What To Do With Outdated Wood Paneled Walls

Wood paneling may have been a good way to give your space a polished, elegant finish in the past, but it can feel outdated fairly quickly. Luckily, it's relatively easy to update. Updating the look of wall paneling can transform the room into a place that homeowners and visitors alike want to lounge in.

Here are just a few options of improving your old-fashioned wall paneling.

If you do plan to paint, it's not that difficult of an endeavor if you follow a few simple steps.

1. Fill in the lines that connect the panels with spackle.
2. Use a spackling trowel to smoothly fill in the lines and create an even surface along the entire wall. If the paneling is pockmarked, scratched up or riddled with divots, it will need spackle as well. The main goal is to have as flat of a surface as possible so that it can soak up the paint to cover up any blemishes.
3. After spackling, use a sander or, for smaller areas, sandpaper to smooth out any uneven areas and rough up the surface to prepare it for primer or paint.

Feel free to paint over the paneling in whatever color you want once you've spackled, sanded, and primed the panels. Depending on the color you're using, you may need to paint multiple coats to get a solid finish. Remember to allow the coats to dry before moving on to the next.

Removing wood paneling is a time-consuming process with a satisfying finish.

1. To remove wood paneling, start with the trim and molding that runs along the floor, walls and ceiling. Any chair rails should also be removed before tackling the bigger boards that are fastened to the wall.
2. A pry bar is helpful in detaching the paneling from the wall. Remove large sections at once when possible in order to minimize the damage to the drywall.
3. After the wood panels have successfully been removed, large globs of glue will more than likely remain stuck to the drywall. A paint scraper worked around the edges of the glue is the best solution.
4. Then, buff out the remaining bits of the sticky substance from the wall.
5. When removing wall panels, a drywall spackle or mud will be needed to fill in the gouges left behind by the adhesive.

A quick and easy fix for unwanted wood paneling is to wallpaper over it. The thicker and more patterned the wallpaper, the more it will cover up any faults that lie underneath. If the paneling doesn't have a lot of lines or indents, you may be able to wallpaper directly over the surface. Always prepare the surface by sanding it before placing the wallpaper on top. If the paneling has wide spacing or is truly damaged, it will need to be sanded and spackled carefully.

Wood paneling that's made of authentic organic wood can be saved with sanding and polish. If the dark paneling makeover includes lightening up the space, sand the original dark varnish off of the wood and apply a lighter stain to change the entire feel of the room.

Older wood paneling can bring uniqueness, warmth, and style to a room if given the proper treatment. If the paneling just isn't your style but could be seen as a selling point to future buyers, a wall liner over the paneling is a good option.