The once-popular wood paneling has all but vanished new home decor. Paneling dominates any room it's in, covering every inch of wall space with bland brown hues and telltale vertical paneling lines. To achieve a modern home look, wood paneling must be covered. The process is time-consuming, taking at least one-full day of solid work, but the results are worth it.
Instructions
1. Add clean cold water to a 5-gallon bucket. Consult the mixing directions on your bag of plaster for the most accurate water-to-plaster ratio for the specific plaster you're using.
2. Pour powdered plaster into the water and mix with a mixing drill bit. If you do not have a bit, UltimateHandyman.co.uk recommends using a clean piece of wood to stir the mixture--just keep in mind that manual mixing takes much longer. Mix until the solution is clump-free and smooth.
3. Apply plaster to the wood using a small trowel or a putty knife. This practice of lightly filling in the paneling grooves and seams for a smooth look is called "skim coating." DoItYourself.com explains that it covers paneling well, leading to a modern, uniform surface without tearing down the paneling and putting up drywall.
4. Use the trowel or to smooth out the plaster as best you can while it is still wet, as this will save you time later on when you're sanding away rough patches.
5. Sand any rough patches of 100-grit sandpaper after the plaster has cured. Do not use tougher sandpaper, even for uneven patches. Simply sand more vigorously and work longer on the area using the 100-grit sandpaper. Tougher sandpaper with a grit rating below 100 can damage your thin wall paneling. Once sanded smooth, the wall is now completely covered and ready to accept primer and paint for a new, fresh wall without any traces of that old, outdated paneling.
Tags: 100-grit sandpaper, mixing drill, paneling grooves, plaster using, putty knife, rough patches