04 Dec 11 How Can You Enhance Your Home With Decorative Paneling
One element of interior decoration that has been getting popular over the years is wall paneling. One often comes across wall panel covering walls from the floor level in homes. Interior decorative paneling for walls is mainly identified as wainscoting. It gives a touch of class to simply painted walls and adds an element of style to your room. Not so long ago, these were mainly used to conceal the defects on the walls caused by ‘rising damps’ and to maintain their beauty. Though rising damp is no more a problem, the wainscoting still remains an important part of interior decoration with the intention of reinforcing the lower part of walls.
With innovations and developments in the field of architecture, there have been developments in this aspect of interior decoration. It’s no more confined to use of simple wooden panels, machine pressed attractive wood paneling for walls with distinctive designs, and concrete and tile panels are getting increasingly popular. There is a wide choice of materials available and you can choose one as per your budget. Bathroom paneling is getting equally popular. Here are some ideas, should you be considering the incorporation of wall paneling in your interiors.
Paneling Material
Decorative paneling for walls is most frequently made from wood. The wood used for making panels may be hardboard, hardwood, engineered wood, MDF or plywood. Additionally, vinyl and fiberboard is also used quite often. One may use veneers or laminates to add finish to the wooden panels. Other than that, staining and polishing is also becoming popular to get natural wood finish. It gives amazing looks and a rustic feel to home decor. Panels may also be painted in choice colors to match the color of paint on walls. Of late, it’s becoming popular to use stone or tile panels and concrete panels for decorating walls of commercial and residential premises.
Installation Styles
You can install decorative wall panels in different ways. Sizes would vary as per your plan of interior decoration. Their height can vary from one and a half foot to covering half the wall. At times, these may be used to cover the entire wall. On inspecting, you would find knotty pine paneling a must for your farm house or cottage. These can be installed to cover the wall completely. You can surely employ these for making window or door frames and pillars. Wainscoting for stairs is quite popular and looks great. If you are considering installation of wall panels that cover a complete wall or all the walls of your room, you need to make a careful choice as this kind of installation makes the room to have very prominent looks.
Panel Designs
First of all you need to decide if you would prefer to have modern or traditional wall panels. If you prefer to go for a traditional look, you can choose from wood grain finish panels, bead and board wall panels or flat plank panel designs. The advantage of plank panels is that you can install them vertically, horizontally and even diagonally, if you so desire. You may opt to have raised panel, overlay panel and designer panel. For modern-day interiors, do look into the latest designs with grill and perforated panels. The latest designs involve using perforation or miniature work and ornamental designs. Or you may consider having acoustic wall panels that have very exclusive looks. Concrete and stone panels give a grand look to your rooms while stone wall panes have elegant and gorgeous looks.
Different designs of decorative wall panels made using durable materials can surely add to the elegance of your interiors. You could also opt for wainscoting styles especially tailored to suit your taste and style. Go ahead and have beautiful panels to create a great looking space for living.
25 Nov 11 Taking Care Of Kitchen Cabinets When Painting Your Home
Almost every town or city has one or two areas comprising of very old homes. And it happens that some rooms in such homes are often in desperate need of paint. So, you should be prepared to undertake some renovation and painting if you decide to move into one of these houses. Having bought such a house, you would probably have limited budget for its renovation. Under such circumstances it’s logical to start with the ugliest part of the house. Invariably that happens to be the kitchen. So, you are prompted to take steps to improve looks and functioning of this important part of your new home. This may include replacing its floor, sink and the counter top. Fortunately, these are all easy DIY projects and you would like to save money for doing other things. Having taken care of the functionality of your kitchen, it’s time to paint it.
Even if you are not financially prepared to undertake a major overhaul of your kitchen, you can’t help avoiding giving it a fresh coat of paint to give it a neat look and keep it clean, which you would agree is important from the point of view of hygiene also. So, here we go and follow some simple steps for painting of kitchen or bathroom cabinets:
You start by sanding the cabinets to give them a smooth finish and remove any uneven old paint from the surface to be painted.
Once you have sanded the cabinets, wash them with warm water and mild soap or normal house cleaning agents or tri-sodium phosphate (TSP) that you can easily procure from local hardware or paint store. Care should be taken not to soak wood, lest it should get warped. Allow it to dry totally.
Apply one or two coats of primer on the cabinets. This helps the paint to stick better, thus reducing the chances of paint getting peeled or scratched. Now is the time to decide if you would like to paint both the sides of the cabinet drawers and doors. Though painting on the outside is essentially needed, painting them on the inside will add to your work and expense.
You may need to apply at least two coats of paint or more, depending on the choice of your color. Off-white color generally needs two coats. Final coat should have a strong polycrylic finish. This is especially needed for kitchen cabinets as they are used too often. Apart from offering some shine and smoothness, polycrylic finish prevents the stains and knick from going deep into wood and facilitates cleaning without having to worry about paint getting removed. Watch out, it is polycrylic and not polyurethane paint that is to be used.
The most important precaution you need to take during the entire process is to prevent paint from falling off the brush and smudging the doors of your cabinet. Be prepared to patiently wait fro the paint to get died at the end of each application of paint. It is going to be inconvenient with doors off the cabinets, especially if you have a toddler at home. But at the end of all this time consuming and tiring effort you would love to work in a kitchen that looks as good as a new one.
23 Feb 11 Paint Over Paneling To Change Room’s Decor
Perhaps no other way is as effective to change the looks of a room than painting its walls in a suitable color scheme. But homes that have wood paneling pose the question of how to apply paint over the existing paneling.
Many DIY enthusiasts keen to renew the dark wood paneling often like to know how to paint such paneling. Many old homes have walls covered with wood paneling that poses its own limitation while redesigning homes. Nevertheless, painting of paneling is a workable proposition provided you could spare enough time.
On comparing the cost of panel painting to other options, like installing wallboard or plasterboard, or ripping apart the paneling and executing sheetrock, you will realize that it is the least expensive. Moreover, painting is quicker and easier that other options.
There are a couple of things that you need to check before really getting started with painting of panels. It’s important to have an even surface devoid of any nicks and grooves, which can be taken care of by use of spackle. Sanding of the wood is another activity that you may have to undertake before application of paint. Get rid of all dust with the help of a moist sponge. Having so cleaned an even surface, you need to apply a primer on paneling as it’s not very receptive to paints. You are going to need tools like sandpaper, pre-mix plaster or speckle, sponge and putty knife.
Painting is a slow time consuming process but always proves to be worthwhile at the end. Often, one is required to apply a couple of coats, depending on how dark and old the paneling is. Always use paints of good quality and make sure that the first coat has completely dried before applying the next one. The drying time for the paint is often mentioned on the container.
When painting panels, you need to take care of grooves that get formed over every panel. It’s quite difficult to cover these using primer or paint and some measures need to be taken before hand. The best way to cover these is to fill them up with caulk, pre-mix plaster or spackle and then apply a few coats of paint on the covered area, keeping them as even as possible with the surrounding surface.
The best tool for applying paint over paneling is a paint roller. Rollers cover the surface evenly and quickly. The final finish is very smooth and the wall looks perfect. It’s important to ensure adequate ventilation while painting.
When considering panel painting, bear in mind that it’s going to take many days before the job is over. However, you can do it in any of the rooms including living room, family room or the bedroom. It’s one of the not so expensive projects to enhance the decor of any room.
12 Jan 11 Painting Stone Paneling – Your DIY Guide
Covering a wall with another material like wood or stone is termed as paneling. Even plastic may be used for the purpose to keep the expense low.
The functioning of paneling is to cover the original wall that may be of wood or solid stone. It adds to the aesthetics of the room, making it more inviting. Usually, people install paneling because of its decorative element.
There are different types of paneling, depending on the material employed for the purpose. Primarily, paneling is applied in two styles:
* Raised paneling – This is an excellent old style, perhaps the oldest. This comprises of finest wood veneers that have natural variation.
* Ceiling paneling – This style gives a different look and can be made of many materials like metal, fiber and wood etc. Most often it’s used for interior decoration. It gives decorative finishing while providing insulation against heat and sound. Its cleaning is very convenient.
Stone paneling is used for indoor as well for outdoors. It is best suited for having amazing water features. Stone panels come in varied textures and in four primary colors – charcoal, white quartz, ivory and ochre.
Panels made from natural stones are very durable and produce a sense of enduring elegance.
Stone paneling is available in modular form and offers quick and easy installation on solid surfaces. Its beautiful texture can be exploited to create innovative designs in any space. However, there is an allusion of roughness about it. Stone panel makes a striking wall feature due its aesthetically pleasant lines. Such panels are best used in places like pools and spas, inside kitchens and bathrooms, offices, in small shops, bars or cafés. It is ideally suited for cladding a concrete or brick wall.
While offering great looks, stone paneling also has the utilities of genuine masonry stonework. Stone paneling offers the following advantages:
- It is highly durable.
- It remains cost effective.
- It resists fire and ultra- violet rays.
- It has waterproofing characteristics.
- It provides insulation.
- It hardly needs any maintenance.
Stone painting paneling helps achieving all these properties. Though more expensive than other options, stone panels are certainly longer lasting.
09 Dec 10 Painting Wood Paneling – You Can Do It Too!
One often opted way for changing the décor of any room is painting its walls. Despite anything and everything, the walls are the starting point for finalizing the color scheme and the focal point any decoration plans concerning any room. But homes that have wood paneling, the obvious question is how to paint over paneling for giving the room a fresh new look.
A very common question posed by DIY enthusiasts wanting to renew the dark wood paneling in their home is how to paint over paneling, as many old homes have paneled walls which limit the imagination of interior designs for home. You may be relieved to learn that painting of paneling is a feasible project provided you have the time for it.
When thinking of painting over paneling, compare the expense of other options you may have. It has proven to be economical than installing wallboard, removing the paneling and fixing of sheetrock, or even putting up plasterboard. Moreover, painting is easier and quicker than other options.
While considering how to paint over paneling, take time to assess the preparations involved. Before you really start applying the chosen paint, you may have to sand the wood paneling and add Spackle to any groove or pockmarks. Using a damp sponge gets rid of all wood dust. Application of an oil or latex primer is necessarily required as wood paneling is not the best surface to which paint adheres to. The tools that you need for the preparation work include sandpaper, a putty knife, Spackle or pre-mixed plaster, and a sponge or rag.
Painting is a slow process but the results make it worthwhile. You may be required to apply a few coats of paint, depending on the darkness of the wood being handled. It’s important to use a quality product and do ensure that the first coat is completely dry before you apply the second coat. The right drying time for the paint is generally mentioned on the packing.
One more thing you should bear in mind when considering painting of paneling is the grooves that are sure to be there between each panel. Trying to cover them with paint or primer is generally an effort in futility. That part of the job needs some additional work. The best way is to make use of caulk, Spackle, or pre-mixed plaster for filling the gaps and then use a paintbrush to paint in the grooves so that they become as even with the rest of the surface as is possible.
In deciding how to paint over paneling, the finest tool that you could use is a paint roller. It enables an even and quick covering of the surface. If you employ an even and firm painting technique, the final outcome will be impressive and look as good as any other painted wall in your house. Make sure to have adequate ventilation all thru the process of painting.
If you are thinking on the lines of painting over paneling, remember that you are going to spend a few days for completion of the job. . Yet, you can do it in any of the rooms and that includes the bedroom, family room, or living room. It’s not too difficult or expensive a project that can add to the décor of your place.
28 Nov 10 Basics On Painting Paneling
Though the faux wooden paneling gained popularity in the sixties to seventies, modern homeowners find it quite problematic as it limits the designs of interior decoration. In the era gone by, the paneling was installed in place of drywall, as it was economical and convenient to install. The difficulty with paneling is that it’s dark and dull, old dated and quite hard to replace.
There are not many who can spare time and money to undertake the project of removing old paneled walls and replace those with drywalls. It can be quite taxing, physically and financially too. Fortunately a cheaper solution is there. People don’t consider painting of panels as a viable solution and have apprehension that painted paneling would look awful.
But that’s not true. Paneling can be painted to make it look great. You can convert any dark and dirty paneling to a bright looking wall in a matter of hours. However, there are many actions to be taken to first prepare the paneling to begin to look attractive and welcoming for the years to come.
Here is a list of items you will require:
o Liquid De-glosser
o Oil-based (Shellac-based) Primer
o Latex Eggshell or Satin Finish Paint
o 3/8″ Nap Paint Roller
o 2″ Nylon-Poly Brush
o Painter’s Tape
First Step: De-glossing
Start cleaning the paneling and taping off ceilings, windows, adjoining woodwork, etc…
o Tip – make sure that the area is adequately ventilated. Switch on fans and throw open the windows.
There is a natural gloss or shine of wooden paneling. As the paint doesn’t really adhere to such glossy wood, your first job is to get rid of this gloss. That is achieved by sanding the whole surface with fine-grit sandpaper. But that’s too messy and laborious a job. Fortunately, an easier way is there.
Liquid de-glosser is an excellent product that saves you all the taxing of muscles and causes no dust. Its application easily removes the gloss from painted wood surfaces, and that allows better adhesion of primer and paint to the surface.
Evenly apply the de-glosser to the surface of the paneling with a lint-free cotton rag in five-foot strips. Let the de-glosser remain on the surface as per the time mentioned in the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
Work on different parts of wall, de-gloss the area followed by priming. Keep in mind that the de-glosser remains effective for a limited period of time, usually one hour or so, and the primer has to be applied over the de-glosser within that time.
o Second Step: Priming
Selection of an appropriate primer for the project is vitally important. For wooden paneling, an oil-based primer is recommended as it sticks better than the water-based counterparts and has a better stain-hiding capacity. Here again, make sure to have the place well ventilated.
Using a brush and roller apply the primer. Use the brush at an angle so that the primer gets into the grooves of the paneling. Roll out whatever is left.
o Tip – In case you plan painting top coat in a darker shade you should choose a suitably tinted primer.
Third Step: Painting the Paneling
The last step is to apply the eggshell or satin finish above the dried primer. Make sure that the primer had enough time to get dried before you start applying paint.
Using a 2″ brush cut in along the edges and into the grooves of the paneling and then roll out the rest of the wall with a 3/8″ nap roller.
If needed, let the base coat be there for at least 6 to 8 hours for curing before you apply the next coat.
Having so finished, take out the entire tape as soon as possible. If the paint is already dried to form a thin layer on the edge of the tape, use a utility knife over the length of the tape edge and separate the two.
Painting of paneling can entirely change the looks and ambience of any room. Transform your old fashioned dull rooms by painting of its panels.
