Before & After- Painting Wood Plank Walls for an Instant Refresh
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Our 1940's cottage was full of knotty pine when we bought it - every single room had planks of wood- including the kitchen. It made the room feel so dark but those wood plank walls also had such wonderful potential. And with the wave of a magic wand (or paint brush) where there was once dark and dreary-those walls and rooms were transformed into bright and beautiful.
Start by scrubbing your wood walls to remove any residues. You can use Murphy's oil soap or simply wipe down with a wet rag. Make sure to let your walls dry before starting to paint.
The first step is to prime all of the wood- including the grooves and details. It may seem like an extra step that you just want to skip- but it is an important one. Especially for wood walls. Simply use a brush or roller and give the walls a nice thick coat of paint. Pay special attention to covering the knotty areas as they tend to bleed through paint.
After the primer dries- you can do an additional coat of primer if you would like. When that dries- you can move onto paint. Any type of paint finish will do- but I personally prefer to use a semi-gloss paint for wood walls. Semi-gloss gives a nice sheen and the light bounces off of it.
Make sure to use a brush to get into the grooves. You can use a roller for the wide plank areas as well. Let the paint dry in between each coat- and do 2 -3 coats for thick coverage.
I love how a few coats of paint can transform a room and make it look completely different in just a few hours. If you have a room full of dark knotty pine planks- painting those walls is a simple and easy way to transform a 'cabin' or dark feeling in an older home and make it feel bright and airy. What do you think of how this turned out? Are you a fan of painted wood walls?
You can see more of our 1940's cottage on my blog & in my books- French Country Cottage- and my New Book French Country Cottage Inspired Gatherings.
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Suggested materials:
- Paint (Benjamin Moore)
- Primer (Benjamin Moore)
- Paint brushes (Benjamin Moore)
- Drop cloth (Benjamin Moore)
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Frequently asked questions
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