# Mobile Home Wall Strips



## JimmyH (Sep 16, 2011)

Hey guys its my first post here and im hoping to find some answers. Ive asked many people but cant seem to get any sure fire solutions so Im thinking maybe somebody here has done this and can lead me in the right direction. Okay so here it goes:

Me and my girlfriend recently purchased a mobile home. We bought it from an older couple who hadn't done anything to really update the look of it. What we want to do is to take down the wall strips and have flat walls. however, the wallpaper that is currently in there is textured in kind of a vertical line type design. It reminds me of a vinyl record in the aspect that you can run your fingernail across it and make some noise. We already have pulled the carpet out because those were two of the big things we wanted to change. That being said, were prepared to get down and dirty to get these walls the way we want them. 
Ive been told and kind of already knew that we would need to mud the cracks that those wall strips would leave. And Ive been told of a product named "1,2,3" that will fill in that texture on the wallpaper. However i have also been told that if we do that you will still be able to see where we mudded the wall when the light hits it.

So if your still with me trough all that, I would really appreciate your help! Maybe somebody has successfully done this before? Or maybe you know someone who has? Any help would be greatly appreciated and really help me out with the girlfriend :thumbup:


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## fabrk8r (Feb 12, 2010)

I've never done what you are asking about but I used to build mobile homes at a factory back in the early 1980s.

I think the wall panels you are talking about are 1/8" plywood or luan with thin vinyl glued on. The strips are probably plastic, about 1-1/4" wide and have the same vinyl on them. As you were already told, if you remove those strips, which are stapled on, you will have up to 1/8" wide cracks where the panels meet.

If it were me I would remove the strips and cover the entire wall with 3/8" or 1/2" drywall, using tape and mud then paint to finish.


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## armyfamily (Oct 3, 2011)

We bought a 96 mobile w/ half wood paneling going midwall to floor. It also had those tacky strips covering the sheetrock gaps.
We went thru the home removed all the strips/paneling and bought drywall patch filler/repair. Putty knifed every hole and gap let it dry and sanded it smooth them painted white primer paint 2 coats.
The texturered patternered wallpaper NEEDS primer for normal paint to adhere since its glossy.
It looks modern and like a real house now


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## Brushjockey (Mar 8, 2011)

Zinsser 123 is a great primer- but it will not fill anything. 
Joint compound will fill, then sand smooth and then the 123 to prime.


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## armyfamily (Oct 3, 2011)

Zinser 123 is overpriced. Just use kilz primer construction grade and roll or spray on 2 coats after u filled the holes.
I saw at walmart packets that you put in one gallon paint mix that kills odors. Might be worth looking into. They were in the paint center on desk display.


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

Zinsser 1-2-3 is OVERpriced? Wow, for what it does $18 per gallon is a steal in my opinion.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

armyfamily said:


> Zinser 123 is overpriced. Just use kilz primer construction grade and roll or spray on 2 coats after u filled the holes.
> I saw at walmart packets that you put in one gallon paint mix that kills odors. Might be worth looking into. They were in the paint center on desk display.


 What odors we talkin about, besides the stinking Kilz?


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## Brushjockey (Mar 8, 2011)

I lol'd.
:whistling2:


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## jsheridan (Jan 30, 2011)

It's not called Kilz for nothing.:wacko:
When it comes to general quick dry oil primers, Cover Stain is superior to Kilz :wacko:. Though strong, CS has lower odor, covers better, and is a bonding primer in addition to stain killer. Kilz :wacko: is not a bonding primer. If I have to carry one multi-use primer, it will cover stains *and* bond, two uses I have need for on a regular basis. 
OP's, do not use Kilz for your purpose. If it's pure vinyl wall covering, I guess that 123 will be okay, it won't penetrate. But, it will bond, and that's what you need, a primer that will bond to vinyl. Kilz:wacko: will not. 
BTW, with all due respect armyfamily, if you think 18 dollars for a gallon of paint is high, you're out of touch. I see 18 as as close to free as I can get. How do you like all those as's?


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## toilet (Oct 3, 2011)

A long time ago, I helped my dad reno a mobile home he sold to a friend of his. I don't remember the specifics, but the previous tenants painted all over the walls and pretty much trashed the place. We just covered everything with drywall, and made "new" walls. It was pretty easy (I was an early teenager and could help) to do. Might be less time consuming than ripping everything out, priming, and painting.


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## JimmyH (Sep 16, 2011)

Thanks for all the replys guys. What we ended up doing was taking the strips down and filling the gaps with drywall mud. we are now skimming the entire wall with a very thin coat of that same mud. once were done were gonna sand out all the imperfections so we will have a smooth non-textured wall. I think this was the best way to go given what we wanted to final product to look like. I did use that zinsser cover stain on my ceiling though and went back over it with ceiling paint. stuff works like a charm :thumbsup:. Would you recommend using that to prime those vinyl wallpapers too? (we left the strips up in the bedroom since its just going top be us in there) 

Also can you guys show some pics of your finished products just so i can see what yall ended up with?


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## jsheridan (Jan 30, 2011)

Cover Stain should be fine for the vinyl walls. Or, as Brushjockey recommended, Zinsser 123.


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