# Painting panaling



## rizay (Jun 21, 2006)

I would like to paint my diningroom panaling.  However, I have seen painted panaling before and it doesn't look good.  I don't like how the groves show up.  Does anyone know how to paint panaling so it looks like a flat wall or sheetrock?  I thought about putting joint compound in each of the grooves but that seems like a lot of work.  Any sugestions?


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## Square Eye (Jun 21, 2006)

Drywall joint compound will crack and fall out because the paneling isn't stable enough to not flex. Paneling is very flexible and will break the hardened drywall compound when it does flex. All it would take is a person leaning on it to break it. 

The best products to fill the cracks are flexible caulking and then maybe a very thin coat of drywall compound. Then thin coat will be much harder to break because the flex would be limited to smaller areas such as wood grain and nail holes.


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## glennjanie (Jun 22, 2006)

Hello Rizay:
Just a thought here. It is possible to paint each board in a pattern of slightly different colors. Say you get a paint sample card at Wal-Mart and use the 4 colors on the card; just keep repeating the pattern all around the room. You could paint the groves with white paint before starting; I would recommend priming the whole thing with Kilz to make the colors cover better. For my taste you could start with a muted orange and run to a pastel yellow. The experts say yellow makes us hungry; it is a dining room, right?
Don't worry about the Wal-Mart paint; I've used 100s of gallons of it without one complaint. A laytex enamel will always look fresh painted.
Glenn


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## Daryl in Nanoose (Jun 23, 2006)

If you decide on going with just paint make sure you do a few things first.
1- wash with tsp and rince well.
2- sand with 100 grit sand paper to just rough up the surface.
3- when you finish vacuming up the walls go over with a tack cloth.
 Now your ready for primer, use a low knap roller and prime with Kilz primer then litely sand, vacume, tack cloth.
 If your going with at least 2 colors I would paint all the paneling with the grove color and then useing a very low knab rollor or sponge roller paint out the sections. You will find excellent results this way.
 In case your wondering why a low knab roller or spong roller, if you use to much of a knab roller the color will blead over into the groves from the hairs on the roller sleeve.
Quote from glennjanie  "Just a thought here. It is possible to paint each board in a pattern of slightly different colors" This looks excellent to by the way and 
Quote from Square Eye  "The best products to fill the cracks are flexible caulking and then maybe a very thin coat of drywall compound. Then thin coat will be much harder to break because the flex would be limited to smaller areas such as wood grain and nail holes."  
This is exactkly what you do if you want to eliminate those grooves.
 Just my two cents worth.


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## asbestos (Jun 23, 2006)

I would use a wood filler or plastic wood or something like that to fill the grooves. as far as being a lot of work it may be possible to do it so it only needs a touch of sanding you might try painters putty also

PS *WORRY* about wal mart paints, worry about wal mart. 
Wal-mart paint 4 gals = $80
top quality paint= up to $160
difference= $80
divide that by usefull life; say 10+ years for good paint= $8 a year
a top quality paint will look better, and clean better and touch up better. and you will look at this every day.


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## glennjanie (Jun 24, 2006)

Well Well, now we know Asbestos doesn't own any Wal-Mart stock! My point was; the Wal-Mart paint is cheaper (we agreed on that) and I have never had a complaint on it. If anyone has a loyalty to another brand of paint, its OK with me.
Glenn


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## tooltime (Jun 28, 2006)

I know the original post in this topic is a few weeks old, but I wanted to  give some input both to the original poster, and anyone considering the same thing.
You could use a low shrink filler, but be prepared to it at lest 2x to account for the shrinkage. It may take more, but 2x is a minimum. It kind of depends on how much of a perfectionist you are.  
That is a lot of work, not difficult work, but a pita just the same.

A recommendation I have not seen is using a wallpaper/liner. It is much heavier than   your typical print wallpaper. It was made for this purpose. It is not a finished product, you will still have to paint. I wish I could remember who makes this, but  if you check with the home decor departments of Home Depot/Lowes they should know what your talking about.


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