Home Improvement

So you put up some wood paneling 20 years ago and thought it was nice. Or maybe you moved into a home where it already existed, and now its looking quite ugly. Your job is to take it down, rip it out, and clean up the mess as well as cover the holes that now exist right? There is an easier way. Why not paint over that ugly wood paneling as long as it was installed properly and still remains intact against the wall.

How Do You Paint Over Wood Paneling?

Here are the simple steps to get the job done. The first thing you will want to do before you even pull the paint out, is to fill any holes and tears with wood putty. If you have the wood paneling with grooves then it might be a little bit bigger job. Save yourself the work of using the wood putty and go with a joint compound for those grooves. It will hold a lot better.

Now its time to sand. Go over the areas that you have added the putty and compound until they are sanded flush with the wall. Also take a block of fine sand paper and go over the whole surface of the wall. This will ensure that the primer will stick when applied.

Next you will need to make sure all the surface are is clean, so take a rag or cloth and wipe all the dust away. Now that you have it all cleaned up you will want to get the primer. Make sure you use a stain-blocking alkyd primer so that there is no bleed through.

Next find the right color of acrylic latex paint. Make sure to buy the proper brushes for it as well. Before painting, make sure the primer is dry. Next you will want to apply the first coat. Making sure that you have any unneeded corners taped off so that paint does not get on them.

A second coat will give more of a smoothness, and should give you the desired look you were going for. And all without having to remove the ugly wood paneling from your wall.