How to Paint Real Wood Paneling
- 1). Move all furniture out of the room to be painted, or slide it to the center of the room and cover with a tarp. Lay down dropcloths to protect the floor.
- 2). Apply liquid sander/deglosser to the real wood paneling to remove any dirt and previous varnishes or finishes. Allow the liquid sander/deglosser to dry, and then rinse with a sponge mop. Use rolled towels along the bottom of the wall to absorb the water from rinsing. Allow the walls to dry thoroughly.
- 3). Apply a coat of oil-based primer to the paneled walls, beginning with the hard-to-reach areas around the edges of the walls and around doors and windows. Use a brush to reach these areas, and a short-nap roller to prime the large surfaces. Allow the primer to dry for two hours.
- 4). Fill any nail holes and cracks with spackling compound, and allow the compound to dry for 30 minutes. Sand the patched areas smooth.
- 5). Apply a thin initial coat of paint, beginning with an angled brush for the wall edges. Roll a thin coat of paint onto the large surfaces with a lamb’s wool short-nap roller. Allow the first coat to dry overnight.
- 6). Apply a slightly thicker second coat of paint in the same manner, beginning with the brush. Minimize brush lines when painting the edges and trim—these may show through the final rolled-on coat. Allow the paint to dry for two weeks before exposing to moisture.
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