Has anyone painted paneling? My home is 80s. It’s dark brown

Norma Duran
by Norma Duran
  9 answers
  • Debi53 Debi53 on Mar 10, 2018

    Yes, absolutely. Use a liquid sandpaper/deglosser (just follow directions) to make the surface of the paneling tacky. Then use a brush for the grooves and a roller for the surface of the paneling. Use 2 -3 thin coats of a high quality primer followed by 2-3 coats of high quality paint. The better the paint, the less coats it should take, A satin or eggshell finish will be prettier than flat paint.

  • Kent Peed Kent Peed on Mar 10, 2018

    I had brown paneling in my half basement (tri level) I bought primer and choose the color you want to paint. Worked great, it has been on for about 7 years and still looks good.

  • Gail Benson Gail Benson on Mar 10, 2018

    i recently bought a home with a dark paneled family room.

    I had it painted white. A primer was used and probably a good four coats of paint.

    But it looks sooooooo much better now.

  • Amanda Amanda on Mar 10, 2018

    We tried it years ago and it became painfully obvious we had no clue what we were doing! If you attempt it, research, research, research! We tried filling all the grooves with drywall patch - ugh.

  • Kay12312900 Kay12312900 on Mar 10, 2018

    You can paint paneling, but be SURE to use a good primer first! Your paint will bubble and peel if you don’t....

  • Darlene Duncan Darlene Duncan on Mar 10, 2018

    If it has those ridged lines in it, you can fill them in with plaster and sand them smooth when it dries. Or you can just paint it the way it is, though the ridges take a bit of time to get the paint in to.. I had the same panelling and used 2 coats of latex flat paint.. It covered well, even without priming first. Just be sure to damp cloth over the walls to clean them first. I have also wallpapered over panelling (it adheres better to panelling that's been painted previously).

  • Ken Erickson Ken Erickson on Mar 10, 2018

    I have painted it back in the 80s. I'm assuming it is the 1/4" paneling that was installed over the sheetrock. If it is thick oak paneling, it may be a shame to paint it. Painting will still leave the grooves. If you decide to paint it I'd do the following: 1. wash walls with a de-greaser or TSP to remove any accumulation of dust, smoke, or grease fumes. 2. Paint with a primer like Kilz to prevent any stain or color bleed through. Don't rely on assuming a paint with primer will work. 3. Paint with a good quality paint. One coat should work.

    Another option is use wallpaper that is designed to cover grooves or imperfection in the wall. It is designed to cover the seams of cinder block walls, so your paneling grooves will be hidden. Then paint the wall paper.

    Another option is to cover the paneling with shiplap and paint. You will need to get electrical box extensions so the plugs and switches will be flush with the surface. You can get 2 of these for about $3.50. Use electrical safety precautions.


  • Boh13539450 Boh13539450 on Mar 10, 2018

    They paint really nice. Try it in a inconspicuous place . You’ll love the results.