paint. Eggshell or satin suits most rooms, and satin or semi gloss suits kitchens and bathrooms. The paint sheen guide explains the choice.
Manufactured homes have small rooms and lower ceilings than many site built homes, so ventilation matters more. Keep windows open and fans moving air out of the room while you work and while the paint dries, as set out in how to ventilate a room while painting. Low odor, low VOC paints help.
Bathrooms, kitchens and ceilings
Rooms with steam and cooking need a finish that can be wiped. A bonding primer under a satin or semi gloss acrylic, or a paint made for bathrooms, holds up better than a flat finish. Product types for wet rooms are covered in best paint for a bathroom. Ceilings in many manufactured homes are textured board rather than vinyl; check yours the same way, and see best paint for a ceiling for the product choice.
Exterior: paint for the siding you have
Manufactured homes are commonly clad in metal siding, usually aluminum or steel, or in vinyl siding. Each one has its own rules, and the main points are below.
| Surface | What to use | The rule that matters most | Full guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum siding | Acrylic exterior latex, with a bonding primer on bare or chalky metal | Wash off the chalky surface first | Aluminum siding |
| Steel siding | Exterior paint made for metal, with a rust inhibiting primer on any rust | Remove rust and treat bare steel before painting | Metal |
| Vinyl siding | Vinyl safe 100 percent acrylic | Do not go darker than the original unless the paint is rated for it | Vinyl siding |
| Metal roof | A roof coating made for metal roofs | Fix leaks and loose fasteners first | Roof coating |
| Skirting | Match the material: vinyl rules for vinyl, metal rules for metal | Clean off soil and mildew at the base |
The prep is similar for all of them: wash the siding, rinse well, fix loose panels and fasteners, treat mildew and rust, and let everything dry. Paint on a dry day within the temperature range on the can. Timing is covered in best weather conditions for exterior painting.
Things that catch people out
- Skipping the primer test. Paint that looks fine on day one can peel in strips weeks later if it never bonded to the vinyl.
- Painting over grease. Kitchen and living room walls carry years of cooking film. Clean first.
- Going darker on vinyl siding or skirting. Dark colors absorb heat and can warp vinyl.
- Painting a metal roof with wall paint. Roofs need a product made for roofs.
- Older homes. If the home was built before 1978, paint on it may contain lead. Anyone paid to disturb painted surfaces in older housing has to follow the EPA lead safe rules, explained on the EPA renovation page.
Hiring a painter or doing it yourself
Interior walls in a manufactured home are a manageable do it yourself job if you clean properly and test the primer. Exterior metal siding and roofs involve ladders, rust treatment and more prep, which is where many owners bring in a painter. If you hire one, ask how they will prepare the vinyl walls and which primer they plan to use. A painter who says no primer is needed on vinyl covered panels is worth questioning. More on choosing one is in questions to ask a painter before hiring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best paint for mobile home walls?
For vinyl covered gypsum walls, the primer matters most: clean the walls, use a bonding primer that lists vinyl, then two coats of acrylic interior paint in eggshell or satin.
Can you paint vinyl walls in a mobile home?
Yes, with the right prep. Degrease the walls, test a bonding primer on a small patch, scuff if it fails the tape test, prime, then paint.
Do you need to prime mobile home walls before painting?
For vinyl covered panels, yes. Ordinary latex paint has little to grip on the smooth vinyl face. Use a bonding primer made for glossy surfaces such as vinyl.
Should I paint or remove the batten strips?
Painting them is quicker and looks tidy, in the wall color or a trim color. Removing them means taping and finishing the seams, which is a drywall job rather than a paint job.
What paint is best for the outside of a mobile home?
It depends on the siding. Aluminum and steel take exterior paint over the right primer, vinyl needs a vinyl safe acrylic in a color no darker than the original, and metal roofs need a roof coating.
Can I use regular interior paint in a mobile home?
Yes, as the topcoat, once a bonding primer is on vinyl covered walls. Without the primer, regular paint often peels off vinyl.
