Paint over wood paneling


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Old 07-17-18, 01:58 PM
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Paint over wood paneling

I want to paint over the wood paneling in my family room. I have read where some professionals say to sand with fine grit then primer, and some say just to primer it then paint. Any thoughts?
 
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Old 07-17-18, 02:29 PM
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Does the paneling have grooves? If yes, then it is best to fill the grooves with drywall compound first (may need two applications) or it will look quite tacky and cheap.

Is there any grease (normal in most houses) or dirt on the paneling? Washing with something like TSP and thoroughly rinsing might be necessary.

Priming is never wrong and if you use the drywall compound it IS necessary. Light sanding will always help the paint to adhere better.
 
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Old 07-17-18, 02:50 PM
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IMO it's best to leave the grooves alone. Painted grooves look a lot nicer than poorly filled ones ..... and it's harder to fill the grooves and make them disappear than you'd think.

Paneling should always be primed first! A light scuff sanding is always a good idea. I'd scuff sand, apply 1 coat of a solvent based primer, sand lightly and apply 2 coats of your choice of finish paint.
 
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Old 07-17-18, 03:17 PM
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And give the primer EXTRA dry time. Sometimes it is dry to the touch but will still scratch off easily. But if you wait a week the primer will dry harder. That's especially important on certain slick surfaces. The sanding helps with adhesion too, but extra dry time is just as important. You won't read that on the can.
 
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Old 07-20-18, 10:23 PM
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Depending on what finished look you want, it might be easier to remove the paneling and replace with drywall.
 
 

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