Painting Wood Paneling: How to Paint Paneling In Under 4 Hours!

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Painting Wood Paneling: How to Paint Paneling

I haven’t done a DIY post around here in ages, but I am sooooo excited about this little project where we painted wood paneling!

Painting paneling is seriously one of my favorite home makeovers ever. This is probably the 5th time I’ve painted a paneled room (see our first one here), and the transformation is SO WORTH IT.

A few weeks ago our oldest son Jackson moved into a new home, and I spent the weekend getting him set up with alllll the things. He was fortunate throughout college to live in a Young Life House that had most of his basic needs covered (plates, appliances, pots and pans), so this was the first time he’s needed everything.

We ran around for two days getting everything he needed, and I promised we’d try to tackle one room in his house while I was there to make him feel like he was home. The house is a 1950s (adorable!) ranch, but in sore need of some TLC. Several rooms have wood paneling that simply need a paint makeover, so we were determined to get it done!

We picked the paint color (a friend recommended Urban Bronze by Sherwin Williams), and went all in. Here’s how to paint wood paneling in your home if you’d love an easy makeover ~ I promise you won’t be disappointed!

How to Paint Wood Paneling In Under 4 Hours

1. Gather up your supplies

Urban Bronze Paint by Sherwin Williams (remember, do not penny pinch on paint!)
Paintbrushes (make sure to get an angled brush – Purdy brushes are my favorite brand but a little more pricey!)
A small paint roller
Putty to fill in holes (we used Drydex)
Painters tape

2. Tape off the walls and ceiling around the wall(s) you want to paint.

3. Fill in any holes in your paneling with putty.

4. Prime the walls if they haven’t been painted before.

This is especially important if you’re in a home with paneled walls that are still faux dark wood (or even real wood). Use a product like Kilz to make it easier for paint to adhere to your paneled walls.

5. Trim out the area around the outer walls with your paint brush.

6. Roll about a 4×4 space inside the seams of the paneling after you’re finished painting the outer trim of the wood paneling.

This was the wall after coat #2 while still wet. Don’t get worried if your wood paneling looks inconsistent after painting ~ as the paint dries it will all blend in (if it doesn’t, paint one more coat of paint!)

7. Most likely you’ll need at least two coats of paint when painting wood paneling. If you’re using a darker color, it may take up to 3 coats.

8. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT. 🙂 So often I think we don’t tackle big projects out of fear, but this is only paint and you can’t mess it up. We went fast painting this space and it definitely could be a little better, but it is way better than what we started for under $50.

Painting wood paneling is an easy (rewarding!) DIY project that can dramatically transform the look of any room. If you have a few hours, definitely tackle this one in your home today!