A Guide to Wood Wall Paneling Decorating Ideas

Wood paneling can often provide the room with a feeling of being outdated and full of darkness. A quick, decorating fix will be a better and cost-effective alternative than thinking of removing the paneling. Even though the first thought that strikes your mind is replacing the old panel with a new one, it is not possible for you to comprehend the state of the wall below it. Also, no one can ensure the damages that might take place while replacing it.

The issue can be easily taken care of with some innovative ideas that will be discussed in the wood paneling guide below. Solve your wood paneling issues and get some amazing ideas with the help of this guide.

Repaint the Panelling

If you are seeking budget-friendly and quick decorating solutions for your wood paneling, then repainting your old wood panel would be a great option. Painting over wood paneling will allow the passage of light and offer a fresh sense of space to the room. This becomes particular to rooms where the wood paneling is dark, worn, or pretty backdated. When wallboard or plasterboard does not seem to be an effective alternative, painting the wood paneling becomes the ideal choice. Think of this like an interior renovation or a long-term design change, as it cannot be undone once the paint has been applied to the surface. The painting campaign can become extremely easy when you prepare the surface prior to it.

Take a look at these steps before applying paint on the wood panel:

• Prime the Wall: Use a premium quality latex primer to the surface of your wood panel. Doing this will make the surface acceptable for paint, as the primer ensures the prevention of blistering and peeling during the painting procedure. Another added benefit of applying primer to the wall is that it provides a protective layer to the grain and color of the wood paneling. Without using a quality primer coat, you might end up applying two or three more coats of paint for overlaying the panel entirely in order to make sure that no trace of wood is visible. The primer can be tinged to complement the color of the paint, which will offer an aesthetic appeal to the entire room space. In order to cover the dark paneled walls, you will need maximum two coats of paint when you have tinted your primer in the similar shade.
• Fill the Grooves: If you are looking forward to rooting out the grooves in the paneling once and for all, simply filling them with the help of spackle or joint substance will do it. However, make certain that the primer coat is first applied to it or else the compound will not be able to stick properly. In case you desire for a semi-gloss finishing coat, then the filling will require being primed as well prior to spreading the semi-gloss paint.
• Cutting in: Cutting in before painting the wood paneling means preparing the surface of the wall including the edges and corners before applying the final paint with a roller. It refers to painting about 3 inches inside along the corners and edges of the walls with a simple paintbrush. Whilst performing this action, make sure that the length is broad enough to cover the areas paint rollers cannot access or can get scraped and end up marking corresponding floors and ceilings.

Wallpapering the Panelling

Covering your wood paneling with the help of a wallpaper is possible; however, it needs you to have the paneling composed in order to make certain that the wallpaper gets affixed smoothly. Using a wallpaper to cover up your wood paneling is actually a great alternative to removing the paneling altogether.

• Apply the Wallpaper: If you are looking for wallpapering your wood panels, then you must listen to the decor experts who recommend adding a substitute wallpaper horizontally prior to adding the final decorative wallpaper. This base layer will help you in solving the issue of overlaying. The decorative wallpaper should also be attached in the same manner you hung the base wallpaper. In case you put on a wallpaper that you can paint on, ensure the paper is dry before you begin to apply the paint to it.
• Composition: The depth of your panel grooves determine the amount of preparation you have to carry out for applying a wallpaper to the wood paneling. For ensuring effective outcomes, you can avail a seal and caulk the gaps. Although if the gaps are deeper than a quarter of an inch, you have to seal them with a caulk to stop the wallpaper from getting punctured. In spite of the deep grooves, you will have to wait for the caulk to get dries before wiping down the surface in order to make sure that there is no mold, dirt or dust on the walls. Lastly, the addition of a latex primer will make the panels’ surface rougher. Allow the primer to get dry and then include an acrylic-emulsion sizing, which will help the wallpaper to stick more easily.

Covering the Wall

If you are unable to modify the condition of your wall, then the best option is to cover it. You can avail ceiling to floor curtains around the paneled wall. The felt panels can provide an illusion of your wall surface having a huge window. Hence, the felt can also be an alternative decorating statement for covering your wood wall paneling.

One more way to cover the panel is through utilizing a large piece of furniture to cover the wall. From hanging a huge piece of artwork to placing your large bookshelf, covering the panel will draw everyone’s attention from the wall and monitor it towards the beauty of the art.

Brown Bagging

Brown bagging requires special products to cover wood paneling. Being a similar tactic to wallpapering, you can add rolled or decorative pieces of paper to cover the panel. It offers a faux finish appearance showcased along with an old-world texture.

Concluding Remarks

Finally, if you find none of the option suiting your decor requirements, then replacing the wood paneling with the help of drywall is the only ideal solution left. Although replacing is a messier and more complicated option, hence adhere to the covering above up ideas to make your wood paneling look more decorative.