How to paint timber panelling?

[MadeleineRobin]

Hi There, 

We're planning to paint the wooden timber paneling white in our house this weekend and hoping for some advice before coming in to buy supplies: 

- Do we need to sand it back before painting?

- What sort of paint should we use? (Gloss, semi gloss, satin, non-gloss?)

- Does it matter if the white is not exactly the same white as the wall above? 

We're rookies but excited to get our hands dirty! Images below. 

Thanks, 

Maddy

[KatieC]

Hi @MadeleineRobin,

First, let me extend a warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community! It is awesome you have joined and thank you for your painting question. I think your home is going to look gorgeous with your updated subtle feature panelling. Our resident D.I.Y. expert @EricL will be online later this afternoon to assist but let me tag our experienced painting members @prettyliving, @diy_hausdesigns, and @Renowayoflife for their suggestions. In the meantime, check out these great articles How to paint like a professional and How to choose the right paint for the job to get you started. 

We look forward to seeing your walls transform and would love to see what you create when you are finished. Please update us with photos of your D.I.Y. journey. 

Katie

[Renowayoflife]

hi @MadeleineRobin  welcome to the community!

How exciting, can I say you have a beautiful home.

We have painted timber panels previously and with any painting project prep is key. You don't need to completely strip them back to raw wood but I would suggest you sand. If it were me I would

1. firstly sand on a 220 grit using a battery operated sander, a palm sander or orbital would do the trick. You want to rough up the surface a little so the paint adheres.

2. Prime 

3. Paint. You may need a couple of coats as the knots can sometimes still show through. Re the finish then that's preference again. If you choose a gloss this will create some interest and will be different to the wall above, a semi gloss will be a subtle difference. 

Paint colour is a personal preference, you don't have to match the white walls, you could make the woodwork a feature and choose a contrasting colour or a lighter colour that is different to the white if you would prefer it to be a subtle difference.

Good luck and let us know how it all goes.

[EricL]

Hello @MadeleineRobin 

Thanks for sharing your question about painting your timber panelling. It's great that you've received excellent advice from @Renowayoflife. The general steps they've described are exactly how you should prepare your timber panels. In regards to the electric sander, I suggest looking at detail sanders. They will allow you to get into the grooves and corners of your panelling. 

However, please remember that some areas will need to be sanded by hand specially those areas that have curves on them.

I recommend having a look at Dulux 1Step Prep Primer, Sealer & Undercoat 4L as a primer and Dulux 4L Vivid White Low Sheen Wash&Wear Interior Paint for the topcoat. Most household walls are finished in low sheen as it provides adequate dust and dirt resistance.

Before you make your decision, I suggest going to your stores paint department and looking at the paint finishes sample board. There you'll be able to see full gloss, semi-gloss, low sheen and matt finish. 

My number one tip is to use drop sheets to cover your appliances and flooring to protect them from sanding dust. Make sure to use masking tape to secure the drop sheets and to cover the areas you don't want over painted.

Here are some handy step-by-step guides:

• How to prepare a wall for painting
    
• How to paint a room
   
• How to paint a feature wall

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[MadeleineRobin]

Thanks Eric!! Super helpful. Will let you know how it goes.

Maddy