Wood paneling can create a dark feeling in a room.
In many older homes dated wood paneling creates a dark, cave-like feeling. When you want to brighten your home, examine ways that you can cover the paneling without going to the trouble and expense of removing the paneling. Choose an option that suits your abilities and budget, and work carefully to avoid a sloppy end result.
Whitewashed Look
Turn a dark, paneled room into one with a rustic, whitewashed look by painting over the panels. First, wash the walls thoroughly to remove dirt and cleaning wax that have accumulated over the years. Prime them with one or two oil-based primer layers, which will help the paint stick to the wall instead of rolling off the surface of the paneling. Depending on the type of paneling in your home, you may need to experiment with different brands of primer to find one that works with your walls. Once the walls have been primed, cover them with a single layer of white paint, and let them dry completely. Continue to add coats until you have a solid covering with a few shadows from the paneling showing through; the darker areas will add texture and depth and give the look of wooden, whitewashed walls.
Filled Grooves
If you want to give your paneled walls a seamless look, fill in the grooves and paint the walls. The Ask the Builder website recommends that you prime the panels first to account for the difference in texture and porosity between the paneling and the spackle. Ask at a home supply store for a primer that is appropriate. Once the wall is dried completely, use spackling compound to fill in the grooves between panels, making sure to scrape the surface to make it level. When the spackle is dry, you can paint the walls. If the lines between panels still show up, mix stucco into the paint so that the additional texture will hide the grooves.
Wallpaper
To give new life to a wall that is covered in paneling, use wallpaper. If the grooves in the wall are deep, fill them with caulking and smooth them over with a putty knife to even out the surface. Apply primer over the surface. When it is dry, the Whitman Wallpaper website advises that you use an acrylic-emulsion sizing to create a textured surface. Cover the wall with wallpaper liner, and, when it is set, hang the wallpaper as usual. The wallpaper liner will allow the paper to hang smoothly without showing the seams between the panels.
Tags: between panels, them with, fill grooves, , wallpaper liner
