Painting Paneling

From the 1960’s to the 1970’s, wood panels were used in creating homes. If you have these panels on your walls, and somehow you find them boring and unfashionable, you don’t have to tear them up. By painting paneling you can give your house a new look for an affordable price. Painting paneling is quite a challenge, because of the surface itself and the special materials needed to complete the task. DIY is not recommended as it can take longer and the results can look sloppy.

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Materials for painting paneling

One of the many reasons why you may need to hire a professional in painting paneling is that he has all the materials needed to successfully complete the project. Most items needed are not available in hardware stores. Unless you have scoured the Internet or asked many people who have done similar jobs themselves, you won’t be able to understand what tools you should use.
However, by hiring a professional you are relieved from this tension as he has all the equipment needed.

Source: Phil Strahl

Benefits of hiring a professional in painting paneling

Painting paneling involves a series of steps that only a professional can do perfectly and efficiently. Here are the benefits of hiring an expert in painting paneling.
1. A professional in painting paneling will prepare the wood surface. He will wear protective equipment because he will use chemicals that can be harmful when it comes in contact with his skin. He will attach painter’s tape on fireplaces, ceilings and windows. He will also detach the switch plate covers that are installed on the wood panels.
2. Prior to painting paneling, he will clean the surface with a Trisodium Phosphate cleaner. For shiny wall panels he will use a deglosser. To address both issues, he will utilize a formulation, which has both Trisodium Phosphate and a deglosser.
3. He has the professional eye, which allows him to see small nicks, bumps and cracks. He will then make the surface even with the use of a Spackle and putty knife.
4. Panels need to be sanded, so a professional has the equipment to make it easier – a pole sander. By doing this step prior to painting paneling, the paint will adhere to the walls. After sanding, he will clean the walls with a tack cloth.
5. He will test a spot of your wall with primer before proceeding with the task of priming and painting paneling walls. This is to make sure that it will work well with your wall and your paint.
6. He will coat the walls with a bonding primer (oil-based) before painting paneling. Experts prefer this because it can conceal flaws well. He can also use an alkyd primer, which can block the stains, and the paint from bleeding through the walls. He will use a roller for the majority of the walls, and a brush for the joints, corners, and trims.
• A professional makes sure the doors and windows are open when he applies primer. The fumes can be malodorous. He will have protective equipment on for this step.
• He will use a primer, which is the same shade as the paint.
7. Given his expert eye, he can see the gaps after the primer has been applied. These usually materialize at in between casings and paneling, and baseboard and paneling. This also happens in the inside corners. He will then fill in the crevices with caulk.
8. Lastly, a professional will use paint, which has the same brand as the primer. He will use the brush for the joints and the corners, and the rollers for the rest of the walls. Professionals know that the second coat should be painted with the use of a roller because if he uses a brush, it will show on the walls.

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Why you need to hire an expert in painting paneling

• He has industry-grade protective gear that keeps him safe throughout the project.
• An expert in painting paneling knows what primer to use. Most professionals use a light gray primer, which can go with any paint color. However, it’s best for deeper and darker colors.
• A professional in painting paneling knows that latex primer should not be used. They dry quickly but they cure slowly. During the process of curing, it can be scratched off unless the panels are fully cured. Adhesions can also develop during the curing process.
• If you want to have tropical California walls, an expert in painting paneling can apply Vanilla-colored latex paint over the primer, with the use of a paint roller.
• If you want to have stripes on the top of the panels, your contractor can mix Vanilla latex paint with glaze. He will add more glaze to the mix if you want a lighter shade. He will start with painting paneling in just one direction – not going back and forth, as this amateurish method will leave striations on the panels. For a varied effect, he can also make use textured paints.
• For paint that will last for years, a professional will use latex paint with a satin finish for painting paneling. That’s because you can easily wash the dirt away on latex-painted walls with just water and soap. Latex acrylic paint dries easily. The color is flexible, and resists chipping and cracking. Another great thing about this paint is that it has no foul odor.
• A professional can also use oil-based paints for painting paneling. The downside about this type is that you’ll need turpentine to clean the surfaces. The paint also has foul fumes. A professional is needed when using oil-based paints as cleaning spills and drips will be very difficult.
• A professional will avoid flat paints, because they are harder to clean.
• A professional in painting paneling will stay away from glossy and semi-glossy paints because they will show the touch-ups that have been done. However, since these two paints easier to clean, a professional can use these paints for the bathroom and the kitchen, where frequently cleaning is involved.

Painting panels involves a lot of intricacies, and the results can be terrible if you do it by yourself. If you want great results, the best option is to call an expert in painting paneling right away.