How to Paint Over Wood Paneling
There was a time when wood paneling was the popular home interior decorating trend. Eventually, though, it became out of style. If you’re still stuck with these dull, wooden walls, don’t fret; you can enhance their look easily by painting over them. Here’s how to do this properly.
What You’ll Need:
Acrylic latex paint
Primer
Paintbrush and roller
Palm sander
220 and 120 grit sandpaper
Bucket
Vacuum Cleaner
Spackle
Water
Drop cloths
Old newspapers
Putty knife
Painter’s tape
Sponge
Mop
Tri-Sodium Phospate (TSP) or dishwashing soap
Procedure:
Clear the room. You need as much room as you can when you paint, and you don’t want to ruin your furniture and installations as well. Remove all the furniture from the room, as well as the light fixtures and receptacle covers. Remove nails or tacks that jut out. If there are large pieces that you can’t take out, you can just use a drop cloth to cover them. For wall areas that you don’t want to paint over, you can put painter’s tape.
Make sure the room has proper ventilation, by opening the windows and doors. You can also have an electric fan in the room, so air circulates well.
Protect your flooring from the paint. You can do this by laying down old newspapers or drop cloths.
Prepare a mixture of water and dishwashing soap or TSP. Dip a sponge in this mixture and use it to clean the walls. Scrub them properly, to remove grime and grease that have formed over the years. Let them dry for an hour or so.
Using 120 grit sandpaper, sand the wood paneling lightly. You should only roughen the surface up so the paint will adhere to it well, but not go through it completely. When you’re done sanding all over the paneling, use the dampened sponge to remove the sanding dust. Let the paneling dry again.
Run your hand over the paneling, and check for grooves. If there are some, then use spackle to fill them in. Push the spackle in with the putty knife you can also repair holes or dents in your wall using this. Apply two coats, letting the first one dry before adding the other.
Use the palm sander and 220 grit sandpaper to smooth the wooden paneling. Remove the dust from the wall again.
Mix the primer in a bucket, then apply a coating to the wall using a roller or a paintbrush. Allow it to dry. If it is, and you can still see the color of the wood beneath it, you need to add another coating. Only apply the second coat when the first is dry.
When the primer has dried, paint the wooden paneling. There’s no special method for this; just paint like you do to a normal wall. Wait for it to dry before using the room again.
Some Tips:
Sand your walls properly, especially if it’s glossy. Otherwise, the paint won’t stick well.
If you have a big room to work on, use a paint sprayer.
White crown molding at the bottom and top of the wall adds a modern look to your paneling.
Wood paneling might look awesome, but if yours look too worn out already, you can always paint over it. It’s a cumbersome task, but once you get it done properly, you’ll realize it’s all worth it.