Use a Quality Primer - Since paneled walls usually have a very smooth, slick surface, you will need to apply primer to cover the paneling and create a surface that the paint can readily adhere to. An application of primer also adds a layer of color so that less paint is necessary.
Begin by painting the deep-set, beveled lines of the wall paneling before you paint the entire wall surface. Use a good quality, thin paintbrush (one half to one inch wide) and paint in all the lines of the paneling.
Next, cut in two to three inches along all edges and corners. Cutting in refers to painting the edges and corners of the walls with a paintbrush, filling in the areas where a paint roller cannot reach or would scrape adjacent walls and ceilings.
With edges and grooves prepared, paint the wall surface with a paint roller. Start at the top of the wall and work in patches three or four feet square. Roll paint in a "W" shape to avoid roller marks, drips, and streaks. With the first area filled, paint the adjacent area below, working from the top of the wall down. Repeat the process throughout the room, continuing to work in "W" formation, until the entire room is covered with paint.
Other Creative Ways to Disguise Paneling - Another decorative way to work with paneling is to achieve a wainscoting effect. Paint the paneling as described above, then hang a trim board along the walls midline. This works especially well if paneling exists only on the bottom third or half of the wall, but can be done as well by choosing an upper wall and lower wall paint color to cover the paneling. Another option is to have the top half of a paneled wall skim-coated with plaster and painted or wallpapered, then create the wainscot look by painting and trimming the bottom half of the panel.
Living with paneling is not a must simply because you don't have the time or money to invest in ripping out and remodeling the walls entirely. A weekend paint project can breathe new life into a paneled interior.
Hi Ruth & Sam, I personally love painted paneling if it's done correctly, usually in a shade of white or cream. It adds a lot of personality to a cottage style house. In the home I live in currently, the previous owner had cut off the top section of paneling, painted the remaining paneling white and topped it off with a chair rail, as you describe. The portion above the chair rail is a very pale golden yellow. It looks great!
Thanks for the technique! I have also used stain on wood paneling; it's available in so many colors, including white, black, and various shades of grey. That way you get the color and the grain shows through. Julie
I love it!! Paneling makes a room so dark and when you paint the paneling with a light color it just brightens everything up! Thanks for the tip of painting the bevels first.
Thanks for this post. Paint is definately the easy way to go. There are many products out now that can also cover the paneling with a textured technique. The plaster type product can be troweled or rolled on with a thick nap roller. You can make it as smooth or as texturized as you want. Lusterstone is one product that can be used for this. There are many more.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
Many homes built or remodeled in the nineteen-seventies and eighties have extensive, dark wood paneling throughout the home. What was once considered vogue has become something of a decorating nightmare for homeowners. Although updating and replacing wall paneling with sheet rock is the best permanent solution, it is also an expensive, messy, and time-consuming process. If replacing paneling is not an option for you, then painting over dark paneled walls is one fast economical solution to improve upon the look of your home. 
;)
;)
