How to Modernize Plywood Walls

With a few changes, plywood walls are anything but boring.

Plywood walls often appear dull and unfinished. Invigorate tired walls with simple solutions that can be completed in a matter of hours. Whether your style is modern or leans more toward shabby chic, you can completely change the appearance of your walls from an eyesore to a conversation piece. Choose the style that fits your budget and skill level and enjoy the process of giving your home a new look.

Things You'll Need

• Clean rags
• Drop cloths
• Poly sheeting
• Brown paper towels
• 6 16-ounce containers of acrylic gesso
• Water bottle
• Paintbrush
• Paint
• Paint roller
• Hammer
• Sandpaper
• Joint compound
• Primer
• Tape measure
• Painter's tape
• 3-inch molding
• Miter saw
• Screw gun
• 1 1/2-inch screws
• 2-inch screws

Instructions

Textured Walls

1. Add Old World appeal to your plywood walls with texturing. Clean the wood with a damp, but not soaking, rag. Then allow it to dry completely.

2. Cover your floor with drop cloths or poly sheeting.

3. 

   Commercial paper towels provide the durability required for this project.

   Tear three rolls of brown commercial paper towels into uneven strips.

4. Mix 16 ounces of acrylic gesso with 3 1/2-ounces of water. Repeat the process whenever the mixture is depleted.

5. Spread a few sheets of the paper towel on a flat, waterproof surface. Slightly dampen the paper towels with water, using a spray bottle.

6. Smooth them over the walls in 3-feet sections. Allow random wrinkling in the paper. Overlap the pieces until you've covered the entire section. Immediately brush a coat of acrylic gesso over the paper towels.

7. Allow the paper towels to dry overnight. Paint over the paper towels in a color that complements your decor. The paint will appear darker in spots, accenting the textured appearance of the walls. Another option is to apply a honey or dark colored glaze over the paper towels, achieving a more rustic look.

Empty Frames

1. Remove any nails or hooks from the walls with the claw of a hammer.

2. Clean the walls with a slightly dampened rag. Allow the walls to dry for one hour.

3. Sand the walls. Apply joint compound to any nicks or blemishes and allow it to dry thoroughly.

4. Apply a coat of primer. Allow the primer to dry for at least four hours.

5. Measure the width of your wall. Tape off two 3-feet wide by 5-feet tall sections with painter's tape 1 1/2 feet on either side of the center marking.

6. Paint the wall around the tape in a deep hue of a color that complements the rest of your room decor. Allow it to dry completely and apply a second coat. After the paint dries, paint the interior of the rectangles in a lightened shade of the same color. You may also opt to paint the inside of the framed area with a lighter, contrasting color. Allow it to dry and apply a second coat of paint.

7. Remove the tape.

8. Make frames to hang over the rectangles using 3-inch wide stained molding. Cut the ends of the molding with a miter saw, making 45-degree angles. Screw the molding together with 1 1/2-inch screws.

9. Position the frames over the unpainted areas left by the painter's tape. Screw the frames into the walls with 2-inch screws, completing your room's transformation.