A home that has wood paneling will need some significant wood paneling makeover projects at some point. There are better or less pricey things to do than ripping out all the floor to ceiling wood. One of the best things you can do to restore the elegance is paint the walls and shiplap.
Therefore, if you have dated wood paneling that you need to bring back to life, whether in dens, basements, or family rooms, you can have it painted. Old wood surfaces can be a turn-off, and painting them is one of the smartest things you can do if you do not have the money to replace them with new ones.
Whether you plan to sell your home or not, such renovations will do you a lot of good. Read along to find out how to paint wood paneled walls and shiplap.
Why Are Wood-Paneled Walls Unpopular?
Wood-paneled walls may not be as common now as they were 50 or 60 years ago, but they still exist, and some people love them. They often look dull and outdated, but even that has a solution.
Even though the wall can make a room look or feel a little chaotic if it is not painted correctly or at all, it can also be incredibly stylish when you make the necessary modifications. There are plenty of ways to fix the problem that does not require special screwdrivers or building materials. One of the best of such methods is painting it properly.
When you hire the right painter or technician for the task, your house will regain its beauty and elegance. After painting, you can install other high-quality decorative wall options for wood, such as Barnwood, beadboard, wainscoting, or shiplap.
Why You Should Paint Before Selling a House
If you intend to sell a house with wood-paneled walls, consider decorating the parts as much as possible to give it a more stylish and contemporary look. Or else, you may have a hard time finding a buyer for the house. People hate wood paneled walls, especially new home buyers. They say it is dated, dark, and make the house look smaller.
However, even people with a negative attitude towards wood paneled walls get attracted to the elegance when nicely painted. Whether you are looking for ways to add paneling to your house or need proper methods for updating your existing wall, you can always find what suits your style.
Painting pine-paneled walls give your interior space a whole new look. When done correctly, the painting will instantly make the room look brighter, lighter, larger, and more up to date. The new-look will give you more flooring choices such that you can settle for hardwood flooring or choose a new innovative waterproof material that looks like hardwood.
Also, you can sell the house at a higher price than you would before painting. The painting ideas discussed here will help you transform your shiplap into something that stands out in the right way. You can do the painting yourself if you are good at it or follow the tips below. If you cannot do it yourself, you should hire a professional to do it for you.
Step by Step Guide On How to Paint Wood Paneled Walls
To paint wood paneled walls and shiplap is not something that you rush into. There are steps that you must follow to create lasting beauty and style on your wall. Otherwise, you can ruin your wall and make it look worse than it did before you painted it.
A fresh coat of paint is one of the easiest and quickest fixes for wood paneling. The right combination of painting methods and the best products will give you the most attractively painted walls imaginable. It will bring your panel wall decoration ideas, style, and desires to life.
1. Clean The Wood Paneled Walls
If you want to make sure the painting lasts and stays in place uniformly for longer, you must make sure that your wall's wood surfaces are cleaned adequately before everything else goes onto it. Before you begin the painting part of the project, make sure you clean every element that needs to be painted.
This is where you remove any film and dirt on the surfaces in preparation for the painting. Your choice of cleaning product is also vital. You should use biodegradable detergents that can cut the waxes and remove the most notorious stains. If you can find good for the environment, it would be a better choice to clean detergent for this purpose.
2. Sanding The Surfaces
As you prepare to prime then paint the walls, you need to make sure that the surface can hold the paint as firmly as possible. One way to do that is by sanding or buffing all the surfaces that you intend to paint.
It is not always necessary to sand or buff the walls before the painting begins, but if the surfaces are super shiny and covered with thick and glossy polyurethane, it would be necessary. In that case, you must sand and scuff up the surfaces of wood so that when you prime so that the primer can penetrate the surface better and bond with it for stronger adherence.
3. Start With A Good Primer
You must start with a good primer if you want the result to have the best appeal possible. Therefore, never skip this step if you're going to get the best out of this project. Use the primer to cover the entire panel and wood grain.
The priming and type of primer you choose to use would be a vital decision. It is even more critical that your choice of paint. Now you know why you should never skip this step. Another thing that every painter should remember is never to use a paint-primer combo under any circumstance. A primer is necessary for proper adherence and nothing else.
Priming provides a foundation for the other processes that would follow. Hence, the foundation must be strong and high quality. If you do not put the foundation properly, the paint will not adhere properly. Priming is a critical part of prep and foundation steps for most home improvements, and people who miss it suffer costly consequences later.
When choosing a prime for your wall, make sure it bonds well. Also, a primer that does not smell and dries faster would be an excellent choice too. It would help if you avoided oil-based primers since they typically have an unpleasant odor.
I would also prevent the latex-based primers since they do not bond on wood and are required. A good primer takes one to two hours to dry before you can move to the next step. If you have to use oil-based primers, make sure you wait 24 hours before moving to the next step.
4. When A Second Prime Is Needed
It is unnecessary to use a second primer, but there are times when it is essential. In regular instances, the first primer is enough to cover everything, including the wood's knots. However, when the knots in the paneling wood bleed through after the first primer, you will have to use a second primer.
The type of wood may be a factor that causes the pine knots to still show even after the fast primer. If this happens, you do not have to panic. You do not even have to use the same primer you used the first time.
Never apply paint if you notice this problem because if you do, the knots will bleed through the paint, too, no matter which color you use. Instead of applying a second coat of primer or directly painting on top of the first primer when the knots bleed, you can use a lacquer based primer this time.
Find one that comes in a spray bottle so that you can spray it on the surfaces. The primer is usually thin so that when you spray two coats, it will solve the problem just fine. This primer is alcohol-based, and for that, it dries very quickly.
Do not mind to apply a third coat if it is necessary. Besides, the spayed primer will dry in a matter of minutes. A few minutes after you use the last coat, the surfaces will be ready for painting.
5. Time To Paint
The surface will be ready to accept paint, and you should paint it just as you usually would. It would be best if you were extra choosy when buying the paint to use on the walls. The surfaces will need two coats of paint, and so you should buy enough to cover the entire wood paneled walls and shiplap twice.
If you care about the condition of your wood walls and their durability, make sure you shop for quality paints. They look great and will give your walls a contemporary look. Such paints are also highly durable and do not peel off so soon. Avoid thinner paints because they usually do not last long.
Such paints also look cheaper on the wall, making your walls look like a mess while that is what you are trying to save it from in the first place. If the thinner paints are what you have, make sure you apply three coats. But if you find the thicker high-quality paints, just two coats will be enough.
6. Embrace The Wood In A Nice New Color
Some homeowners choose to pretend that their wood panels do not exist and never have to avoid giving their walls a new look. However, there is a trick in embracing the wood paneled walls. When you paint them in a different color, they will be hard to ignore, especially when choosing the perfect color. You can try alternating color if that is what you want.
For instance, you can use tan and black or white and tan. Doing so would lend interest to the panels and even create a designer look.
7. Choosing Shades
It would be best if you went for whatever shades suit your style. You can choose what you want here, though it is advisable to settle on lighter shades. Lighter always work better, especially if you are painting a room in the basement or anywhere else where there is low light.
Then, when it is time to finish, choose a flat finish. It is the most stylish and excellently hides imperfections. Make sure you have the best brushes for every task so that the resulting look is not affected by something as small as a lousy brush choice.
With the right brushes and paint, you can transform your walls and shiplap into something very magical and welcoming. If you are good with colors, you can seek the help of a home décor professional. They can help you choose the right color for every room at a small fee.
8. Paint Samples
Before you can get down to the main part of the project, including painting, you should perform some tests to see how different colors can serve the intended purpose. Testing the paint colors is vital before you chose the best one for your walls.
It would be best if you tried them in your own home against your lighting to see how they look or how they match with your home arrangement or décor. The colors may look different from room to room, and you should not assume that it looks the same everywhere.
When testing the colors in your home, consider the different appearances they give in other rooms. You can go to a local store to buy samples and a brush and paint two coats to see how it looks or turns out.
Alternatively, you can buy the peel and stick paint samples since they are affordable, environmentally friendly, and easy to use. These peel and stick paint samples are amazingly accurate and are made of two coats to give you the paint's real picture. Similarly, they are color correct.
Importance Of Painting Your Wood Paneling
Painting wood paneling comes with lots of benefits that range from wall protection to improvement of home décor. Different people may have various reasons, but eventually, they are bound to get more than they bargained for after the wall is nicely painted and done.
When you paint a wool paneled walls, the room will look up to date. Likewise, it improves the look of the entire house, making it look clean and bright. Believe it or not, if you paint the walls nicely, the rooms will also look bigger.
If your walls are made of paneling halfway up, you can apply two different colors in your place. For instance, you can choose white for the lower portion for a brighter look and make it look like wainscoting for a richer look. You can also choose a light grey color for the upper part.
Painting Pine-Paneled Walls Vs. Removing Them
Although you are at liberty to do either of these two, painting them is the more economical option. Removing them requires a lot of commitment, is more expensive, and riskier. Even after you remove the paneling, you will still need to repair the wall again before painting it.
In some cases, you also have to replace the sheetrock after removing the paneled walls. Then you replace the molding to restore everything to normal. On the other hand, painting is easier, faster, and less expensive.
Other Available Options Other Than Painting
There are many other things that you can do to paint wood paneled walls other than painting, even though they are not necessarily better than painting. One of them is whitewashing the panels. It involves watering down your paint, then brushing on the wood surface, then immediately wiping.
You repeat this process until you get your desired color or the color that matches your décor and furniture. You can also turn the wood panels into regular walls. All you need is some drywall compound and use it to fill in any distinctive cracks and lines between wood panels until it forms one even wall.
Complete the look by sanding the surface, priming it, and finally painting. It will look like a regular wall and not a wood paneled one. This method is almost just as good as or even better than just painting, though it is more expensive and involving.
Final Words
When you complete painting your wall, it should look like a typical painted wall, especially if you do it well. That is how to paint wood paneled walls and shiplap and still get the best out of it. If you follow these steps, you will end up with the best you can achieve with such a wall.
Instead of removing the entire wall, which would be very expensive and stressful, you should resort to painting it as nicely as possible. If you are not good at painting, you should just let a professional do the entire project for you.
You can use this guide to follow up on what they do to make sure they do not do a shoddy job. When all is done, you will have the best walls imaginable. Your house will look bigger, more vibrant, and attractive.
