Pop-up camper remodels can transform a drab, tired-looking vehicle into something truly extraordinary. If your old pop-up is looking a bit gloomy, you should know there’s a quick fix for that issue. Prepare to be inspired with These top 7 show-stopping transformations that’ll make your remodeled pop-up tent trailer the envy of any campsite.
Pop-Up Camper Remodels Turn Old into Gold
Each year, loads of RVers just like you decide it’s time to give their pop-up camper a new lease on life. With a bit of elbow grease and some imagination, they transform worn-out, forgotten pop-ups into good-looking, road-ready homes. The cool part is that even the most battered old camper can become something really special.
If you’re thinking about taking on a camper remodel, you should know it might not be a walk in the park. Getting started requires time, patience, a few bucks, and some DIY carpentry skills. Depending on how rough your camper is to start with, and how swanky you want it to be when it’s done, you might spend anything from a few hundred bucks to a few thousand.
Don’t Try a Tent Trailer Remodel Until You Ask Yourself This
Before you start tearing your camper apart, you’ve got to figure out how big a job you’re taking on.
Are you going for a few touch-ups, or a total remodel? A full-blown pop-up camper remodel could mean everything from switching out old furniture and updating appliances to fixing or changing the floor, sorting out any water damage, slapping on a fresh coat of paint. It might require you to mess with the camper wiring, too.
Pop-up camper remodels with amazing results
If your pop-up camper needs a ton of work, don’t panic. As you can see from the videos below, all it takes is good research, good attitude, and a good toolkit to make camper remodeling a breeze. And when it’s all done, you too will have your own unique, comfy, and pretty cool home on wheels.
#1 Gorgeous Jayco Swift Pop-Up Camper Renovation
Melanie over at Simple Made Pretty share lots of ideas on home organization, craft projects, printable and much more. On her YouTube channel she shares a video of a remodel she did on a 2005 Jayco Swift.
The remodel of this Jayco was very well done. In the video Melanie goes into in depth detail on what she did, the materials she used and some costs associated with the camper renovation.
The whole renovation only took Melanie 5 days and that was while she was working on other projects. She provides more information on her blog about this project and shares some excellent tips as well on how to buy a used pop up.
#2. A Very Affordable $900 Pop-Up Camper Remodel on a Budget
If a pop-up camper remodel on a budget is what you are looking for then look no further than RV East Coast’s Fawn and Eli. They completed a gorgeous renovation for around $900 on a 2001 Starfleet camper.
The before and after video of this tent camper remodel shows you just how much you can do to make the pop-up your own. Kirsten redid just about the entire interior including seats, flooring, layout and nice looking countertops.
One cool feature is the hidden television under the bench bed that she built for her young son. When you consider how nice this looks and how little she spent, you can appreciate the labor of love that went into this tent trailer renovation.
#3. Stunning Coleman Pop-Up Camper Remodel
I love Coleman pop-up campers. They bring back great memories of my family camping on the East Branch of the Delaware River. This where I first saw a Coleman many, many years ago and marveled at how much more comfortable we would be than in our tent. But I digress.
This is Alison from Our Moving Roots YouTube Channel. She and her husband were handed down a Coleman pop-up from her parents. They decided it was time to modernize it with some renovations.
They took a dull brown Coleman camper and turned into a modern clean looking pop-up camper by using paint and new fabric.
They replaced the old flooring, adding new trim to the cabinets, painted the exterior door, and all the interior cabinet. One excellent idea was the replacement of the trim around the counter edges, I think that made a huge difference.
New fabric on the cushion and drapes completed the renovations. All very well done.
#4. Classic Starcraft Pop-Up Camper Remodel
This vintage pop-up camper makeover is from Casey over at Life Love & Endless Laundry. This makeover is a Starcraft tent camper that initially was not too bad. What this camper needed was a good cleaning and some cosmetic upgrades. The makeover was not expensive either.
The remodel began first with an extremely thorough cleaning as should all remodel projects. Casey used a toothbrush on vents which them look great. You’ll see in the video the results of the cleaning, and this was done before any other remodel work.
Once done on the inside, Casey tackled the outside of the camper. For the outside she used a good foam cleaner and Dawn dish soap. Once again the results were above average. She then redid the upholstery, curtains and painted the interior in white.
Overall, we think Casey did a wonderful job of renovating this Starcraft camper. It took some sweat equity, but the results speak for themselves.
#5. Vintage 1997 Jayco Pop-Up Trailer Renovation with Glitter Countertops
Paul bought and remodeled a 1997 Jayco pop-up tent trailer. The remodel involved taking everything out. They replaced the floor, repainted all the cabinets, purchased new cushions and new mattresses. The canvas was spotlessly cleaned, and they also installed new countertops.
This pop-up remodel look fantastic. Paul worked hard to get it looking this good. However, along the way he made a few mistakes that he talks about in the video. For example:
- The flooring was not a good choice. He installed a floating floor that will expand when the interior get warm. There are expansion gaps along the perimeter of the interior, but he installed cabinets on top of them. This prevents the floor from expanding the way it should.
The poor choice of flooring will eventually create bumps or bowing in areas where it can’t expand. Paul realized later that it’s better to first install the cabinet, then install the floating floor with the required spacing around cabinets, so it can expand properly.
- The other issue was the glitter countertops. It uses an epoxy that now looks cloudy when it should be clear. He attributes this to not heating it up with enough heat from the heat gun.
In my view, those two DIY mistakes do not detract from the final results. The camper look great, the glitter countertops give it pizzazz. The floor look very nice and so does the paint job.
#6. Remodeled 2001 Palomino Tent Trailer with TV Projector
Ryan Collins on his YouTube channel showcases the interior renovation he did to his 2001 Palomino camper. The interior of this camper is one of my favorite. The interior was reupholstered, a cabinet was rebuilt to fit a microwave. The cabinets were painted white and much more.
One thing I like about this pop-up remodel is the retro camper look.
The countertops were painted in a similar color to the microwave, further enhancing the vintage look. All the countertops were redone, and new hardware was installed on the newly painted cabinet.
One of the coolest things Ryan did on this remodel is the installation of a TV projector with a pull down projection screen. This is the projector he used and the screen. He created one of my favorite pop-up camper remodels.
#7. The Spencer Family Pop-Up Fixer
In this video the Spencer family shows us their finished pop-up camper remodel project. They’ve done quite a bit of work in the camper, including painting, flooring, upholstery, rebuilt cabinet and much more.
This a large tent trailer with lots of space, so the remodel was a lot of hard work. What I like most about this remodel is the natural wood on the countertops and the great-looking floor.
Overall this renovation was executed very well. It will serve as a source of inspiration for many pop-up camper remodelers.
You Can Tackle Pop-Up Camper Fixer Uppers, Too!
Still interested in remodeling your pop-up tent trailer? Picture the buzz you’ll get seeing your hard work pay off, when your revamped pop-up camper is finally road-ready.
Remember that remodeling a pop-up camper isn’t just about doing up a vehicle; it’s about creating a mobile space that’s all yours.
Plus, remodeling an old camper is a great way to reduce waste and promote responsible consumption. It’s an eco-friendly choice that also saves you money.
And the icing on the cake? The fantastic experiences and memories you’ll make on the road, in a camper that’s truly yours. Sounds like a win-win to us.
I hope the 7 pop-up camper remodels above will serve as a source of inspiration for you. If you would like to see other RV renovation articles, check out:
