How to Cover Wood Paneling

Home decorating styles can change quickly. What is hip and fashionable this year will probably stop being hip and fashionable before you even finish paying off the remodeling costs you incurred while creating the trendy new look for your home. A few decades ago, wood paneling was all the rage. Various styles and shades of wood paneling were tacked up on walls in living rooms, kitchens and even bedrooms. Wood paneling is no longer the look of choice for many homeowners but completely tearing the wood paneling down is often more of a project than people are willing to take on. Instead of removing the wood paneling they no longer care for, many people opt to cover the paneling. By painting over the wood paneling in your home, you can give any room an easy and inexpensive update without undergoing a massive remodel.

Things You'll Need

• Wood putty
• Sandpaper or sanding block
• Rags
• Paintbrushes
• Stain blocking primer
• Painter's tape
• Paint
• Paint roller

Instructions

1. Purchase a good name brand wood putty and use it to fill in the grooves of the paneling and any nail holes and injuries the paneling has sustained during the course of its stay in your home. Allow the putty to set as described by the manufacturer.

2. Rough up the surface of the paneling with sandpaper or a sanding block to make the primer and paint adhere better. You will also be sanding over the areas to which you applied the putty to remove any excess and smooth out any bumps.

3. Check to see that all the grooves and holes are satisfactorily smoothed and removed. Fill in any bare areas as needed and repeat the sanding process.

4. Wipe the walls with a clean damp rag to remove all traces of dust and debris from the wood paneling you are going to paint.

5. Protect the trim around the ceiling, the floor, windows and door frames by covering them with painter's tape.

6. Prevent the wood paneling from bleeding through the paint by applying a high quality stain blocking primer. Use a paintbrush to apply one coat of primer and allow it to completely dry. Use the manufacturer's recommendations as your guide for drying times. Once dry, it is best to apply a second coat since wood paneling can bleed through paint, especially if the wood is dark grained. Allow the second coat to completely dry.

7. Cut in around the doors, windows, ceiling and floor. Because you can't reach all the way to the edges with a roller, you'll need to use a narrow paint brush to apply a border of paint that is about two inches wide around these areas.

8. Cover the walls in paint using a roller to apply it. Apply one coat and allow it to fully dry according to the manufacturer's recommendations.

9. Apply a second coat of paint to the walls. Allow the paint to dry completely before decorating the room. Enjoy the new look of your room!

Tips & Warnings

• Sanding creates a lot of dust so be sure to protect yourself and your furniture from the dust.

• Primer and paint can have strong (and sometimes dangerous) fumes so protect yourself and be sure to have proper ventilation.