is there anything you can use one oak panelling to fill in the gaps and make it flat to paint it?

Question

I don't want to have to sheetrock over it so I'm wondering if there is anything I can use.

Answer 1

As TC said, a vinyl spackling will adhere to the paneling much better than a wood putty, not to mention it is a lot cheaper and drying time is also much faster. Someone else suggested that you use a wet sponge to smooth the spackling after it dries......well, that's not a good idea for several reasons. 1st, you will have to repeat the process at least twice, as vinyl spackling will "shrink" as it dries leaving evidence of that crack you want to go away. 2nd, the moisture from the wet sponge will re-activate some of the spackling causing you to have to wait for it to dry again before applying the second application. 3rd, and most important, a wet sponge WILL NOT leave you with a perfectly flat wall. Trust me, after you paint you will have noticeable 'lines', or a wavy appearance where each crack in the paneling used to be. If it were me, I would pick up a couple of sanding sponges wherever I bought my spackling. They are cheap (1 to 3 bucks each) and work very well with spackling.

The wet sponge is a good idea for nail holes or any other very small repair.

Also, as mentioned before, make sure that you use an oil based stain-blocking primer such as Kilz. This will greatly improve adhesion as the face of paneling is very slick and will also prevent 'flashing', or dull areas in the painted wall where the spackling is underneath the finish paint.

The whole process is super-easy (not to mention a lot cheaper than new drywall), and depending on the size of the room, should take about a day.

Just make sure and cover all your furniture and carpet before you start to sand, as this will create a lot of dust. I would just leave it in place throughout the entire painting process as well. Painters plastic is also very cheap and well worth the few bucks if you don't have drop-cloths.

To get your room ready to paint (spackling, a 3 inch putty knife, sanding sponges, painters plastic), your looking at about 20 bucks (+ or -$10, depending on the ammount of vinyl spackling you need) at lowes or home depot. I'm a professional painter and I would charge about 300 bucks for this process and about 400 more to paint. It's well worth doing it yourself!! I hope this helps!

P.S. Don't forget you will have to lightly sand all primed walls before you start to apply your finish paint to insure a smooth, even coat.

Answer 2

You can take a wet cloth and wipe down the paneling. That is the result of a clear polyurethane. If that is a color she wants then do that.I would not try to match it with stain. I would sand lightly before doing anything including polyurethane. If she wants to paint it which may look better if it's that old and you have beautiful cabinets the old paneling may take away from the cabinets. If you are going to paint paneling you must lightly sand, put on a primer and then I would buy a good kitchen and bath paint to paint it. Don't try to match the cabinets. Use another color that goes with something in the room that your mom likes or a contrasting color to the walls if they are painted. The kitchen and bath paint levels itself out, fills defects and resists moisture. Good stuff. Good luck.

Answer 3

Spackle will be cheaper and work better than wood putty. Try wiping with a moist sponge (not wet) instead of sanding, after the Spackle dries. Then you will have to prime the walls (Kilz). Why don't you prime the walls first and then look at the results as if it were the first coat of paint? You might like it and it will save a lot of labor. Then just finish painting.

Answer 4

I have been in homes were people have used a special type of wallpaper that is thicker and more durable than average wallpaper to give the paneling behind it a smooth finish. It is designed to be painted and to give the appearance of a smooth or textured wall. You may have to call a paint store that specializes in better quality paints and wallpaper for more details. I hope whatever method you decide works out for you.

Answer 5

T C is right. Don't use wood putty, it may separate from the sheet rock and it tends to flake. Use Kilz or Benz primer before painting.

Answer 6

If you go to your local hardware store you can buy a wood putty that you can fill in the cracks, let it dry, then paint.

Answer 7

fill in all the groves with wood Spackle, dry,
sand until smooth , then paint