Any way to update paneling without removing it?

Hello. It can be painted. First make sure it is clean and then prime. I had to use a oil based primer which was more expensive but covered better. Then paint.

I’ve seen painted - the lines were covered with tape - I also have seen them filled in and have seen small rope put in the lines -

Paint, paint, paint! But be sure to prime after cleaning first. I hate that nasty old paneling too. :(

Hi there, I've seen people use sheet rock mud to fill in the grooves before painting but, these days with the popularity of ship lap, I think a lot of people are just painting paneling as is. :)

Hello, Clean the paneling good using in a spray bottle dawn soap, distilled vinegar, and water. Just a little of each then full your spray bottle and shake spray on walls and wipe down good, let dry good and then buy a good primmer spay it on and If I remember we primed it twice. then when dried real good then used a roller and painted it. It very nice and not so dark after wards. I hope that this was helpful and good luck.

I agree with Amanda, wipe down first, then paint. I used a paint with built in primer. The rooms I did were so beautiful when I finished. I know paneling can still be used and makes for beauty as well, but....

Yes, I did. Wash it with TSP found in most paint departments. Prime with a good primer, them paint. Use a primer as it will help the paint to stick better even though you have used TSP to help take off the shine.

You can spackle the vertical grooves, but you really have sand well to get it smooth or where you spackled will show through the paint.

There is also a kraft paper you can put over the paneling that is suppose to hide the groves, but someone did it in one room of my house and the groves still show. I think the paper shrunk after it dried from the paste.

Vacuum,clean and Whitewash it

We painted over ours. Two coats because of darkness of paneling but in basement

Thanks for all the information!