What is the best way to paint dark panelling?

Answer 1

I have been in this business for 10 years. Paneling is hell!! It is ugly, hard to maintain, and even harder to cover with paint. First you will need to clean the surface with a degreaser, or Spray-Nine! Once the surface has been cleaned, you will need to prime the paneling with Kilz. There are several types of Kilz that can be used. If you do not mind the strong vapors, buy the original Kilz, it works the best! Once the primer has dried over night, then you can start painting. It may take a couple of coats, but it will look alot better than that dark paneling that you are dealing with now. Good Luck! Let me know how it turns out! [e-mail]

Answer 2

First, I would not use KILZ on the inside of my wood shed!

There are others, but there are things you need to do first.

1. Is it real wood, or is it a paper laminate on the top?
2. Do you want the grooves still it in, or do you want it to be totally flat like a sheet rock wall
3. Does it have sheet rock behind it, or is just tacked to the studs.

There others that you need to consider, but those are important.

If it is paper faced, knock the gloss off with a square, not a circular sander. If you want it flat, without grooves, spackle the grooves and then sand them down and redo the spackle if it has not really filled in the grooves well. Get you as much of a primer,and I like DULUX primers (and you want flat) and prime the whole thing. Then, if the panelling is well covered with primer, put on a finish coat - it will probably need two.

I have done it, I would rather sand paper a wild cat in a phone booth, and it will be a mess.

If there is no backer, like a sheet rock, I would suggest pulling it all down and sheetrocking. You will never be able to be assured that the places where two sheets of panel come together will not move.

Answer 3

The best thing for you to do is replace the panel with a lighter color. They have beautiful colors and different looks now. You could find something at Home Depot or Lowes I am sure. We recently moved into a home with alot of paneling and tried to paint, It just is not attractive. Before you go through the aggravation of all of that hard work, I would just consider lighter paneling. Good Luck with your project.

Answer 4

Wipe down the paneling first (preferrably with a degreaser) then let dry thoroughly... Your first coat should be of a product called "kilz" it soaks in and seals up, so your paint job will come out looking great!

Some paint jobs leave stains coming through what you just painted. The "kilz" will prevent this. I use this on all my rental property after learning the hard way and being cheap... I now spend alittle extra for a MUCH better outcome !

Answer 5

The first step is to clean it really good with TSP which you can get at your local hardware store. Make sure you use gloves because it can burn your skin. If you have no grooves in the panelling, skip the next step or ignore it. If you do have grooves in it and want to erase them, use joint compound or polyfilla to fill in the grooves.
The next step is to lightly sand the WHOLE wall. Use a light grain sand paper. You then have to prime it with an oil based primer. Once that is done, you can paint over with either oil or latex paint. Quite easy. Have fun!

Answer 6

Make sure you have a clean surface, then use primer to make the paint stick to it. You might need two coats depending on how dark the paneling is.

Answer 7

You have to start with a good primer. Zinnser 123(unsure of actual spelling) is an excellent primer! Use an angled brush for the grooves and rollers with a heavier nap for the rest of the walls. It also helps to have your primer tinted to match your paint. Good Luck!

Answer 8

If there have been smokers in the house the walls must be washed thoroughly with a good cleaner. Nicotine will bleed through paint.\

After it is dry. Primer thoroughly, after it drys paint your choice of color. It does make a MAJOR difference.

Answer 9

The best solution to wash down is "sugar soap" mix this with warm water,it cuts through grease and grime. Rub down with a medium glass paper finishing off with a fine glass paper. Then its coating with a primer which will embellish your finishing coat, again rub down, apply an undercoat, rub down and apply the top gloss finishing coat.

Answer 10

two coats of really good primer will cover it. dont remember the name brand but got it at true-value this past summer. then used satin sheen paint over that . used in kids room so far no primer showing thru when the kids scratch/ding or put tape on the walls.