Tons of people have written to request a step-by-step guide to painting wood paneling so we’re here to deliver the lowdown.
It’s one of the easiest ways to transform your room in an afternoon (and on the cheap) so get ready to do the happy dance because there’s virtually no skill or mind-numbing concentration required. Just look at what a little bit of primer, paint and elbow grease did for our den:
Oh paint, you’re the peanut butter to our jelly. Here’s the play by play for anyone who’s ready to say goodbye paneling (this works for either the real stuff of the thin “fake stuff”):
Step 1: Give Em’ The Brush Off. Fill any nail holes with caulk and once it dries sand it down and wipe away any cobwebs or dusty areas with a moist rag so your paneled walls are clean and ready for their big makeover. No overall sanding of the paneling is necessary unless yours is splintered (or otherwise needs to be smoothed out) or if it’s extra glossy (as if it has been shellacked).
Step 2: It’s Prime Time. Use a roller to apply one thin and even coat of oil-based primer and a paint brush to get into any cracks or corners that the roller can’t reach. This application might look spotty and uneven but as long as the entire surface is covered you’ll end up with a flawless finish. We do not recommend water-based primer for this step as oil-based formulas are stronger and more durable so no grease or wood stains will come through and ruin your finish.
Step 3: Get Your Paint On. Once your thin coat of oil-based primer dries, apply one thin and even coat of latex paint with a high quality roller and again use a paint brush to get into any cracks and crevices that the roller misses. And once your first thin and even coat dries, apply another one the same way for better coverage and long-lasting durability. And when it comes to getting a clean line along the ceiling and baseboards, blue painters tape works but we also love this short handled brush for the perfect edge every time.
Step 4: Hug It Out. You’re done! It’s really that easy. Feel free to snuggle your spouse, dance with the dog, or do anything else you normally do to celebrate a job well done. Your room should feel bigger, lighter, and oh so fresh- and that’s definitely deserving of a little victory cha-cha or two.
So there you have it. Our easy how-to-paint-paneling tutorial. It’s definitely one of the cheapest and most dramatic ways to snap a room into the 21st century in under $50, so don’t be surprised if you amass more hours of complements than it even took you to transform your room in the first place. What about you guys? Is there any paneling near you that’s about to be freshened up with some crisp clean paint? Does anyone have any other painting tips while we’re on the subject? Do tell.
And if you’re wondering how we painted all the dark brick in our den, check out the painting play by play right here. Happy makeovers to one and all!
Marie says
Loving this transformation. painting our paneled family room will be a spring project.
The paneling has some knots, which are rough. What do you advise regarding these?, do I need to sand or just paint over the knots?
YoungHouseLove says
I would sand them if they’re rough and then prime and paint them! Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Terry says
Help….
When my ex-husband covered the wall above our fire-
place he used some sort of (vinyl?)edging at the top,
bottom and corners of the wood paneling. The color of
this edging matches the paneling. Will your painting
tip work in successfully cover them also? If not
how should they be treated?
I hope this site is still being monitored…
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, I believe thin coats of primer and paint on them should work!
xo,
s
Terry Bermann says
Thank you, thank you for the quick reply. I’m 71 and hesitated trying to paint that paneled wall in the
living room. You now gave me the courage to give it a
try. I have a paneled wall in a bedroom that I will
practice your technique on.
Then I will be able to do the living room wall and
brick with more confidence.
YoungHouseLove says
Good luck!
xo,
s
Shannon M. says
Hey there! I just love what you guys did! I’m about to tackle a faux wood panel room now, just have a question: Ok, I get oil based primer, and Latex paint…but is there a particular sheen/shine to ask for with the latex paint? Or is it to be completely flat, and get a seperate glosser to go over AFTER the latex? What shine level or glosser did you guys use? Thanks so much for all your advice…I’m a painting newbie, lol!
YoungHouseLove says
We just do it depending on the room’s function. If you’re in a kitchen or bathroom, semi-gloss latex paint is typically recommended. But in a regular room like a den or living room or bedroom, most folks prefer flat or eggshell latex paint. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Brenda Hostettler says
I was told once that if I want to paint over wood paneling, to use a primer that has sand in it and then paint over that and it helps give texture to the wall to cover paneling lines. Is this something you would recommend? Also, if the paneling is dark brown, will it be harder to cover?
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, I think that’s personal preference. We like paint that’s smooth (and painted paneling looks like painted beadboard or wainscotting to us, so we don’t mind the seams) but if you like something more textured than going with something sanded could work.
xo,
s
Jan says
Hi! I live in the new small house which all rooms painted in a light cream colour (typical). I have always wanted to start painting a small washroom as it is a painted drywall. What would you suggest as i’m a scary cat..lol I read your articles for almost 2 hrs and you two really inspire me to start..by myself. I tried walking to Home Depot to check out paint for my backyard small deck but didn’t quite get any help as the associate told me, don’t do it now, wait for April so he made me forget about the washroom project..lol
Thank you in advance!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, I would wait a little while to paint the deck just because you want it to be a bit warmer (paint doesn’t go on well/dry well in the cold) but you can totally start on your washroom! Just bring home swatches you like, hold them up, pick the one you like, get a gallon of that in semi-gloss (that’s a good finish for a washroom) and use a roller and brush to get it up on the walls! I’m sure you can goolge “how to paint a room” and even find a video on youtube.com to help! Good luck!
xo,
s
Dona says
Hi, Thanks for the great advise about painting paneling. I have a pretty large family room that’s covered in fake paneling, and the room is just so dark! It also has wood beams, but I may have to lose those in order to get some insulation in that room (freezing in the winter,broiling hot in the summer with flat roof directly above). If you don’t mind, I’d love your thoughts on my other paneling dilemma: In my living room above and around the brick fireplace, they put the same paneling with picture frame type molding around the edges (the whole room does not have paneling, only around and above the fireplace). The house is old and has plaster walls, but presumably some of that plaster is over the brick for the fireplace. Would you suggest trying to remove that paneling or just painting it? It doesn’t seem like it would be hard to remove, but I sure don’t want to have to deal with repairing plaster walls. What would you do? FYI, I’m a female on my own with no clue how to do most home improvement type projects, but still need to be mindful of budget. Any suggestions you have I’d appreciate. Thank you.
YoungHouseLove says
I would paint it! We love the look of painted paneling (sort of textured and subtle like beadboard!) – especially since ripping it down can be a can of worms! Good luck!
xo,
s
Amy says
What color paint did you use? It’s beautiful!
YoungHouseLove says
It’s Sesame by Benjamin Moore color matched to Olympic no-VOC paint. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Chantilly De Jesus says
Would any color latex paint work over wood paneling or are there some colors that do cover up better?
YoungHouseLove says
Any colors work but you need that primer under them first!
xo,
s
Laura says
OK… we have started to tackle our paneling.. We lightly sanded, cleaned, oil base primer-ed and now have put on 2 coats of latex paint-primer in one. The creases of the panels look great, but there is a dark undertone still coming out of the flat surface of the panels. It looks the same after a second, generous coat. Any advice before we paint 5 more coats? Should we prime the panels again? Thanks for any help!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, it sounds like bleed through. I would make sure the primer you have is a stain-blocking primer (try Kilz or Zinsser and look for that specific term on the can) and just roll on another coat and wait for it to fully dry and then get back to painting. Good luck!
xo,
s
Laura says
Thanks for the reply! We used good old Kilz odorless oil based primer.. do you think the “odorless” made a difference??
YoungHouseLove says
I’m not sure. If it didn’t say “stainblocking” it’s probably the issue! Some primer is just to help paint grab better and some is stainblocking to block the bleed. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Virginia Garrison says
My husband and I have been talking about doing something with the completely panelled family room downstairs. The thought of ripping all of that off was daunting. The paint transformed it entirely!
YoungHouseLove says
Yay! So glad!
xo,
s
Virginia Garrison says
Did you fill in the vertical grooves before painting? I cannot tell from the photos.
YoungHouseLove says
Nope, we didn’t mind the grooves, they’re sort of like beadboard and add height to the room!
xo,
s
Devin says
I’ve heard that oil based primer is bad for children to be around. I have a 3 year old in the house, so I don’t think oil based primer would be an option for me. Any other suggestions?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, we have a second post about painting paneling on our Projects page (right next to the box that takes you here) where we used low-VOC water-based primer. The best kind we’ve used since then has been Zinsser Smart Prime, which is water-based and low-VOC.
xo,
s
Lauren says
We’re moving into a house that has paneling in the den. It’s already been painted over. To paint it a different color, do I just need to apply the new paint on top of the old one? Do I still need the primer?
YoungHouseLove says
I would prime for the best hold- otherwise it could peel or crack. Good luck!
xo,
s
MaryA says
Going to tackle our wood panneling this weekend and I would rather not sand our fake panneling (who would?) BUT the walls are a bit shiny, like someone took pledge to them a long time ago. Not shiny enough to have been glossed I don’t believe. Washing with a mild dish soap didn’t seem to take the film off unless I scrubbed and in that case sanding would be easier. My question is whether the oil-based primer will go over a shiny film and adhere ok?
YoungHouseLove says
I would get a liquid deglosser from the home improvement store and rub them down with that! Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Susan says
Hi Guys, love your site. I’m about to tackle painting my pine panelled sunporch and looked you up as my “go to” instruction guide! Question…what paint did you ultimately use for the top color on the walls – flat, eggshell, semi-gloss?
YoungHouseLove says
In our first house’s den we used flat paint and in this house’s kitchen we used semi-gloss (since we wanted the paneling to be more wipe-able in there since it’s near food). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Marie says
Yay, I finally painted our FR ugly paneling, followed your advice step by step; it looks GR8! Tnx so much for inspiring me to do it!
YoungHouseLove says
So glad!! Congrats!
xo,
s
Kim says
I’m preparing to paint our great room. The home was built in the 70’s and full of wood paneling. The previous owners painted it already and it seems to be a very thick coat and the color is dark orange. Would it be better to sand the paint off before painting again (a lighter color) or painting over it? The wood has texture and knot holes but these have lost their truest look due to the thick paint job. Also, I was browsing Houzz and saw many panels were painted in what looks to be a semi-gloss. Would you recommend that over flat?
YoungHouseLove says
I would use whatever finish you like (if you want something with sheen go semi-gloss and if you want something sort of flat and beadboard looking, go with flat, or go with satin to be in the middle). As for sanding, it can get tricky since if the paint starts to peel from sanding that will show through when you repaint. Honestly unless there are big drip marks I would just prime and paint over the original paint, not sand it in case it looks worse instead of better!
xo,
s
lindsey says
did u fill the grooves of the paneling with anything before u painted?
YoungHouseLove says
Nope, we like the texture- like beadboard. Adds height and interest!
xo,
s
Andy Barron says
Hello –
What colors did you use? They are PERFECT!
Regards,
Andy
YoungHouseLove says
There’s a button on our sidebar with all of the paint colors we used! Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hannah Clark says
Did you take precautions of weather? With humid weather there can be issue of flakes some years later and another thing, fill up the cracks or layers of partition or gaps with some paint compatible fillings so that they do not allow any future difficulty. Overall this is a good writing and romantic, I confess.
YoungHouseLove says
We painted our first house’s paneling and then lived with it for almost five years before moving and never had any weather/humidity issues! Thank goodness. I bet it varies by region and whether you have central air, etc!
xo,
s
Abby says
Hi Sherry!
My hubby and I are in the process of buying a house with wood paneling everywhere. The kicker for me though is that the carpet is beige, my furniture is beige and my natural inclination would have been to paint the walls beige. What color is on your walls above? I think the buttercream color would look nice with the carpet at least for a little while until we save the money to replace it.
Thanks. I love all the project you do. Fun family time getting stuff done.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s Wishes by Glidden. It has been discontinued but they can still look it up in the computer at Home Depot and make it for you. Good luck!
xo,
s
Josh B says
Hey, Just curious. What was the name (colour) of the paint you used for the walls on the wood paneling?
YoungHouseLove says
It’s called “Wishes” by Glidden.
-John
Laura Dahlberg says
Awesome transformations!
One question, does it matter if the room with the paneling is in the basement? Or the same type of paint should be used?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Assuming it’s a finished basement it should be great. Good luck!
xo,
s
Terra says
First of all WOW! I love the transformation, great job guys!!!! Secondly can you please tell me the color and where from ? I absolutley LOVE it! Does it have a hint of yellow? I can’t tell if its just the lighting but I would love to do this color in the living room of the house we’re buying. It has white trim like yours…Can you email it to me if it isn’t any trouble? [email protected]. Thank you so much!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, it’s sort of a soft buttery color. It’s called Wishes by Glidden. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
ashley says
We are going to do some wood panel paiting this weekend. Do you think you can use a paint/primer in onc OR do you suggest an oil based primer and a seperate can of latex paint?
YoungHouseLove says
I’d do oil-based separate. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sarah V. says
Hey I love your tutorial, However I need major help cleaning the oil based primer brushes! Its so hard to clean, any easy tips on how to get the brushes/rollers clean after using them to prime? Thanks I cant wait to see the final result of my guest room— cross your fingers it looks like your den!
YoungHouseLove says
We use mineral spirits to clean ours. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Kim says
Hi! Love your transformation! I will be painting our living/dining room soon. It’s currently like your “before” shots. I normally use Kilz on my furniture refinishing projects, but it’s pretty fumey and I have a 6 month old who will have to live in the house during the painting! Are there any low-VOC, less smelly primers you’d recommend? Like you, I prefer the oil based primer but I don’t really want my baby breathing in all the fumes!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, Zinsser Smart Prime is low-VOC and not oil-based but still blocks stains really well! Hope it helps!
xo
s
dh says
I live in an old house and had central heat and air put in 3 years ago. I am living paycheck to paycheck. I had insulation blown in the roof but the living room is still cold. I think it is because underneath the house is a wood floor with a crawlspace (not a cememnt foundation)…any advice to make this home warmer without spending a ton of money?
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, I would see if adding some rolls of insulation up under the floor and taping them in place would work. Maybe ask the pros at your local home store?
xo,
s
randy says
I did not read every email one the page so if you answered this already I apologize>>>
If a person is painting over paneling how do you cover the groves in the paneling? I read to plaster them in but is there another easier way to do this?
thanks,
Randy
YoungHouseLove says
I have heard paintable caulk can work, but it’s time consuming to fill all the groves, smooth them, wait until they dry to make sure they’re flush, and then prime and paint the whole wall – we just left ours so they were subtle texture- like beadboard!
xo
s
Cyndi says
Looks good! in September of 2012, I used an oil based cover-stain paint to cover the dark paneling in my kitchen, used a latex paint for the topcoat and was very pleased with the results. Because that turned out so well, I decided to paint more paneled walls (I have alot of paneling in my house) I got a latex cover stain paint because of easy cleanup. I put two coats of primer on, followed by two coats of paint. Anyway, I don’t really like it and want to go back to the paneling and wondering if there is a way to do this without damaging the paneling underneath. It is the thinner type of paneling
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, I would visit a hardware store an ask a paint pro there what they’d recommend. Maybe there’s some sort of stripper you could use and then sand them down?
xo
s
Nikki L says
I know this is old but we have a living room with wood on the bottom half of the walls. There’s a plywood type wood with a frame around it. Do you think this will work/look as good with the framed wood?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah it should totally work! Good luck!
xo,
s
Erin says
Love the blog! So inspiring! Found this post after paianting paneling in one room and was a total nightmare and is now chipping and peeling.
Painted basement after reading post and used the kid friendly approach, turned out great! How can I start over on the first room? Thanks for your help.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, so glad the basement went well! As for repairing the other room, you’d want to sand everything smooth and then start over with primer + paint (just follow the steps here after sanding everything down). Hope it helps!
xo
s
Karen says
Oh my gosh! What beautiful results you have achieved! You have given us hope for our tv room! We have both paneling and reddish brick in there and have been wondering if both could be painted without having problems with the paint chipping. How long have you had yours so far and have you had any problems with chipping and do you clean with just a damp cloth? Thanks for all of your suggestions!
Karen says
Also, did you fill in the “seams” on the paneling to make the wall completely smooth???
YoungHouseLove says
We just primed and painted it (no filling seams). We actually like the look (sort of like beadboard, it adds subtle texture to a room when it’s painted). We have no issues with chipping or peeling (we did the same thing in our first house and 4.5 years later it still looked great when we sold). Hope it helps!
xo
s
Kady says
In our den, we have paneling on 3 walls and 1 wall was wallpaper-covered paneling!! We have taken down the wallpaper but the owners who put it up used the SUPER good, heavy duty stuff with extra glue! Needless to say, there is still glue remnants left over on the wall that won’t come off! Any suggestions!?
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, can you sand it down? If not I’d remove the paneling or try drywalling over it. Or you could rehang some cooler wallpaper like grasscloth to hopefully cover the glue…
xo
s
Nicole M says
I absolutely LOVE this post. I have NEVER really painted anything in my life. However, I am just about to embark on a project. My husband and I are expecting our first child, and we want to paint the nursery. However, the room we have chosen has wood paneling floor to ceiling. The ceiling is also flimsy tiles. I plan on following your plan to paint the room.
However, the room also has “wood” window frames and a sliding closet door to match.
We want the walls to be blue, and we want a cherry wood crib, yet the closet and windows are not cherry wood (they’re more of a medium brown….sorry I am not good with shades at all, since I’ve never really done house work before). Will the two colors of wood clash? Should I paint those to match the blue walls (I’m not sure how that would look, it might be too much…)? Should I stain them to match cherry wood? Should I leave them and have two shades of contrasting wood?
If I should do any of this, do you have a recommendation? I’ve honestly never done any home projects before, and I don’t know where to start. I hardly even knew the different types of paint (ie: flat, semi-gloss, etc) until I found this blog.
Thanks so much!
Once again, your house is beautiful!
-Nicole
YoungHouseLove says
I would do everything else you plan to do and leave the wood as-is just so you can see how it looks. Maybe it’ll be nice and layered and won’t clash at all. But if it does you can be sure and then decide what you’d like to do. Painting it white is a classic choice and typically a lot easier than staining trim and doors (which involves a ton of sanding to get an even finish). Hope it helps!
xo
s
sue stith says
Have a very dark basement with:
1.real barnwood paneling applied with old fashioned raised nail heads so they stick up from surface,,(ick)
2. other walls are fake brick
3.and still other walls that are fake paneling
…all three surfaces!!!!anyway very dark and depressing.
Can I just paint all the walls or would I have to take down the old barn paneling , put up cheap paneling to try to match the surface of the already installed paneling and try to just have two surfaces, fake paneling and fake brick to paint. Hope this makes sense to you the way I’ve described it.
YoungHouseLove says
Painting them all the same color will certain make a bit leap forward in unifying them all, though without seeing them for ourselves we can’t judge whether it’s enough to “match.” So that’s a judgement call for you guys to make. But maybe start with paint and then see if it’s enough before going through the trouble of installing new paneling.
-John
Heidi says
What color did you use on the walls?? This room looks great and has inspired me to redo my family/dining room. Pics to follow!! Thanks for all your tips!!
YoungHouseLove says
It’s Wishes by Glidden.
xo
s
Heidi says
I was wondering what color of paint you used on the walls? I love these pictures, thank you for sharing. You have inspired me to redo my family/dining room. Pics to follow.
YoungHouseLove says
It’s Wishes by Glidden :)
xo
s
Beth says
What would you do for the wood paneling that has larger gaps between each panel? (maybe gaps isn’t the correct word, but the paneling looks like there is a larger space between each piece). Would you fill it in somehow?
YoungHouseLove says
Maybe you could use some caulk or spackle to fill it and then prime and paint it to hide the difference?
xo
s
Tami Davis says
Hi!
Let me start by saying:
I love everything that the two of you do.
I live in a home built in 1954, very unique for the time as it has an open concept already and there is no need for any demolishing of any walls to make it functional. But we’ve been here 3 years and have only had the budget to complete ONE room because everything (EXPENSIVE) keeps breaking (including a drain line through the back yard….yikes).
NOW…I am about to FINALLY paint the paneling in my living room. It’s not the sheet paneling…it’s the heavy, high quality, stained and varnished planks. Is that what y’all had? If not, are there any changes I should make to your instructions?
I am planning on doing a white-on-white scheme in that room which adjoins to another room that has a soft kind of dove gray above a wainscotting . It also adjoins my kitchen, which for the time has a black and white check floor. I shop at Home Depot for my paint because it is literally around the corner and I like their premium plus ultra. Do you have any color suggestions? The wall color I am considering is called cotton knit. Also, what about a fool proof trim color to use in any room?
Have you tried the gripper primer? Someone suggested I use it but I have no experience with it.
Also…I have the same kind of ceiling you have….acoustic tiles between wood beams (only mine is vaulted). What did you do to the tiles and how did you go about painting the beams?
I thank you in advance for the inspiration you provide! Y’all are awesome!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Tami! As for our tutorial here, it should work perfectly for you. I dont know the paint names at Home Depot but any of their pure base white would be awesome for beams and trim and the ceiling. We just rolled primer and paint on our ceiling tiles, and painted the beams with a brush (primer + paint again). We haven’t used the gripper primer, but any stainblocking primer by Kilx or Zinsser is great. Good luck!
xo
s
fran lawver says
I love the way yyou painted over your paneling. My question is, I like to paint my paneling but I do not what to see the seam, what can I use. i what it to look all smooth.
YoungHouseLove says
Maybe some sort of caulk to fill the seam? Anyone tried that?
xo
s
Cathie says
Great job! However, we bought a house that this had already been done to. They must have used water based primer or paint, because every time you breathe on it, it chips off. Had a handy man come out and repaint it. He made the first chip when he put the mirror back on the wall. So now that we’ve lived a year with a spotted wall, because we couldn’t face calling in professional painters or the thought of sanding the entire wall to start over, what would you do? Sand it all and then start with your step by step? Many thanks for your help.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man, that’s rough. I would test it to be sure it’s not lead paint first, then if it’s clear I’d sand it all off, prime it with good stain-blocking primer like Kilz, and then paint it with latex paint.
xo
s
Melanie says
Hi,
I’m just now finding this as well but I’ve never needed this info until now and it was one of the first to pop up in my search :-) Unknowing that I needed to use a primer, I have already painted a room with paneling. You know what I’m going to say next I’m sure…….. every time you barely bump the wall, the paint scratches right off! So, what is my next step? Can I just go over it with the primer and start over with the paint or do I need to scrape all the paint off first? :-/
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, that’s a toughie, because you bond is only as strong as your “foundation” so if you keep the flaky paint as a foundation I worry everything will continue to peel off. I’d give it a good sanding everywhere to get as much off as you can and rough things up. Then use a really good stainblocking primer like Kilz or Zinsser, and then follow that with some high quality paint. I hope you’ll have a scratch-free result!
xo
s
jacqui lewis says
Can you tell what you did the door trims etc in and what is the colour called looks lovely i have the paneling but im not sure if its real or fake thanks
jacqui lewis says
i thin my doors might be cedar
YoungHouseLove says
We have done this on oak doors and veneer doors (fake and real) and have really liked the outcome. If you love the wood, don’t paint it though (as it’s hard to strip) but if you love the look of paint more, I’d go for it!
xo
s
Kelleigh says
Hey I am thinking of buying a cheap house thats a fixer upper and I would love to paint over the peneling in the living room and I was wondering if you ever filled in not just the holes from nails but also where they split because mine are not just smooth all over they have (what i call the split) down mine. I realy dont like that in the panelling because my nana has painted panelling in her house and it looks horrible. I was just wondering if you filled in the “splits” in your paneling to?
YoungHouseLove says
We just painted them and left those grooves because they sort of look like beadboard once it’s painted (which is in style). You can caulk those grooves before you prime and paint if you don’t like them though! Good luck!
xo
s
Martha says
First off, I love reading your blog! =) Y’all are awesome, and you make me laugh all the time (Clara’s conversations are the best!). My husband and I own a small little house with original wood paneling throughout the house. Every. single. room. We’ve painted it all, to lighten the rooms considerably. However, it drives me crazy how between some of the panels there are cracks like the Grand Canyon and look like black gashes, and then others are just normal textured grooves. My husband heard from someone that we shouldn’t caulk those gaping areas between panels because wood continually changes with temperature, humidity, etc… Do you all have any thoughts that could help me convince my husband otherwise, so I won’t have to live with these awful cracks anymore? Thank you!
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, for those big gashes I would caulk it with something flexible and paintable (like Dap window & door caulk). Since those things expand and contract too, it has flex in it, and it’s paintable so it should be great!
xo
s
Martha says
Awesome, thank you so much! Great idea!
Julie says
What a beautiful room! What color did you paint the walls? I’ll be painting my paneling this weekend and would love to use the same color.
YoungHouseLove says
That was Wishes by Glidden.
xo
s
Courtney says
I wish I could share a picture. Followed your directions and it was SOOOOOO easy! The space looks so much better! My living room & kitchen went from looking like a cave with horrifically dark wood paneling to looking phenomenal in virtually a weekend!