Fifty or sixty years in the past, somebody was very pleased with himself when he discovered how you can emboss faux wooden grain onto sheets of pressboard. And I tolerated it as an accent wall in my front room for too lengthy.
I used to be able to tear it out, however my brother got here up with a greater thought. We’d take that wall from being a darkish, quaint eyesore that crowded the room, to a brilliant focus that lightens the room and has the character of aged barnwood or a beachy, oceanfront shack.
Step 1 – Prep the Room
That is going to be dusty. Clear all of the decorations, furnishings and fixtures from the paneled wall and defend the realm with plastic drop cloths and painter’s tape. Because you’re solely engaged on one wall, you don’t must empty the room, however be sure that every part is out of your method and lined up.
Step 2 – Sand the Paneling
Paneling isn’t made to be painted and even altered. If this was actual wooden, you’d sand it simply sufficient to tough up the floor to simply accept the whitewash. On this case, use a palm sander with about 100-grit paper to knock the end off the wall. Concentrate, since you need to take away the highest layer, however the “grain” is barely millimeters thick and also you don’t need to sand previous it. Nonetheless, chances are high for those who make a mistake, it’s sanding too little, not sanding an excessive amount of. Work with the grain, from “board” to “board,” to cover the sanding marks. You received’t get the colour off the wall, however the paneling will seem lighter and duller the place it’s been sanded. This stage is messy. Put on a mud masks so you do not breath within the powdered paneling.
Step 3 – Mud and Prep the Paneling
Now that the end is off the wall, wipe the sanding mud away with clear, damp rags. This does two issues. First, any floor you paint must be freed from mud, so the paint adheres to the wall, to not the particles. Second, the dampness opens up the pores within the paneling so it would take within the pickling higher, similar to a moist sponge absorbs water higher than a dry one.
Step 3 – Combine the Whitewash
For one wall, you most likely received’t use greater than a gallon of paint. Pour the paint right into a 5-gallon bucket and add as a lot water as you want to obtain the look you need. It must be concerning the consistency of half-and-half. It is dependent upon the paint you employ, however my ratio turned out to really be half and half, equal elements water and paint.
Dip the rags within the whitewash and rub the colour into the paneling, spreading the basecoat and the brand new paint as deep as you may into the grain and the pores. You’ll not find yourself with even protection. That’s the purpose. Some spots could have been sanded greater than others. Some areas of paint can be thicker than others. Identical to actual wooden weathers erratically and develops character out within the parts, your paneling takes on the pickling erratically and finally ends up wanting extra like actual wooden.
Step 5 – Clear Up and Put the Room Again Collectively
As a result of the pickling dries so quick, you are able to do this venture on a day, and have your room again within the night.
Pull up the painter’s tape, roll away the drop cloths and put your furnishings and decorations again so as. You simply modified the entire feel and look of your area in half a day and with a single can of paint.