Let’s face it! Wood paneling used to be a total hit. A big boom. Everyone wanted to have wood paneling in their homes. And ultimately, (mostly) everyone did end up having wood paneling installed in (almost) every single room of the house.
Now, wake up. Rub your sleepy eyes. And welcome to the 21st century! Sure, wood paneling was no less famous than the Kardashians but that was a few centuries ago. Learn how to cover fake wood paneling and make your home brighten up with the instructions we are sharing below.
Don’t forget to let the positive vibes embrace you.
What You Will Need To Follow This Tutorial
Paint the Old Paneling
- Acrylic paint
- Primer
- Paintbrush
- A suitable container (for the paint)
- Tape
- Roller brush
- Drop cloth
- Sandpaper (optional)
Painting fake wood paneling is easy. We’d recommend that you choose this option as opposed to installing a drywall over the old paneling if you wish to save time and money (and a little bit of sweat).
Install Drywall Over the Wood Paneling
- Drywall
- Drywall Mud
- Scraper
- A tray (or any other suitable container to mix the drywall mud)
- Screws
- Nails
- Nail gun
- Stud finder
- Pencil
- Acrylic paint
- Paintbrush
- Primer
- Pry bar (optional)
- Mudding tape
On the one hand, installing drywall over the old wood paneling is not an overly complicated task. However, it will require a healthy dose of patience, as well as more planning than painting over the paneling.
Step By Step Instructions For Covering Fake Wood Paneling
The Painting Method
Step 1 – Prime the old wood paneling
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Cover the floor with a drop cloth. Make sure all furniture is protected from getting damaged by blotchy stains of paint. Sand the surface of the old wood paneling if needed.
Prime the fake wood paneling with a roller brush until you cover the entire area. Proceed with adding another layer of primer. If needed, you may want to apply a third layer of primer.
Step 2 – Paint the wood paneling
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Let the final coat of primer dry out according to the manufacturer’s instructions. All that’s left to do is to paint the wood paneling in the color of your choice! A roller brush will work great but use a paintbrush for the fine edges. And you are done. Great job!
The Drywall Method
Step 1 – Choose a matching drywall and prepare the wood paneling
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One of the biggest issues when choosing drywall is to make sure the thickness of the wood paneling matches the thickness of the drywall. If you fail to consider the thickness of the window and door framing, as well as molding, you may end up disappointed by the uneven and unpleasant looks of the drywall.
Once you have measured the surface of the wood paneling and took into account the thickness of the surrounding frames and/or molding, you can proceed with finding the studs. Use a stud finder and mark the studs with a pencil.
Remove any existing molding. A pry bar works best.
Step 2 – Hang the drywall and finish by connecting seams
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Start installing sheets of drywall. Always start from the bottom and make your way up to the top. Secure the drywall sheets with screws along each stud. After all of the drywall is installed, you can nail the wood pieces to the doors and windows. Finally, reinstall the molding.
You also need to finish by connecting the seams. Using a scraper, fill the seams with drywall mud. Set mudding tape and repeat the process of filling the seams. Once the compound has dried completely, you can sand off the surface and proceed with painting the drywall.
Whichever method you choose, remember that fake wood paneling is not an enemy. The truth is, there is nothing too annoying or too exhausting when it comes to learning how to cover fake wood paneling. It is your enthusiasm and motivation which will make a huge difference.
Do you want to help more people on their quest of concealing wood paneling? Like and share this article and let us spread the good vibes together! If you have more tips, tricks or questions, we’d be more than happy to hear from you. Just drop us a line in the comment section below.
