Painting paneling

What is the step by step method to painting
over dark paneling? What about the dark trim?
Should it be the same color as the walls,
but in a different type of paint? (walls
in eggshell and trim in semigloss?

DeeDee,

The best option is to remove the paneling. You will never get it to look like drywall.

If you insist on painting you can fill in the grooves with joint compound. Sand smooth. Put on another coat of the mud. Sand again.
Or leave the grooves alone. Some people like that look.

Prime both the paneling and the trim with zinsser's BIN. BIN is available at Lowes and other big boxes. You may need two coats.


Apply either eggshell or satin to the walls. I prefer a latex enamel for trim. Its harder and will take more abuse.

[hilary]

We are thinking of painting the paneling in my daughter's room to get a pottery barn look, but my husband is afraid the paint will peel off. Will the zinsser's BIN prevent that? Also, we have no Lowe's here, do they have it at Home Depot?

[marksr]

Welcome to the forums

Any solvent based primer should work on the paneling. Be sure to sand first and remove the dust [I like to wipe it down with deglosser] With proper prep paint should adhere fine to paneling. Almost all paint failure on paneling is because of improper or lack of prep.

As for choice of color or finish - that is toatally up to you. Be sure to use enamel on the woodwork but the walls can be whatever you want.

[hilary]

Thanks very much! We just bought our first house, so I'll probably be here a lot. :lol:

[thelandlady]

I've done this myself, and had great results. I used a latex primer and a satin finish latext paint. The paneling goes halfway up the wall in my back stairway (painting the paneling was part of a larger project, I've posted about it here: http://www.iboughtaduplex.com/general-day-to-day-landlord/when-life-gives-you-paneling-a-cosmetic-update-project.php , and now that it's painted it looks just like wainscoating - very pottery barn.

The paint hasn't shown any signs of peeling off, and it was much easier than removing the paneling and dealing with whatever condition the walls were underneath.

[chandler]

I have used another solution to panelling, and that is to clean and rough it up a little, apply primer, and install embossed white wallpaper product, then paint. It gives a pretty rich look, especially for wainscotting, covers the grooves, and eliminates the necessity of removing the panelling.