Use paint to change the look of wood paneling.
Wood paneling was once ubiquitous in mobile homes and eventually made the transition to be included in many improvement projects in traditional homes, as well. Painting is one of the quickest and cheapest ways to update wood paneling. Paneling will require specific preparation before painting begins, otherwise the oils, varnishes and stains used on the wood paneling may bleed through your fresh paint job. Sealing the wood paneling before applying paint will help ensure that your finished paint job will last a long time.
Instructions
1. Turn off the power to the room at the breaker box. Check to make sure there is no power going to the room by flicking on a wall switch or turning on a lamp.
2. Lay down newspaper along the bottom of the paneled walls to protect the floor from paint spatters.
3. Remove all pictures, wall decorations and nails from the walls. Run your hand over the walls to find any missed nails or screws.
4. Fill in any nail holes or cracks with caulking. Apply the caulking using the caulking gun, and then remove any excess with a putty knife.
5. Remove all the switch plates and outlet plates on the wall. Use the flat-head screwdriver to remove the small screws holding the plates in place.
6. Wipe the walls down with a mixture of ½ cup vinegar to 1 gallon of water. Let the walls dry completely.
7. Roughen the surface of the wood paneling with 100-grit sandpaper. Using a sanding block with an extension wand, attach the sandpaper to the sanding block and move the sanding block over the surface of the wood paneling in an up-and-down pattern.
8. Wipe down the walls with a rag slightly dampened with water to remove any sanding dust. Let the walls dry completely.
9. Cut in the primer/sealer, using a 2-inch paintbrush, where the walls meet the ceiling and where the walls meet the baseboard. Paint the rest of the wood paneling with the primer/sealer using a paint roller.
10. Allow the primer/sealer to dry according to the product's directions. The paneled walls are now ready for their finish coat of paint.
