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Paint a Panel
by Eric J. Slarkowski

Description: Expert tips for painting wood paneling in your home.

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If you aren't satisfied with the wood paneling in your house then you might want to think of a home improvement option to help you out. It can be pricey to replace each panel, but you can find a solution to live in a house that isn't marred by ugly paneling. Here are some ideas about how you can make the wood paneling look better. It might take some hard work, but it will be worth it compared to dealing with wood paneling in your house.

One option is to paint over the paneling. You just need to remember that if you want it to look professional you can't just throw some paint up on the wall. You need to make sure that prepare the surface properly to get the right look that you want. You'll need to clean the wall well and degrease it for all the years that things have built up on your paneling. You'll want to put a gloss remover on large parts of and make sure to rub in the direction of the wood grain. Let it stay on for about 30 then lay down a coat of primer. Don't try to take off the gloss remover, this stays on and helps with the final effect. If you can still see wood through the primer then you need another coat. If you don't you will still see the wood through your paint and you will have wasted a lot of time with the whole project. You'll need to let your primer dry over night and then you can lay down the caulk in the grooves that separate the paneling. After this you can paint your first coat of paint. Make sure you let the first coat dry enough before you lay down another coat.

Another option is putting down wallpaper that you can paint. You can find this in a nice wallpaper store. It makes your wall look painted, but can be a lot easier than painting directly on the wood. You'll need to clean the wall with a degreaser and allow it to dry. Then you'll need to put caulk in the space between the panels. You then can apply the primer to get the wall ready. You can then put up the sticky layer followed by the paper. The paper should soak for a few minutes in water and then it will be ready to go up. You can paint it with one color or more than one! Read the instructions carefully before you do this so you make sure you do a good job. You want to get that really pro finish on your wood paneled wall and you can make sure this happens by taking your time with the job. You don't want to rush through it, so make sure you follow all directions word for word.

Eric Slarkowski works primarily for http://www.insidewoodworking.com, a web publication covering information on portable saws. His contributions on radial arm saws are found on his website.