How to Remove Knotty Wood Paneling & Finish Sheetrock

Prepare for the job. Place plastic drop cloths on the floor to help catch any splinters from the paneling. Put on a mask, safety glasses and gloves.

Pry away the paneling. Start at one end of the room, on the edge of the wall, and insert your pry bar under the paneling at the top. Pry the panel up and away from the wall. This will pop the nails out. It may take several prying motions per panel, depending on how many nails were originally used.

Remove any nails that remain in the wall. In some cases, nails may break or may remain stuck in the wall. Use your hammer's end to pry these out from the wall.

Measure out the drywall panels needed, and make cuts if necessary. Drywall panels are typically sized 4-by-8, but you can purchase 4-by-12 panels. Determine how many panels you need for the wall and cut the panels to fit. For example, if you have a wall that is 9 feet tall by 12 feet wide, you would need two 4-by-12 panels, and a third panel that is cut to a foot in height.

Find and mark the wall studs. Use an electronic stud finder, and mark with a pencil where the wall studs are.

Attach the panels. You may need someone to help you hold the panels in place while you screw them in. Drywall panels can weigh in excess of 40 pounds each. Use a drill and drywall screws, and screw the panels into the wall studs at a rate of 18 inches between each screw. Screw them in hard enough to create a small dimple.

Tape and mud the drywall. Tape off any joints with self adhesive drywall tape (this replaces the need for extra mud). Mud over the tape with a drywall trowel and fill in the dimple spots with a small amount of mud. Let this set until dry. Sand over the spots where you applied mud to make the surface smooth. You can use a medium or fine grade of sandpaper depending on how thick the mud is. Typically, several layers of mud must be applied, sanded and allowed to dry for the entire surface to be smooth.

Prime and paint the wall. Once the drywall mud is dried and the entire wall has been sanded smooth, apply one coat of primer. Let this dry for four hours. Apply at least one coat of paint to the wall. Clean up the drop cloths and any debris left from the project.