Painting hardwood paneling?

Question

I have a mid 60's ranch style home with Birch hardwood paneling through out the entire house. The cabinets and doors are all the same color as the paneling. It is driving me crazy to have all this wood and no color except for the carpet and curtains. I know I can spackle the walls to get rid of the ridges in the paneling then paint.

My question is would painting the Hardwood paneling that the house was built with 40 years ago reduce the value of my home?

Hardwood paneling = plywood that has been striped to resemble paneling. Not the cheap thin stuff you find in old trailer houses.

Answer 1

if its hardwood panneling it should be hardwood, with groves cut in it, it isnt plywood at all, yes it would cut the value of it, but if you are going to live there then do what you like and the next guy could change it himself. i doubt the reduction in value would be enough to matter but you could call a real estate agent in your area for advice on that.

Answer 2

Have you considered removing the paneling? If it is nailed to the walls, it should come down pretty easily. If it is glued on, you've got problems.
I wouldn't recommend spackling the grooves before you paint. Wood expands and contracts with temperature and humidity changes. This will cause cracks in the spackle.
You will also need to prime any of the paneling you paint. Sand lightly first, then prime with a good quality stain blocking primer. If you don't the varnish on the paneling will bleed through the paint and yellow it.
I wouldn't worry about taking value away from the home. You don't see much paneling anymore. Unless you have a prospective buyer that is into the retro look, painting or removing the paneling won't matter.

Answer 3

"Value" in a home is open to interpretation by a potential buyer. For instance, if your home has a pool and a potential buyer wants a pool, then it has an added value. If you have a pool and a potential buyer is deathly afraid of a pool, then it has a decreased value.

In short, if you feel it will improve the overall appearance of the room, then do it.

I have seen some rooms with panelling painted that looked great. Instead of filling in the grooves, they used two different colors which were pretty much the same color only a couple of shades different. Then they alternated the colors on each side of the groove. It looked amazing.

Answer 4

Spackle the ridges . keep in mind when temperature lowers or rises the wood expands ,and contracts and most spackling does not.. it will keep popping out over time , and most patching such as joint compound and others often mistaken or called Spackle are water based products ,and the finish of your walls are most likely oil based, meaning the latex patching will not bond to the oil based finish, and if you primer first it will seal up the walls and give a slick sealed surface which will not allow the "spackle" to properly bond. so I would say it may save frequent painting to replace the wood with sheetrock, probably quicker as well . As with most values concerning wood the value is decreased when re-finished other than original. Hope that help you some on your decision

Answer 5

I would install 1/4" drywall over any paneling you want to change. Tape the joints, sand and prime. Then paint the room any color you like.

Answer 6

did you consider staining the wood? personally, i don't think this will reduce the value unless of course there is that one in a million who is looking for just that home. if you are not planning to move any time soon. make this house your home. paint, paper or what ever you want to make you happy! "that is what the pride of ownership" is all about. enjoy.