# Covering up old paneling? Whats Best?



## Evil Scotsman

Good morning,

I am not sure if I am in the right spot or not. I purchased my Grandmother's house about 3 years ago. City rowhouse, brick construction, plaster and lathe interior walls. etc. I just ripped up the rugs last week, I remember them being put down when my mother was pregnant with my brother making them 35 years old. Anyway, there is 50's asphalt tile on the floor which I would like to cover with hdwood floor eventually. But in the kitchen, part of the dining room and the two back bedrooms are covered in 60's/70's paneling. I HATE it! I want to cover it up/paint it something but do not want to tear it down. FEAR of what is underneath it. On thought I had, (DIY network) was to sand the walls, fill in the grooves with spackle and paint. Not sure how long it would last before the spackle/mud/joint compound would fall out? Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated!

Cheers


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## firehawkmph

Dr. Evil,
I am not a cover it up person. I know you said you don't want to tear the paneling off, but I would recommend it. Chances are it wasn't done to hide anything. Back then, paneling was the in thing to do, along with z-brick. Most people used an adhesive like liquid nails along with some small paneling nails to hold the panels on. I would try removing one piece at least. Pick one in a corner and see how it comes off. You should be able to scrape off the glue and patch and sand the walls. No need to cover up that plaster. I think in the long run it will be easier than trying to patch in all the grooves in the paneling. The other thing a lot of people would do is to sheet the walls with 3/8" drywall right over the paneling. That would be another option for you if you don't want to tear the paneling off.
Mike Hawkins:smile:


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## bradnailer

I believe that if you put a couple of coats of primer on the panelling then did a skim coat of drywall compound, you would not have any problems with adhesion. After the skim coat cures out for a couple of days, I would put another coat of primer, texture the wall then do the final painting. Another thought would be to only remove half the paneling and put chair rail on top of the lower half and paint it, like wainscotting.


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## Gerry KIERNAN

Hi Evil

If the panelling is in good condition you could consider cleaning it and painting right over it. We put up used panelling in our hall, to cover up old ripped up dry wall, and just painted over it, leaving the grooves there. It actually turned out looking pretty good. I would be concerned with any kind of filler loosening and falling out down the road, particularly at the panel joints.

Gerry


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## GeorgeC

I have NEVER seen anyone cover up paneling so that it looked good afterwards. If you want to cover it use 1/2 inch wallboard. 

You can prime, Spackle, skim coat drywall compound, or whatever, but to my eyes it will NEVER look good. I think it would be easier to just go over it with the thinest wallboard you can find.

G


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## Thalweg

*Consider this carefully*

I've done this, but wouldn't recommend it. The first time I tried to cover paneling, I scuffed it with rough sandpaper on a belt sander, then I coated the whole room with spackle and tried to sand it smooth (lots of sanding). No matter what I did, I couldn't get it to where the grooves wouldn't show. Finally I used a roll-on texture (thick paint with sand in it) in an attempt to cover it all. I never was happy with it. You could still see the grooves if you looked closely. I tried it in another room, filling the grooves again, but this time I shot really heavy texture on the walls with a texture gun and knocked it down. This looked better, but I still wasn't all that happy with it.

Since then I sold that house, and my new place had paneling throughout the entire house. From my previous experience I decided it was just as easy to remove all of the paneling and replace it with sheetrock. It wasn't any more work and the results are much better (and sheetrock is relatively cheap). It also gave me an opportunity to upgrade electrical, plumbing, and add more insulation.


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## joesdad

There is a heavy type of textured wallpaper that I have seen the pros use that covers all your paneling seamlessly. Skim coat, sand smooth, prime, paint. No chance of grooves showing, came out beautiful.
Me? drywall and be done with it.


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## John in Tennessee

*What about leaving the paneling up and......*

put 1/4 drywall over it.


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## Evil Scotsman

Thanks everyone for the input. I have considered many of the options posted. With the 3 top runners being, leaving the paneling and covering with thin sheetrock, taking down paneling and replacing with sheetrock, and sanding and painting the paneling. As I said my big fear is what it looks like underneath. My concern would be getting the sheetrock level (as in with removing the paneling), Matching up the baseboards, (as in with rocking over top of the paneling) and the paint peeling, (as in painting over top of the paneling). So ideas are still rolling around. 

Does anyone know any thing as TSP (?) if I have the correct initials. Cleaning solution for removing grease, etc. 

Thanks AGAIN!


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## GeorgeC

TriSodium Phosphate (TSP) is a good cleaning agent. Have never used it to clean grease. My main use has been, along with chlorox, to clean patio furniture.

G


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## Evil Scotsman

George,

I said grease, I didn't mean car grease or anything like that, I was refering to kitchen grease. (read as years of build up) I would like to paint my kitchen cabinets but wanted to make sure of course they were clean. Do you know how TSP is for that?

Thanks


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## mics_54

I wouldn't do anything to it until I found out what IS under it. If you just slap up drywall you can't be sure the screws will hold. You will be making some problems with the electrical boxes, door jambs, window trim, etc.


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## bradnailer

For cleaning the wood panelling, you can also use Murphy's Oil Soap.


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## BHOFM

For all the trouble of cleaning and prep, and the fact
that it will always be, "covered up paneling", it just
ain't worth the effort.

Tear it down. We used primed bead board paneling to
replace our old wood paneling, it is the same thickness
so there is no problem with the trim or electrical. 
It is not expensive, and it paints like it was drywall.
And it took less than a day to do two walls. From
start to painting.


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## dbhost

I am going with the folks that suggest that you rip that stuff out of there are replace with sheet rock. Start from the ceiling and work your way down so that your moldings cover up any gaps (there should be slight ones). 

I have seen several houses where the trick of filling in the grooves with wallboard mud was used, it looks horrid. They used TSP, sanded, primed, applied in thin coats, sanded etc... to get it all to stick and the stuff is still chunking off...

Rip it down to the studs, repair or exterminate any surprises you might find and do the job right the first time. In the long run you will be MUCH happier with a proper remodel than a half (Symbol for the Democratic Party) job. (NOT going political here, just trying to find polite euphemism..).


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## frankp

I'm going with the "tear it down" crowd on this one. I just did that in my family room and it makes a huge difference. Covered paneling will always look covered. Leaving it up and sheetrocking over it is just going to be a lesson in frustration when you need to change things later down the line.

As for cleaning kitchen grease, washing with Dawn dish soap generally does the trick without the harshness of some of the other cleaners. Probably takes a bit more elbow grease but it won't mess up your finish or anything like that, assuming you want to keep the finish as is before painting.


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## BHOFM

One other note here, I lived in an apartment and
the paneling was installed over unfinished sheet
rock to start with.

Some times the surprises under things are not
bad.


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## Evil Scotsman

BHOFM said:


> One other note here, I lived in an apartment and
> the paneling was installed over unfinished sheet
> rock to start with.
> 
> Some times the surprises under things are not
> bad.


BH, I do know (kind of) what is underneath the paneling, old dried out plaster and lathe. AND I know in my HEART that removing the paneling is the TRUE way I should go. The fact is I would actually LOVE to tear down the plaster and lathe, (there must be 3 or 4 layers of wallpaper that is dried out and coming loose all over the house) BUT I don't know if I trust my skills to do it. It would actully be to my advantage to tear it out that way I could upgrade the wiring and add outlets that are needed EVERYWHERE. (House built around 1910 - 1920) But as I said I don't know that I trust my skills for a complete gut job. So I guess I am stuck with the paneling, limited outlets, and 70's kitchen. Have to see if I can learn somewhere and go from there!

THANK YOU ALL for your input

Any other suggestions are MORE than WELCOME!


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## BHOFM

I really think it would take less skill to tear out and
start over that to try to match trim and get a good
finish on the project.

It would be like new construction once you got all
the crap out of the way. Plus you could do a proper
job of it with new wiring and insulation, vapor barrier
and all.

In the long run it will be cheaper than tearing it
out later to do it right.

It might be best to leave it for later and do some
of the other things first.


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## GeorgeC

" I really think it would take less skill to tear out and
start over that to try to match trim and get a good
finish on the project."

I think that this is a very good statement. DO NOT sell yourself short. The tear out takes no skill. Installing wallboard takes some skill, but you can learn that part rather quickly. The only hard part is the joints. A little practice and you will be an expert.

The tear out may be dirty and messy, but just think of how the whole thing will look after you are finished.

Do not under rate advantages of updating the electrical system. You will probably get major insurance rate savings as well as safety peace of mine.  The bonus will be the increased outlets and switches plus the higher amperage rating. Houses built in that time frame have very poor electrical systems comparred to modern.

George


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## TheRecklessOne

John in Tennessee said:


> put 1/4 drywall over it.


I'm with John on this one. 1/4" drywall is the way to go.


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## ESCANABAJOSH

i just moved into a new "old" house. the livingroom and both bedrooms were paneling, ugly old stuff. i figured to save money i'd paint over it for now. i guess the few hundred it cost it came out nice, just make sure ya clean it good (tsp) and use a oil based primer, it worked okay but as soon as a get the extra money i'm tearing it all out old plaster and all and putting up new drywall. i was going to go with the 1/4" dry wall gone over the paneling, but i figure if i'm gunna do the dry wall i might as well do it right the first time.....it sucks paying the extra cost to tear the old stuff out but it will look so much better. oh also about the TSP i don't know about grease but it made the paneling in my living room so much better from a little scrubing with that stuff and the guy who lived in the house befor us was 92 and smoke a lot and it took the tar off great. hope what ever way ya pick works out for ya but my opinion is "in the long run" tear out and drywall is the way to go..............


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## firehawkmph

Tear it out...Tear it out...Tear it out.....:laughing:
I still vote for the tear out. When else do you get to tear stuff up and nobody yells at you for it? Tear it out, clean up the mess. Upgrade the wiring and any old plumbing you expose. Insulate properly and then hang the new drywall. If you don't want to tape it, have someone that is good at it help you. Then you can learn at the same time. I taught my son when he was fifteen. He was cutting the drywall, cutting out outlet holes, etc., faster that I could hang it. When it came time to tape, I bought him his own stainless steel mud tray and let him at it. The only stipulation was that he had to sand whatever he taped. He did a fine job. It's not that hard to learn. Also, TSP is a heavy duty cleaner that's been around for a long time. It is stronger than your normal household cleaners and will take the grease off your cabinets and walls. Just follow the directions on the box when you mix it with water. Wear rubber gloves as it will tend to dry your skin out. Good luck, you can do it..........
Mike Hawkins:sweatdrop::hammer::drink::thumbup1:


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## Evil Scotsman

Thank You ALL for the votes of confidence. THAT is what I would really like to do, TEAR IT OUT and re sheetrock the whole place. 

Guess that is something I will have to discuss with my wife, and then see how much family and friends I can scrape together after Christmas!


THANKS ALL!


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## BHOFM

> how much family and friends I can scrape together after Christmas!


Good luck!


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## goingenoan

Yeah, TSP is a great product to cut through grease and grim but you got to remember to rinse it all off with clean water so that the primer will stick to the prepped surface.


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## woodman42

We just did a similar job in a living room. We removed the old paneling, which came off very easily because the adhesive was as old as Moses. We installed 1/4" drywall, taped, floated, textured and painted. Came out fine. Don't be afraid of tape and floating, with a little patience, it is really easy to do.


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## Frisbie

Evil Scotsman said:


> BH, I do know (kind of) what is underneath the paneling, old dried out plaster and lathe. AND I know in my HEART that removing the paneling is the TRUE way I should go. The fact is I would actually LOVE to tear down the plaster and lathe, (there must be 3 or 4 layers of wallpaper that is dried out and coming loose all over the house) BUT I don't know if I trust my skills to do it. It would actully be to my advantage to tear it out that way I could upgrade the wiring and add outlets that are needed EVERYWHERE. (House built around 1910 - 1920) But as I said I don't know that I trust my skills for a complete gut job. So I guess I am stuck with the paneling, limited outlets, and 70's kitchen. Have to see if I can learn somewhere and go from there!
> 
> THANK YOU ALL for your input
> 
> Any other suggestions are MORE than WELCOME!


Your skills will be increased for the next project if you do the job correctly to start!


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## David K

My first try at wallboard was harder than it had to be, because I used too much mud (and had to sand forever). 

For my second try, I hung the wallboard, but hired a contractor to do the mud. I watched while he worked, learned some tips, and have done a bunch of projects since, with fine results.

Hiring a person just to tape and mud was a lot less expensive than I expected. For him, it was a 1-hour job, with no clean-up needed. 

At least make a call to see what you'd be charged in Philly. If the price is right, do the job the way your heart tells you that you should!


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## scribbles

TEAR IT OUT!!!.. Covering something does not fix it. Tear it out, skim coat the plaster, prime and paint. Cheaper, easer, and the correct way to do it. Do it right, or do it twice.


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## cabinetdesigner

We had paneling in our living room and my wife saw on th HG channel they spackled the cracks in and painted it. I did not want to do that so I waited until she was out of town and started ripping it out. Only to discover that there was nothing under it. She about freaked. I called a drywall guy and had it drywalled and textured it looked like a new room. also put a new floor in while I was at it.


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## scribbles

that is the way to do it. It will always look better when done.


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## john5mt

im for tearing out the panelling and plaster/lathe, get the electrical updated and plumbing checked out, then re hang drywall and and paint it and the house will be bootyfull


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## scribbles

good man :thumbsup:


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## bzbatl

So did he tear it out before xmas?

I would have agreed with the tear it out because, quite frankly, demo is therapeutic.

Newer insulation saves money in the long run. Also correct any framing issues you might find. Fresh, paperless sheetrock is worth its weight.

Not to mention I'd run CAT5 along with new electrical so the whole house is wired for FIOS or U-Verse when it's available in your neighborhood


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## DannyT

what john in tennessee said- 1/4 drywall
but the advantages of tearing out the paneling are
better insulation in the outside walls
update the wiring
change the layout of the kitchen to better suit you


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