Painting Over Wood Paneling

You yanked up the wall-to-wall shag. The avocado appliances in the kitchen are now out at the curb. So why would you consider painting over that 1970s-vintage paneling instead of pulling it down? Depending on how it was installed, paneling removal can turn into something more like paneling demolition. Panels installed during new construction may be practically "built-in," versus simply nailed to the wall with little paneling nails. Glued paneling is often unremovable without substantial damage to the drywall beneath it. And even undamaged, the drywall under the paneling may be totally unfinished, with taped joints and lacking a skim coat to make it paintable. Sometimes painting over paneling makes more sense if it can be done with less effort than removal and with good result. Most of the time, it can.

Commercial cleaner/degreaser
Oil-based or latex primer
Scouring pad
Painter's caulk
1/2-inch nap paint roller and tray

Instructions

- 1
  Clean the paneling with a commercially-available water- or solvent-based cleaner/degreaser. Use a scouring pad and go over every inch of the paneling, then wipe it clean. Repeat.
- 2
  Select an oil-based or pigmented shellac primer or a latex primer. Oil-based and pigmented shellac varieties bond to slick, shiny surfaces like paneling more efficiently than latex, and hide stains better, too. Latex primer also requires a lengthy curing time before it can be painted over. Because oil-based and pigmented shellac contain solvents, however, care must be taken to provide proper ventilation.
- 3
  Spot-test the paneling with the primer first. Select several 4-by-4-inch spots at various locations in the room. Allow the primer to dry for two days, then evaluate the adhesion of the primer. If adhesion is poor, clean the paneling again and re-test.
- 4
  Caulk any gaps or holes in the paneling which become conspicuous after painting with primer. Gaps at door and window casings and between baseboards and the paneling are frequent spots, as are gaps where sheets of paneling butt against each other.
- 5
  Paint with a 1/2-inch nap roller. Properly primed, paneling can be painted with any standard flat, semi-gloss or satin finish interior paint.

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