Old paneling presents a problem; painting is solution

By Gene Gary
Copley News Service

Q: Can I paint over paneling? I’m in my first home and the finished basement (and part of the upstairs) has paneling everywhere. The house is 50-something years old, but I don’t want it to look that way. I’m trying to update it. How can I hide the hideous paneling but try for a modern look? Thanks for your help.

A: Painting existing paneling is usually an effective solution for updating the look and making a room look lighter. It’s much cheaper than tearing out the old paneling and preparing a damaged wall for painting.

Painting should not be a problem if the existing paneling is real wood and was properly fitted during installation. It also has to be real wood, not a vinyl or plastic-coated paneling.

If you are not sure if it is wood, make a close inspection. Vinyl or plastic has a slight sheen and lacks the richness in grain of real wood. You can test the paneling by sanding a small, inconspicuous area. If the paneling finish shreds and flakes off, it’s vinyl or plastic, not wood.

Also check to assure that the panels are securely nailed. Put additional nails into any panels that flex when you push on them. Use ring-shank paneling nails. Be careful to just tap the nail head in flush. If you leave a hammer mark, you’ll have to fill and sand. This is a difficult chore, because hammer marks are so shallow. Check the entire wall and fill any holes or nicks with wood filler, then sand smooth. Do not attempt to fill the seams between panels. Seasonal contraction and expansion, even in older paneling, will cause the filler to crack eventually.

Prior to priming, remove dirt and grime by washing the surface with a solution of one-fourth cup trisodium phosphate dissolved in a gallon of warm water. Apply solution with a big sponge, rub gently and rinse with clean water. Sponge off excess water as you go, leaving the surface as dry as possible.

Next, lightly sand the paneling to rough up the finish, using a fine- to medium-grade sandpaper (100 to 120 grit) and a sanding block. Sanding is absolutely necessary in order for the primer to adhere to the surface. Brush away any residue from sanding.

Wipe down with a slightly damp cloth or sponge, or a tack cloth to assure all sanding residue is removed. Apply a quality alkyd or latex primer. Allow the primer to dry before applying the top coat of paint (follow manufacturer’s directions). You can tint the primer to half the color density of the final finish color, using universal colors. Do this, and one finish coat is all you should need. Apply a latex top coat.

For a durable, long-lasting finish, use quality paints recommended by your local paint dealer. As with any painting project, surface preparation and the quality of paint used are the key factors for success.

Q: The stairwell leading to a lower-level recreation room gets a lot of robust traffic from three teenage boys. I am continually repairing the drywall that gets dented, scraped and sometimes punctured. The rec room also suffers some abuse, but not as bad. We are currently redoing this area (new paint, furnishings with a pool table, and installation of a small kitchen area). Do you have any recommendations for a wall treatment that would be more durable and create less need for repair and paint touch-ups?

A: Yes, there is such a product that is designed for your exact needs. United States Gypsum, which manufacturers numerous drywall paneling and ceiling products, markets a panel much more sturdy than ordinary drywall. Although they’re more expensive, USG’s Fiberock Abuse Resistant Panels can solve your problem. Strong, solid and durable, they resist denting, breaking and puncturing.

The panels are a combination of gypsum and cellulose. And, unlike regular drywall, there is no paper face.

Fiberock is installed, finished and painted like regular drywall. The panels come in 1/2-inch and 5/8-inch thickness, and 8-, 9-, 10- and 12-foot lengths. The Fiberock panels also have superior nail-holding qualities when compared with conventional paper-faced drywall.

From one of our readers: Over this past weekend I read your column with much interest. The scope and amount of advice concerning working with a building contractor was very useful.

However, you may want to alert your readers to a small matter that may avert major headaches should the presumed owner of the dwelling eventually sell the property. Even though the owner meets all obligations to the contractor, sometimes one or more of the subcontractors fails to get paid (by the general contractor, for whatever reason). In order to lessen the chance of mechanics liens (a lien against the property, not the contractor), the owner should seriously consider language in his/her contract with the general contractor that provides protection against this possibility.

A local attorney should be consulted so the language is acceptable in the specific locality of the property location.

Note from author: Thank you for the observation. This type of lien is a common occurrence. And a major problem is that the owner is completely unaware of the action unless he checks with the local legal system, or goes to sell his property and up pops this unexpected hurdle.

Send e-mail to copleysd@copleynews.com or write to Here’s How, Copley News Service, P.O. Box 120190, San Diego, CA 92112-0190. Only questions of general interest can be answered in the column.