Dark Ugly Wall Paneling

by Melanie T
(Putnam, CT)

Hello,

We have purchased a new home that has dark wall paneling from the 70s.

We are trying to figure out what our options are on a limited budget.

Do you have any suggestions.

Thanks
Melanie

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by: Tammy

Hi Melanie

Glad to help. Please let me know what you decide and how it comes out.

Good Luck
Tammy
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by: Anonymous

Dear Tammy

Thank you so much for all the options. We are limited somewhat by budget, but it is not necessarily the final determining factor.

Will review each one.

Thanks again.

Melanie
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by: Tammy

Hello Melanie,

There are several alternatives to the dark paneling. You can leave it in place and either paint or wall paper over it. These are the least costly options.

The paneling in that era had a glossy paper on the top so you would need to sand the surface, prime with a stain covering primer like Kilz and then paint. You would still see the lines in the paneling but many people like this look.

For wall covering, you will either need to fill all the voids (lines) or you can use a heavy wallpaper liner before you can prime and put your paper up.

Another option would be to remove the outdated paneling and replace it with a more common material such as bead board. You can purchase this primed and can paint it any color you like.

The next option would be to remove the paneling entirely. Depending upon what is underneath it, it may not be an expensive proposition. If there is drywall under it and the original contractor did not use glue in addition to the nails or screws, you may be able to just tape the joints, prime and paint.

If there is not drywall or if it is in bad shape after removing, you will need to replace the drywall, tape (or skim coat) prime and paint.

This option is the most costly,

One word of caution when removing paneling though is to look carefully at what it does to your trim and flooring. For instance if you have wall to wall carpeting in the room and you remove the paneling, once you reapply the base, you will have a 3/16" of space you didn't have before because of the thickness of the paneling no longer being there. You may need to look at using a thicker trim piece to compensate for the difference.

I hope this gives you some ideas to get rid of the paneling you you dislike.

Good Luck
Tammy

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