If the paneling is knotty pine be sure to use a stain blocking oil or shellac based primer to help prevent the resin in the wood from bleeding through the paint.
Restore wood paneling walls.
If the finish begins to fade and you want to restore it you do not need to sand it off.
Clean a 3 by 3 foot section of the wall at a time.
Mix a polishing solution to restore shine to the wood paneling.
Make sure that you get into all the crevices edges and corners to really clean the walls well and get any dust grime dirt and oil off of the paneling.
Hgtv star chip wade shows you how to modernize old school wood paneling with paint for more follow the hashtag rachaelrayshow.
To give solid wood paneling a new look either lightly sand and paint the wood or remove the boards and replace with drywall.
Work only on one wall until it is finished then move on to the the next wall.
Mix together 1 cup of water and 1 4 cup of vinegar.
Use an iron and damp cloth to raise the wood fibers.
Add sleek molding to your wood paneled walls and then paint or stain it to match.
Create large framed rectangles a series of squares or a diagonal lattice pattern on top of the paneling.
Once you have finished this let it dry.
Next take some of your sandpaper and sand the surface lightly you shouldn t be using a ton of elbow grease when you do this.
Make sure to do all of the walls in the room because this will really change the appearance of the paneling.
Often times a thorough cleaning is all that is necessary to restore the wood s original luster.
Wood paneling can make a room feel a little chaotic not to mention dark musty and reminiscent of the 70s but it can also be seriously stylish when done right.
Add 1 2 cup of mineral oil and 20 drops of lemon oil to the mixture.
You only need to brush or wipe it on the woodwork and then wipe it off.
Sand in the direction of the wood grain.
Use an oil soap such as murphy s soap to remove any built up grime.
3 using a putty knife fill the gouge with putty that matches the paneling.
All you need to do is clean off the surface and apply a new coat.
This is a practical finish to use as it naturalizes the look of the wood a better choice than polyurethane or varnish.