How to Modernize Plywood Walls

Textured Walls

• 1

  Add Old World appeal to your plywood walls with texturing. Clean the wood with a damp, but not soaking, rag. Then allow it to dry completely.

• 2

  Cover your floor with drop cloths or poly sheeting.

• 3

  Tear three rolls of brown commercial paper towels into uneven strips.

• 4

  Mix 16 ounces of acrylic gesso with 3 1/2-ounces of water. Repeat the process whenever the mixture is depleted.

• 5

  Spread a few sheets of the paper towel on a flat, waterproof surface. Slightly dampen the paper towels with water, using a spray bottle.

• 6

  Smooth them over the walls in 3-feet sections. Allow random wrinkling in the paper. Overlap the pieces until you've covered the entire section. Immediately brush a coat of acrylic gesso over the paper towels.

• 7

  Allow the paper towels to dry overnight. Paint over the paper towels in a color that complements your decor. The paint will appear darker in spots, accenting the textured appearance of the walls. Another option is to apply a honey or dark colored glaze over the paper towels, achieving a more rustic look.

Empty Frames

• 8

  Remove any nails or hooks from the walls with the claw of a hammer.

• 9

  Clean the walls with a slightly dampened rag. Allow the walls to dry for one hour.

• 10

  Sand the walls. Apply joint compound to any nicks or blemishes and allow it to dry thoroughly.

• 11

  Apply a coat of primer. Allow the primer to dry for at least four hours.

• 12

  Measure the width of your wall. Tape off two 3-feet wide by 5-feet tall sections with painter's tape 1 1/2 feet on either side of the center marking.

• 13

  Paint the wall around the tape in a deep hue of a color that complements the rest of your room decor. Allow it to dry completely and apply a second coat. After the paint dries, paint the interior of the rectangles in a lightened shade of the same color. You may also opt to paint the inside of the framed area with a lighter, contrasting color. Allow it to dry and apply a second coat of paint.

• 14

  Remove the tape.

• 15

  Make frames to hang over the rectangles using 3-inch wide stained molding. Cut the ends of the molding with a miter saw, making 45-degree angles. Screw the molding together with 1 1/2-inch screws.

• 16

  Position the frames over the unpainted areas left by the painter's tape. Screw the frames into the walls with 2-inch screws, completing your room's transformation.