Paint Wooden Panel Walls

Painting wood paneling is the fastest way to stop your house from looking like a 1970s basement. You don't have to rip the walls out to fix the room. Most people think they can just slap a coat of latex over the old finish and call it a day. They are wrong. If you don't prep the surface correctly, the paint will peel off in sheets.

Start by scrubbing the walls with a deglosser or TSP. You need to remove decades of furniture polish and dust. If the paneling has a high-gloss finish, hit it with 120-grit sandpaper. You aren't trying to remove the wood grain entirely. You just want to give the new primer something to grab onto.

Don't use water-based primer. Wood paneling is notorious for bleeding tannins through light-colored paint. You will end up with ugly yellow or brown streaks everywhere. Use a high-quality oil-based primer instead. It smells bad and requires mineral spirits for cleanup, but it seals the wood properly. One solid coat is usually enough to create a blank canvas.

Check the grooves once the primer is dry. If the paneling has deep gaps, you can fill them with caulk or joint compound for a smooth look. Most people prefer to keep the lines because it adds texture to the room. It is your house, so pick the style you actually like.

Now you can finally use your finish paint. Two thin coats of high-quality latex paint will look much better than one thick, gloppy mess. Use a brush for the grooves and a roller for the flat surfaces. Let the first coat dry for at least four hours before you start the second one. When you are done, the room will feel ten times bigger