Painting wooden panels
in a room will brighten up the room. Painted wooden
panels will add character to the room irrespective of
the décor of the room. Before painting the panels
think carefully and make sure that this is what your
want. Once painted, stripping the paint off the panels
is an extremely tedious task. Here are few tips on how
to go about painting wooden panels.
Things you require to start painting:
Powdered wall cleaner
Sandpaper and a sanding block
Liquid sandpaper (optional)
Tack cloth
Clear lacquer
Paintbrushes
Stain-blocking primer or Alkyd primer
Latex paint
Tips to paint the panel:
Thoroughly clean the panel, removing dirt
and sediments of wood care products. Use only powdered
cleanser and not liquid cleaners. The products that have to
be sprayed leave a thin layer, which may prevent smooth
application of paint on the wooden panel. Wash off with
water and leave to dry completely.
Insert sand paper into sanding block and
sand the surface that has to be painted. Sanding is done to
roughen and prepare the surface for painting. Dull all shiny
spots. If you prefer using liquid sandpaper do so. Follow
instructions given on the bottle.
Use tack cloth to wipe of dust from
sanding. If there are knots in the panel apply clear lacquer
and let dry completely.
Use an alkyd primer that matches the color
of the base coat to prime the panels. Dry completely. Apply
two fine coats of latex paint to finish off. If the original
color of the panel is very dark the use a primer with a
stain block, which will prevent the dark color from showing
through.
For a simple, easy to maintain look use an
eggshell finish, it is glossy an easy to clean. To give a
room a slightly glamorous look use faux finishes. Another
kind of finish that you can try is to paint a base color,
then apply glaze in a different color and then with the help
of graining tool to give a striped look.
Buy good quality paint and buy a little
more than you need as you will not get the same color if you
run short later on.
If the previous paint was oil-based and you
are planning to use a latex paint this time, then apply a
primer before painting.
Flat finishes are best for concealing wall
imperfections. This finish is good for room where there is
little activity like bedrooms, hallways etc.
Eggshell paint or paint with a little more
shine is best for children's rooms, where it adds a little
brightness and is easy to clean.
Use semi gloss that has more sheen to it
and is more reflective is great for kitchens and bathrooms.
Gloss or high shine paint are best for
cabinets and trims. High sheen emphasizes defects that are
present on the surface.
