How to Refinish Pine Paneling

Rustic pine panel wall.

Pine paneling provides a rustic charm to cottage, country and lodge-style homes. The paneling brings nature indoors and shows off the beauty of the wood. The finish on pine paneling may be damaged or degrade due to wear. To refinish your pine paneling requires some effort but the results can be quite nice.

Things You'll Need

• Citristrip stripper and remover wash Scrub brush, dish soap, bucket, towel Power sander Sandpaper, 150-220 grit Epoxy glue Painters tape Drop cloth Rags Tack cloth Ladder Plastic sheeting Rubbing Alcohol Misting bottle Sawdust (from sanding -- clean only) 1-inch putty knife 2-inch angled Paint brush and small 4-6-inch foam roller Paint tray Safety gear (face mask, eye protection, gloves, old clothing) 3m scrub brush for stripping finishes Straight-slot screw driver Scraper Optional: Stain

Instructions

Refinishing Pine Paneling

1. Remove all furniture and accessories from your room. Remove curtains. Mask off and cover your floor and any adjacent non-paneled walls and ceiling.

2. Wash your paneling thoroughly using regular dish soap and water. Use a scrub brush if your paneling has grooves. Dry your paneling with a towel as you go along.

3. Fill your misting bottle with rubbing alcohol.

4. Apply your Citristrip (according to manufacturer's directions). This is a non-caustic stripper that has an orange scent. Ventilate your room well, even though this product is less of a health problem than solvent based strippers. Use your rubbing alcohol mister to keep the stripper moist until it strips off the finish. Strip your panel in sections, as the process can take fifteen minutes. (Citristrip goes on thick. When it is working the surface finish bubbles up.)

5. Use your scrubbing pad to remove the Citristrip and underlying finish. Try not to step in your mess and track it around the house. Citristrip requires a hot water cleanup (which is often impossible indoors) or you need to use their Paint Remover Wash. This will clean off the stripper well. Be thorough, as any stripper or old finish that you leave on your paneling will be visible when you reseal your walls.

6. Follow the above steps with all of your paneling. Go over the surface with your scraper and a small brush to remove any bits left behind.

7. Fill any knot holes or cracks with a mixture of epoxy and sawdust, scraping of as much of the excess as possible with a putty knife. Allow the epoxy to cure completely.

8. Sand your paneling lightly with 150-220 grit sandpaper just to remove any last traces of sealer and to clean up any patch areas. Wear your face mask during sanding.

9. Wipe down your paneling with rags and a tack cloth. Add stain if you need to and once dry, apply the sealer of your choice. Oil and shellac-based products seal pine resins better than other types of sealer, but you may favor products that are more green and easier to live with.

Tips & Warnings

• Stripping is very messy. Once you are stripping your paneling, don't step off the drop cloth until you are finished. Strippers can discolor or ruin other fabrics, woods, surfaces that they come into contact with.

• Although Citristrip is not caustic, all normal precautions should be taken to limit your contact with the product. Wear appropriate clothing and safety gear. Follow the manufacturer's directions and never mix products together.

References

• Citristrip