Painting wood paneling is a special challenge, but it’s worth taking on if your home is finished with cheap, mass-produced paneling and you’re not a fan of the ‘60s kitsch look. With the right techniques, you can easily upgrade to a warm, personalized look.
1. Choosing the Right Primer
Accounting for the texture and stain of the paneling may be one of your first challenges as you prepare your wall for proper paint adherence. You’ll definitely want to use the right primer.
If the surface is textured or has a flat, gloss-less finish, you’ll need an oil-based primer to prevent the stain from seeping back up to the surface. There are odorless varieties available, but it’s a good idea to make sure you’ve got proper air circulation just the same.
If the surface is smooth and glossy, you can use an acrylic, water-based primer.
2. Preparation
Begin by thoroughly cleaning your paneling. A deglossing or degreasing cleanser is helpful for this and will get rid of most dirt, grime, wax, polish, mildew, adhesives—anything that’s going to get between the paint and the wall.
If there’s a visible gap between the paneling and elements like baseboard and trim, you may wish to do some caulking, especially if you intend to paint in light colors that will show the gap more clearly than the dark paneling did.
3. Priming and Painting
The next unique challenge in working with paneling is cutting in. With typical wall painting, you’ve just got to take care of the corners and edges. With paneling, each of those little grooves between the panels will need to be carefully cut in with a brush before you can move on to rolling. There are no shortcuts here, just dig in.
After cutting in, you’re ready to roll on. A roller cover with a ½ inch nap will work fine for smooth paneling, but textured paneling will need the extra coverage provided by a ¾ inch nap.
Once your primer has dried, repeat the process with your chosen paint. Use your own best judgment, but it’s likely that you’ll want at least 2 coats.
That’s it! If you like, you can move on to painting the trim as well. And if you’d like to never pick up a paintbrush again, give Zenith Painting a call at 800-381-4601 and we’ll get you started with a free estimate.
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