Question for the senior members

[Tom7227]

When did they start using adhesive to put up paneling? We have a huge room that has very nice oak finished plywood paneling. Mrs. doesn't like it any more and wants to paint it. I would rather take it down than paint it. If adhesive was used in the mid-60's to mid'70's this could be a game changer because I am not interested in dealing with the adhesive or re-rocking the walls.

Thanks for your time.

Tom

[delcecchi]

We bought our house in 73. The previous owner had done a quick and dirty paneling job in the basement by using adhesive to stick foam to the wall then using it to stick cheap paneling to the foam.

If you take down the paneling, what is under it?

Won't just painting the paneling look sort of crummy?

[Tom7227]

I think painting it will make it look like the Clampitt's house. I assume that there is sheet rock under it but I guess I won't know until/if I start to talk it down. The room is 23 x 33 with 9 foot ceilings. Half used to be a garage and is on a slab. New flooring is in process and so the cash has already started to flow.

[delcecchi]

I think painting it will make it look like the Clampitt's house. I assume that there is sheet rock under it but I guess I won't know until/if I start to talk it down. The room is 23 x 33 with 9 foot ceilings. Half used to be a garage and is on a slab. New flooring is in process and so the cash has already started to flow.

The original Clampitt's house or the new one in Beverly Hills? If you need a possum for dinner I might be able to help. Saw one in the back yard a couple days ago.

[jentz]

Lots a panneling was nailed and glued in the 70s, glue between the studs for cheap flimsy panneling,Some was just nailed with the color coded nails.Its a hit or miss situation.Good panneling was just nailed.

[CAMAN]

I'm nowhere near "senior" but my intuition tells me, if you see nails then it's nailed and possibly glued, if you don't see any nails (or very few) then it's most likely glued.

[upnorth]

I would take and tap a few spots to see if it kinda moves a little between studs/nails. Really solid and you more than likely have glue.

Second though is they make really thick wallpaper that will cover the grooves in the paneling and is paintable. We have used that for short term where we didn't want to tear things to the studs and re rock, but couldn't stand looking at the paneling anymore.

[PurpleFloyd]

I have run into this many times over the years. The best way to find out if it is glued is to find a spot where you can pry one piece loose carefully to see if there is adhesive behind it. It may have adhesive right by the seams and ends or the installer may have kept it back a ways and let the nails hold the seam. There were a gazillion different guys installing the paneling and every one had their own particular methods.

If there is sheetrock behind it then more than likely you would have a mess removing it. I have had people either take everything back to the studs and update the insulation and then re sheetrock it, I have had people put 3/8" sheetrock over the paneling and lately I have had many that just skim coat the walls with joint compound and then texture and paint the walls.

The latter seems to work surprisingly well and is the least intrusive way to make the walls look like wall board.

[Tom7227]

I took a piece off and it is glued. Strips across the bottom and top and at the studs. It is blackish material. The paper on the sheet rock partially tore off on the 4x4 piece that I took off. I assume that it can't be mudded over, or can it with tape? The wall was never taped and so that would have to be done anyway. If that won't work then I guess that covering it with 3/8 rock would be the cleanest way to do it. I don't think I would do anything but butt it up to the window trim since getting involved with the trim and moving it out and then having to deal with the face of the window frame seems like a PITA. The existing rock is discolored with age so it will take a lot to paint it.

This stuff never goes easy.

[CAMAN]

Any good taper can throw a skim coat over the wall and make it look like new.

[LwnmwnMan2]

I took a piece off and it is glued. Strips across the bottom and top and at the studs. It is blackish material. The paper on the sheet rock partially tore off on the 4x4 piece that I took off. I assume that it can't be mudded over, or can it with tape? The wall was never taped and so that would have to be done anyway. If that won't work then I guess that covering it with 3/8 rock would be the cleanest way to do it. I don't think I would do anything but butt it up to the window trim since getting involved with the trim and moving it out and then having to deal with the face of the window frame seems like a PITA. The existing rock is discolored with age so it will take a lot to paint it.

This stuff never goes easy.

Put it back on and paint over it. We did that in our foyer, painting over trim and paneling that was 1/2 way up the wall and it turned out great!!

[Surface Tension]

Painting over the paneling and trim is going to be the easiest route and if its in good shape, will look OK too. If isn't going to hurt anything and would at least buy you time.

So you know what our in for if you pull the paneling down. At the very least it'll be taping the joints. This is the same room that is cold. You might find other surprises once the paneling is removed and a reason for the cold room. In that area you might pull down the sheetrock, eliminate any air infiltration, add insulation if necessary, new VB, and hang new sheetrock.

I'm going to assume that the original living space has finished walls and painted behind the paneling. If you get lucky you might get by with a little patching and a skim coat.

If you end up using 3/8th sheet rock over the old, remove all molding and use extension jambs. If you butt up to the trim it'll look bad and since you've gone this far no reason to take a shortcut on the finish. You can buy electrical box extensions as well.

Again, Painting over the paneling and trim is going to be the easiest route and if its in good shape, will look OK too. If isn't going to hurt anything and would at least buy you time.

[jentz]

Any good taper can throw a skim coat over the wall and make it look like new.

Theres where I'd go.Then a sprayed orangepeel texture hides any imperfections.

[chad austin]

Being this is the "cold room" I would do as Surface Tension recommended and take it back as far as possible and look for potential problems IE no vapor barrier.

[CAMAN]

Ah yes, if this room is notoriously cold I would do as suggested and insulate and vapor barrier properly.

[Tom7227]

Ok guys, before you have me tearing my entire room apart -

The room is cold because it is the lowest spot in the house not because of bad insulation. Two thirds of the room was a garage and it built on a slab. I don't know for sure but I think that was done in the early to mid-70's. There is decent insulation and a vapor barrier. The rock was put up and the paneling directly over it without priming the rock or taping it. I have a good deal of the paneling down and it doesn't look that bad. I am going to get a taper over here to see about the skim coat. If that won't work then it will be rock over rock, tape and then paint.

This whole thing started out as a flooring task and I hope that comes in at a decent price. The wall thing is sort of an add on. I don't intend to go cheap but I'm also not going to take it down to the studs. If I did that the next thing you know would have to[put in windows in the two walls without..........

[Tom7227]

I know how you guys relish updates on what's going on -

So far the paneling has come down with minimal damage. I am trying to find a taper who will take on a relatively small job and clean things up for me.

As I suspected now another wall is destined for the ash heap. It's an interior wall so hopefully it won't be a big deal.

The upper part of the room - what was part of the original house has thrown a couple curves. I took one piece of paneling off and found that it hadn't been glued. I thought that was great until I took off another piece and found out that it only has 3/8 rock in that part. No clue why they would switch like that. Top it off there's an area that doesn't have any rock at all and so I can get a good look at the black fiberglass blanket stuff that is in the wall. Looks way under adequate. So now I suspect that some of you are going to recommend taking down that rock, insulating properly and putting up new rock. Makes sense and maybe it'll happen.

We have a third option thrown into the mix for flooring. First it was what is known as luxury vinyl tile, then ceramic, and now Pergo or some such simulated wood material. I haven't ever worked with it but I am feeling it is the best solution. Of course I have very little say in it.

[leech~~]

When did they start using adhesive to put up paneling? We have a huge room that has very nice oak finished plywood paneling. Mrs. doesn't like it any more and wants to paint it. I would rather take it down than paint it. If adhesive was used in the mid-60's to mid'70's this could be a game changer because I am not interested in dealing with the adhesive or re-rocking the walls.

Thanks for your time.

Tom

We had to have all the walls in one bedroom reskimmed over since they used adhesive which was not going to come off with anything!

[larryz]

For flooring take a look at DuraCeramic. It is is great stuff!!!