Last Updated on March 3, 2020 by Ecorf
There’s no denying that wood has become one of the indispensable materials used in the manufacturing of different kinds of furniture. Wood paneling has been around since the 20th century but is gradually falling out of favor in recent years, and the reasons are apparent. Homeowners that are still enthusiastic about it find it challenging to maintain that retro look of the ‘70s without having to spend more.
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How to Cover Wood Paneling without Painting
While wood paneling can cost you some fortune to repaint and keep up the looks in the modern architectural design, you may still want to get around that by discovering how to cover wood paneling without painting. If that is the case, then you would get insights on how to do that when you read further.
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Line the Walls with Bookshelves
You need to realize that there’s an urgent need to cover the wood paneling with an exquisite background. The rule of thumb here is to line the walls with bookshelves that would help in hiding most of the wood.
To bolster that, you may also need to incorporate the wood while finding wall shelves that have the same grain to tag along with it.
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Paint the Trim
While looking to avoid the application of paint, it’s also essential to note that you can apply some colors to make the wood paneling remain attractive. It doesn’t entail painting the entire wood.
Instead, you can paint the trim. In that case, the focus is on the trim around the paneling, which is an excellent way to decorate the bookshelves and the ledge that runs along one side of the room.
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Use Wall Liners
Remember that the paneling is a derivation from the word, “panel,” which means “cloth.” So, you need to understand that applying paint (consistently) to keep maintaining the beauty of the wood may reduce longevity. So, what would you do? Use wall liners!
Wall liners, in this instance, are removable wall coverings that can be applied over paneling. So, you can use the same over paneling and damaged walls to have a smooth surface at the end.
Besides, wall liners are paintable and can be used to cover imperfections on textured surfaces and walls, such as paneling and brick.
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Create A Gallery Wall
There’s a secret that is known to only a few homeowners. That secret is the use of gallery walls to cover wood paneling without painting. It’s also exciting to note that the concept empowers you to obscure the paneling in art. So, you can incorporate pieces of art into the walls without spending more money on painting the paneling. Also, it allows you to bring out those old pictures that you would need to have on your walls.
Here’s the overview of the gallery wall. First, it entails a wall that is covered in art. It has about 2 inches of space in between each piece of art hung on it. Now, you’re expected to come up with the pictures or sketches of crafts that you would love to have on the walls. Once that has been settled, then you can proceed to hang each of the pieces of arts or pictures using a nail and a hammer. While at it, ensure that you maintain the necessary spacing to pull off a coordinated look.
In the end, you would discover that you have not only covered the wood paneling without painting it but have also decorated and covered the accent walls without spending a dime.
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Hang Curtain Rods Along Each Wall
Now is the perfect time to bring out those old curtains to create a unified look in your home. The installation of the curtain rods empowers homeowners to change the overall impression of the room without painting the wood paneling or installing new furniture. Besides, using varieties of colors is an excellent way to diversify the fabrics.
To do that, you have to ensure that the curtain rods do not seem out of place with the drapes. If that is confirmed, then you can install the rods, while hanging colorful drapes along each wall. Using a measuring tape is an excellent way to maintain the same measurement for each installation.
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Mount Strange Arts in Rooms with Distinct Walls
Mounting paintings or pieces of art with odd colors are another excellent way to cover wood paneling without painting. Here, the job is to discover those paintings that are either unconventional or have strange subject matters and odd colors in them. With that in place, the next step would be to mount them using appropriate spacing to create a great atmosphere in the room.
For added effect, you may consider placing a light bulb over the paintings/pieces of art to emphasize the uniqueness of the art.
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Incorporate Other Elements that Work with Paneling
Concise research would reveal that some items can tag along with wood paneling, even without being painted. Some of these are patterns and textures. By layering in the two, you would be able to make the room a little bit cozier.
The focus is usually on the rug, where you would have to stick to distinct, bright rugs to keep off the focus on the paneling. The patterned rugs with robust color schemes can draw away the eyes from the paneling, while the fake zebra print rug and patterns can bring the eye instead to focus on the floor. That way, only a few prying eyes would deviate (if at all) to look at the distinct and rustic look on the wood paneling.
Cover Wood Paneling Without Painting
It doesn’t come as a surprise that many homeowners are still keen on living the retro and ‘70s lives in the 21st century by incorporating wood paneling into their homes. That has helped in beautifying the house even on a budget.’
But, if at any point you get stuck and frustrated by the outdated look on the wood paneling, you may need to pause the decision to paint it. Instead, take a cue from the ideas we just shared on how to cover wood paneling without painting. When you do, please don’t hesitate to share your tips with us, on how you successfully made the wood paneling look good.