How to choose a color to paint my paneling?
by
Jacque
+5
Hi I want to paint paneling but don’t know what color or where to begin. This is my living room. Ty.
Clean the walls first. Then paint on a primer (Kilz) and then paint on your desired wall color. The primer prevents the dark color from showing through the paint.
Looks like you would want to brighten the room up. You could always paint it white but why not pick a color and paint a light version of that. Hard to say without seeing the rest of the room and the color of your decor.
I'd use the light color from.the plaid.
I think I'd go with a light sage color. But it's your home, so paint it a color that makes you happy. Definitely light, though. Go to the paint store and get color cards and tape them to the walls. Go into the room at different times of day and in different kinds of weather and take notice to the colors (some will look different). After you find several that you like, buy sample pints and paint spots on the walls and do the same thing again until you have the one for you. Before you paint it permanently do what Ken suggested and prime it first.
Make sure the paneling is clean and dry. Prime with a good stain blocking primer like Kilz. Then paint like painting regular walls. Acrilyc latex paint will work. If the paneling has grooves you can fill them with non shrink drywall patching compound. Just put on enough to fill the grooves. Let it dry overnight. Next day use a damp sponge to smooth the patch. Then prime and paint.
Definitely clean, patch, prime and then paint. If you are in an area that is cold, try to find the warmest days to do the work because you'll want some ventilation from the outside. In addition to painting the whole wall, you could also run a strip of molding at chair rail height and leave the paneling unpainted between that and the floor. It would be less work and supplies and give you a completely different look. Cheers!
I would paint it a light color - like white or an off-white.
Kilz is a brand name primer. Lowe's & Home Depot carry in giant buckets. You can get them to add a hint of color so that you don't have to prime and paint - just prime over the paneling. I suggest you try having them add some drops of red to give your brightness a rosy tint.