How to Cover Fake Wood Panels With a Drywall Look

Wood paneling, especially if it is knotty or dark, can instantly make a room feel smaller, as well as dated. Painting wood paneling is only a partial solution. You can still see the grooves from the paneling, and it will not have the look of a regular, drywall wall. By hiding these grooves and finishing the surface properly, you can completely transform a wood-paneled wall so that it looks like any other wall.

Damp rag
Drop cloths
Masking tape
Joint compound
Drywall knife
Fine-grit sanding block
Primer
Paint rollers and paintbrushes

Instructions

- 1
  Clean the wall paneling thoroughly. Use a damp rag to brush away any dirt, grime or cobwebs on the wall. Let the wall dry completely.
- 2
  Put drop cloths down underneath the wall. Tape them to the baseboards with masking tape to keep them from shifting around underfoot.
- 3
  Fill in the grooves between the panels with joint compound. Use pre-mixed compound for an easier fix. Scrape a small amount of compound onto the wall with the drywall knife. Do not over-apply or you will be left with a mess. Aim for a coating that just fills in the grooves and does not go beyond this. Scrape off the excess with the edge of your drywall knife. Let the compound set for at least four hours, or until hard to the touch.
- 4
  Sand down the joint compound with a fine-grit sanding block. Go back over all of the grooves and the paneling on either side. Sand the surface until it is smooth to the touch.
- 5
  Prime the wall with a latex primer. Roll one coat of primer onto the wall. Cut in around the edges with a brush. Let the primer dry for four hours, and then examine the wall. If you still see wood grain underneath the primer, add another coat. Once this is dry, you can finish the wall with paint or wallpaper.

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