How To Paint Old Paneling To Give it a New Look?

Painting the paneling is a good decision when you are tired of the old wood paneling of your home. Panel painting can be a tiresome job, but the successful results are worth it. By applying fresh coat of paint to your paneling, you can actually brighten up a room and give it a whole new look. If you hire a good painting contractor, panel painting isn’t quite hard to do, but proper surface preparation is extremely important to let the paint adhere well.

Prepare the Surface:

It is important to prepare the panel surface prior to apply paint on it. You should do it by wearing older clothing if the paint is splattering. It is also important to wear safety glasses and protect both of your hands since you need to deal with chemicals. You can also tape off all important areas such as windows, ceilings, fireplaces with painter’s tape. In order to clean the surface, you can use a solution of TSP (trisodium phosphate) and water. In case the panel is very shiny, you may also need to use a deglosser. This step is vital because if you don’t clean and prepare the surface properly, the paint will not adhere to the surface.

Fix All Cracks and Apply Primer:

The next step is to fill all cracks, holes, and abnormalities in the paneling by using a putty knife and spackle. Once done, thoroughly sand the surface by using coarse sandpaper. While sanding, you should apply a lot of pressure in order to roughen the surface. Sanding the surface ensures that it will accept more paint. Once sanding is done, don’t forget to wipe off the dust from the surface.
Priming is equally important since it ensures that the paint will properly adhere to the paneling surface. Apply a high quality oil-based primer to the surface of the paneling. If you have a paneling that is extra dark, you need to apply two coats of oil-based primer.

Applying the Paint:

When it comes to painting your old paneling, hiring professional painting services would be a wise choice since they are expert in this field. To get a real Lyndhurst style look, use a soft-vanilla latex paint over the primer. You should always apply the paint with a roller. If you want to get a stripping affect on the top surface of the panel, you can mix some more of the same latex paint with glaze.