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Don’t be ashamed of your outdated walls, let me show you how to fix that old ’70s style paneling and freshen up your home decor. Here’s how to paint wall paneling.
If you have some of that old basement paneling that was popular in the ’70s in your home, you’re not alone. It seems like every home that was around then had some of that paneling installed somewhere. It was an affordable and easy solution, and I’m sure this faux wood paneling was considered to be very stylish in its time. When we moved in to our 120-year-old farmhouse, we had it everywhere. Truly, it was in almost every room. It felt really daunting at the time, but once I learned how to paint wall paneling properly, I learned to love it. Actually, I really prefer this painted paneling over plain drywall, because it adds an extra little bit of interest to our walls, and feels just right in our old house, where drywall just feels too modern.
Painted Wall Paneling: Before and After
Let’s refresh our memories and reflect on just how bad some of this paneling has been in this house, shall we? Here’s how our bedroom looked when we first moved in. It was a bit dark and dingy feeling to say the least with its dark-wood panelling, hollow core doors, and uninspiring baseboard moldings.
Here’s how this space looks today with freshly painted walls, new flooring, and lots of new millwork.
Pictured above: Wall and trim color: BM White Dove | Vase | White Velvet Curtains | Headboard | Similar Pet-Friendly Bedding
Here are a few other examples of the painted paneling in our home. New paint just makes such a difference, and I’ll never get over it.
Pictured above: Wall and trim color: Benjamin Moore Simply White | Rug | Bookshelf Lights | Coffee Table | Floral Pillow | Flooring | White Velvet Curtains | Ceiling Tiles (We used the drop-in style in white)
I actually love the extra bit of character that the painted paneling brings into the rooms in our home. I always think it’s kind of funny when people compliment us on how we’re restoring the original character and charm of our home because when we got to it, there wasn’t much character left to work with.
I still find myself painting paneling every now and then, and although I used to think it was such a pain, I now appreciate how great it looks when I’m done and I find painting plain drywall to be boring and kind of a let-down. If you have a panelled home that you need to paint and feel like you’re staring down a monumental task, here are my tips for the best painting transformation.
More painting tips to help you decorate your home: How to Paint a Lampshade
How to Paint Wall Paneling
Fill any Holes or Gaps with Caulk
Look really closely at your paneling, especially you’re painting a room with dark colored wall-panels and find the spots where there might be gaps or holes that you hadn’t noticed before. With dark paneling, you often won’t see the imperfections, but painting them will makes them obvious. Take a few minutes and fill in any gaps or holes between seams before you start with your first coat of paint and they won’t be noticeable at all.
Start by Painting the Trim
I have to admit that I almost never use primer, even for the most challenging painting projects. Even in the case of the paneling in our home, I just used regular latex paint and I’m always happy with the results. So just throw down your drop-cloth, grab your paint brush, and get started.
If you room has trim work already in place, paint it first before you move onto the walls.
As you paint, really work the trim color into the grooves of the paneling, and even bring it up onto the wall a little bit to make sure that you get really good coverage where the trim and the wall meet. If you’re going to be installing new baseboards, install those after all of your painting is done to get a really crisp look.
Cut in Around All of Your Trim, Corners, and in All of the Grooves of the Paneling…. Twice.
When it comes to painting the actual panelled walls, painting the grooves twice with a paint brush absolutely makes a huge difference. You’ll think that your roller can reach in the shallow grooves, but trust me, it’s not the same. You will notice a difference and your end result won’t be as fresh and flawless. Take the time and do your two coats of brush work. You know I wouldn’t tell you to do extra work if it wasn’t really worth it. 🙂
This is a similar process to the way you would paint tongue-and-groove plank ceilings or beadboard, but much easier.
Here’s an example. This is what it looked like when I was painting the paneling during Kennedy’s room makeover several years ago.
It looks like a lot of work, I know, but it’s really not that bad.
Fill in the Rest With a Roller
Once you’re done with your brush work, fill in all the rest of the unpainted areas by rolling on 2-3 coats with a roller. I always use a small foam roller, even on large rooms because I find that they’re just really light and easy to handle and that makes the job go by quickly. Plus, I love the smooth finish they provide.
I’ve since painted this room again and here’s how it looks today with painted paneling and lots of new trim work.
Pictured above: Wall paint: BM Classic Grey | Trim paint: BM Simply White | Curtains (use code CH12 for 16% off) | Mirror (Canadian Link Here)| Coat Rack
More from this recent room update: The Easiest Formula for Mixing Patterns
Crown Molding is Your Friend
It can be hard to make the place where the paneling meets the ceiling look really good with just paint. That’s where crown molding comes in. Covering that area up with even just a small molding really makes the room look more “finished”.
We added crown molding to our bedroom, but because of the drop ceiling, in our living room and dining room, we weren’t sure if it would be a good idea. You can see it just doesn’t look quite a finished. I’m thinking crown molding could still be a possibility in here, though, at some point in the future.
And that’s pretty much all you need to know! I find light, bright colors or soft, warm greiges look best on wall paneling and really bring a nostalgic feel to any 70’s basement-style room that might need a little quick update. You could also definitely go with a dark and moody paint color if you wanted to. If you’ve been thinking about it, try it out! You’ll be amazed at what a big difference a little paint can make!
Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.