What to Do With Dated Paneling Walls?

Remove Them

• Paneling sheets are typically attached to wall studs with small nails. Removing the sheets is fairly simple. Work a crowbar, pry bar or even a large flathead screwdriver into a seam between two sheets. Rock the tool back and forth until one of the nails pops out. Continue until one side of the sheet is free, and pull it out from the wall. If it doesn't pull away, continue loosening the paneling around the edges until it does. Once all of the paneling is removed, gently run your hand or a flat tool like a putty knife over the studs to find any nails that didn't come loose. Remove the nails, and the walls are ready for finishing with drywall, mud and paint.

Paint Them

• Painting the paneling is an option if you don't mind the grooves. They can even complement a country cottage decor. Wash the walls, and allow them to dry thoroughly. Scuff up laminate paneling with sandpaper so the paint will stick. Apply a coat of premium primer that will cover the paneling. Wait for it to dry, and paint the paneling your desired color. Installing a chair rail and painting the paneling different colors above and beneath it adds a horizontal element and can give a room a more finished look. In a nursery, for example, you could use a white chair rail and paint the wall beneath it a light green and the wall above it a light blue.

Treat Them

• This project takes a few days, but it eliminates the grooves in the paneling. Load a joint knife with drywall compound, and starting at one end of a groove, run the joint knife in the direction of the groove so that it fills with drywall compound. Use a firm hand so the compound goes into the grooves without spreading across the paneling. Let the compound dry, and sand it smooth. At this point, the compound needs to cure. As it dries, it will shrink into the groove, so another coat of drywall compound is necessary. Once the grooves are filled completely, and the surrounding paneling is sanded smooth, the wall is ready for painting.

Freshen Them

• Try washing the walls with a solution of ammonia and water or vinegar and water. This in itself may remove enough grime to freshen the walls and make them less dreary. If it doesn't, lighten the color of the paneling without removing it completely or painting it. Spread paste paint or varnish remover on the walls, and allow it to work for 15 to 20 minutes. Use a scraper to remove the stripper, and then wash the walls. Apply a new, lighter stain once all of the old stain is removed. This method doesn't work if your paneling has a veneer finish.