How to Paint Over Wood Paneling

In some instances you may be able to remove the paneling and paint the walls directly. But often paneling was installed with both nails and adhesive, and you could damage your walls if you try to remove the paneling. Also, in some cases the paneling was placed directly on the wall studs with nothing behind it. When you're ready to start painting, make sure that your paneling is made of solid wood. Some paneling actually consists of a vinyl print that simulates the look of wood. To check, sand a small area on the wall. Vinyl coatings come off quickly, revealing the pressboard underneath. If your walls have a vinyl or thin veneer finish, you'll need to take extra care when painting them.

Cover baseboards and crown molding with tape and a drop cloth or plastic sheeting. Remove any switch plate covers.

Thoroughly clean the paneling with an all-purpose cleaner or degreaser and a sponge. Allow paneling to fully dry.

Do this step only if you want to minimize the appearance of the grooves (1/8" deep or less). To fill, apply lightweight spackle with a putty knife.. Once the spackle is dry, smooth it with a sanding block.

Use a brush to apply primer into the grooves of the paneling. For paneling with knots, apply a shellac-based primer to prevent the color of the knot from bleeding through.

Cover the flat surfaces with primer using a paint roller. If the paneling is still visible, apply a second coat of primer once the first coat completely dries. Allow the second coat to dry.

Apply paint in the same way as the primer by painting the grooves first and following quickly with a roller to smooth the surface. Be careful not to let the brush strokes dry in the grooves before smoothing with the roller.