You can hide old, worn paneling with fresh coats of plaster and paint. Disguise the paneling by texturizing the surface with a lightweight joint compound. Once dry, you can paint the plaster any color for a custom look. Add a final coat of glaze to give the plaster additional depth and dimension. The project is time-consuming, and can take up to a week or longer, depending on the amount of paneling you need to cover.
Instructions
1. Prepare the room. Move all items out of the room, or move items into the center of the room. Leave a 3 feet minimum walking area around the perimeter of the wall. Place drop cloths on the flooring. Place the drop cloths smoothly on the floor; wrinkles can cause a person to accidentally trip. Use a screwdriver to remove all switch plates and outlet covers, and place them in a storage container, so you don't misplace or lose the small screws and outlet covers.
2. Wash all paneling to remove dirt and debris. Fill a bucket with warm, soapy water and clean the wall surfaces with a damp sponge. Give the paneling a final rinse with soap-free water to ensure all soap residue is gone.
3. Sand the paneling lightly. Use a sanding pole and a medium-grit sandpaper. Sand in a vertical direction to lightly scuff up the surface. Creating grit on the paneling allows the plaster to bond well to the surface. Wipe down the entire surface with a damp tack cloth or sponge to remove any dust.
4. Mask off any adjoining areas to protect them from paint or plaster. Use 1-inch wide or larger painter's tape, and apply it to baseboards, crown molding, ceilings or adjoining walls. Burnish the tape well by rubbing it firmly with a plastic putty knife.
5. Paint the surface with a sealing primer. Use a water-based product, such as Kilz or Binz, to seal and prime the surface. Pour the primer into a paint tray, and roll on the sealer by using a medium-nap roller. Apply the primer in long even strokes. Remember, a light amount of pressure is all that's necessary when applying the sealing primer. Use a 2-inch angled trim brush to paint the perimeter of the paneling. Allow it to dry for 24 hours.
6. Fill in the paneling grooves. Place a small amount of joint compound onto the trowel. Hold the trowel at a 45-degree angle and slide across the paneling grooves. Let the drywall mud sink into the paneling grooves. Continue the process until you fill all of the grooves. This is the most time-consuming step. Repeat the process up to four times, waiting 24 hours between each layer. The final surface should be completely even with no indication of an indentation from the panel's grooves.
7. Texturize the entire surface. Apply the joint compound using the same method used when filling in the panel grooves, but, this time, use a random skip trowel technique. Continue to hold the trowel at a 45-degree angle, yet move the trowel around to form various pits and grooves. Understand that you shouldn't cover the paneling 100 percent with plaster; aim for 80 percent coverage. Allow it to dry for 24 hours.
8. Paint the texture. Roll on a satin or semigloss latex paint to add color to the bare plaster. Use a long-nap roller, and apply the paint evenly. A solid, opaque covering of paint is necessary, and the project may require several coats of paint. Use an old chip brush to add paint to any grooves the roller has difficulty reaching. Trim out the perimeter of the plastered paneling by using the angled brush and the same method when applying the sealer.
9. Glaze the wall, if desired. Mix together one part dark brown paint and three parts clear glaze. Mix the batch in an empty gallon bucket---stir well. Roll on the glaze using a mini roller. Blot the glaze with a paint rag to remove some of the product, and push the glaze into the grooves and pits of the texture. Continue to glaze the remainder of the wall. Allow the wall to dry for 24 hours before using the room.
10. Remove all painter's tape with a razor blade. Slowly peel back the tape. Touch up any bare areas where the plaster wasn't painted using a small artist's brush. Pick up all drop cloths, and replace the outlet covers. Move all furniture back in place.
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