How to Refinish Wall Paneling
Wall paneling used to be popular. However, in today's housing market, wood paneled walls do little more that "date" your house. Such out-of-style sepia-toned walls can tarnish even the most vibrant décor. Luckily, you can refinish old paneled walls with just a few simple steps and a couple of basic tools. While basic refinishing will not wholly replicate modern drywall, it will remove the dated appearance of a wood paneled space, making the room look cleaner, crisper and brighter. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Use a paint roller and paintbrush to apply primer to the wall paneling. High-quality primers like Kilz (see Resources) will provide good primer coverage to all types of paneling, even slick, high-gloss paneling. However, if you are using a lower-quality, generic primer, you'll most likely need to degloss the paneling first using a liquid deglosser (see Resources).
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Wait for the primer to dry. This will typically take at least 1 hour, but you should always consult the primer container for the most accurate drying times.
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Begin refinishing the surface by brushing on latex paint for a more contemporary color and sheen. Paint that dries with a "satin finish" is typically preferred for most projects, but any type of finish will work since you've properly primed the surface.
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Begin roller painting the major surfaces of the wall only after you've painted hard-to-reach areas and deep paneling grooves with a brush, as recommended by DoItYourself.com.
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Apply a second coat to touch up bare spots when necessary.
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Allow at least 24 hours for the newly refinished walls to dry.
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Tips & Warnings
In most cases, refinishing the walls with a simple paint job works to update the room and add color to the space. However, if you want to completely mimic a drywalled look, DoItYourself.com explains that you apply plaster to the grooves in the paneling for a smooth, solid-wall appearance. This technique, however, is very time-consuming and is more costly than repainting.
