replacing gross 1970s paneling

guywhofishes

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I am going to replace the nearly black "oak" paneling in the basement. Must have looked Playboy cool back in the day - but now? YUCK.

There are lots of new "faux" barn woods, etc. to choose from.... the choices are mind-boggling. Direct 4x8 panels of some sort would obviously be easiest - but choices are now limited since they're so out of style. (and a person knows why when they look at some of the newer stuff - eew)

I'm looking for any good/bad experiences at replacing old school paneling with newer products.... shiplap, 4x8 panels, tongue/groove, etc. I've got maybe 50' of 8' walls that need new surface. I'd like to avoid nightmare install - or things I hadn't thought through if I go with "boards" vs panels.

TIA!

- - - Updated - - -

We've even considered mudding and texturing the drywall underneath it - but they glued paneling on so that would suck... easier to replace that. Do they make a "faux texture" panel a guy can slap over the top of crap drywall so it just looks like orange peel textured drywall? And a person just paints it?
 


Motohunter

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Tear it off and peel any of the loose stuff off where the adhesive tears off the sheetrock paper. Roll Drawtite on the entire wall to suck the loose paper back down. Then you should be able to touch it up or skim the entire wall and just texture it. The Drawtite will insure that the sheetrock paper blisters don't come through your mud work.
 

Trip McNeely

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Whatever you choose to do at this point you will more than likely need to have any electrical devices extended out. Its possible to cut and finish around the outlets but may be alot of work. You could still mud and texture. I would just laminate 1/4 or 1/2 rock over the old paneling. What kind of ceiling do you have? You could try to remove the paneling but if its glued on itll make a mess of the old rock underneath and require 100% skim to get it back to texture ready. Could always paint it just make sure you use an aggressive paint grip primer to bond to the paneling.
 

Kngkong

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If you do want to mud and texture it will probably just be easier to just put 1/4 inch drywall on top of what you currently have. I had a small room in my house that had paneling glued to the drywall and that is what i did after taking off the paneling
 


Ruttin

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If it were me and there is not any noticeable water damage behind the walls or portions that need repairing I would just panel right over the top of it. With that being said, if you do remove the old paneling now would be an ideal time to add more outlets, lights, etc.. jmo.
 

SDMF

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I picture Guy's paneled basement to look something like "Doc Brown's" garage form Back to the Future. Tesla coils, Royce wearing a mind-reading device that looks like a metal colander with Christmas lights, and a large working toy-train model of Fargo that's up to date as of 1992.
 

nxtgeneration

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I sell reclaimed paneling as well as some circular sawn tongue and groove. The reclaimed stuff comes in 20sf bundles and is 3/8" thick. The tongue and groove is 7'-8' and 5/8" thick. Let me know if you want more info.
 

guywhofishes

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I picture Guy's paneled basement to look something like "Doc Brown's" garage form Back to the Future. Tesla coils, Royce wearing a mind-reading device that looks like a metal colander with Christmas lights, and a large working toy-train model of Fargo that's up to date as of 1992.


ha ha ha

galwhofrownsuponstufflikethatwontallowit
 

shorthairman

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I agree with any and all of the above. You really need to decide what you want/need, what kind of design theme are you going for, how much time you want to dedicate to it, what your skill level is with DIY, what tools you have or will need to get to do whatever you decide to do.

If it were me and I just wanted to change the look, get it done quickly and with as little tools as necessary, (I am going to assume there are no concerns about water damage and there are grooves in the paneling), I would mud the grooves and seams, spray texture, prime and paint. If I wanted to change the look...you have endless options, but as mentioned you may have to do things such as moving electrical boxes, extend door or window jams etc. Just my two cents...good luck with whatever you choose!
 


7mmMag

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Anyone remove paneling like guywhofishes mentioned in the original post that is over top of plaster walls? My kitchen has that crappy "oak" paneling but its over plaster walls and I'm kind of nervous that tear into it.
 

Obi-Wan

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Man-carrying-gas-cans-into-New-York-cathedral-arrested.jpg
 

shorthairman

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Anyone remove paneling like guywhofishes mentioned in the original post that is over top of plaster walls? My kitchen has that crappy "oak" paneling but its over plaster walls and I'm kind of nervous that tear into it.

I have not removed paneling that was over top of plaster, but I did remodel an old house that had plaster. If I were you I would pull paneling off and put 1/4" sheet rock over the plaster. We knocked all of the plaster out then took all the lath off the studs and had a hell of a mess to clean up and dispose of, not to mention thousands of nails to deal with. Actually we just burned all of the lath so that wasn't bad, but we had a good place to do it.
 

wby257

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I am going to replace the nearly black "oak" paneling in the basement. Must have looked Playboy cool back in the day - but now? YUCK.

There are lots of new "faux" barn woods, etc. to choose from.... the choices are mind-boggling. Direct 4x8 panels of some sort would obviously be easiest - but choices are now limited since they're so out of style. (and a person knows why when they look at some of the newer stuff - eew)

I'm looking for any good/bad experiences at replacing old school paneling with newer products.... shiplap, 4x8 panels, tongue/groove, etc. I've got maybe 50' of 8' walls that need new surface. I'd like to avoid nightmare install - or things I hadn't thought through if I go with "boards" vs panels.

TIA!

- - - Updated - - -

We've even considered mudding and texturing the drywall underneath it - but they glued paneling on so that would suck... easier to replace that. Do they make a "faux texture" panel a guy can slap over the top of crap drywall so it just looks like orange peel textured drywall? And a person just paints it?


Just replace with the 70's look wallpaper and put some shag carpet down and you have yourself a far out man cave.
 


Rut2much

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Just helped a buddy do the same thing recently. He removed all the paneling, scraped the glue down, I came and touched up, removed trouble areas/loose drywall, mudded, sanded, mudded, sanded, skimmed/buffed, textured. I wouldn't think additional drywall is necessary.
Here's some before and after pics. I didn't stick around for the painting job, but he said he couldn't be happier with the way it all turned out.
0C52DB18-CCFF-4173-B6D6-07FCBD4A4210.jpgA13549B3-3777-44CF-AFB6-FD52E2E6EF6B.jpgCF1D6F67-B6B6-4099-ADA3-004DA893FB92.jpg7AEE71D6-9984-4DE2-99FB-E6E575272986.jpg
4C0168F8-B925-4BE4-8086-FD80C7FE5EBF.jpgC5970E53-8F31-4619-ADF9-21BC6A005BB9.jpg5F052644-BBB7-4651-B0FC-E51596E3D906.jpg
 
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Flyfiishjim

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Several years ago had a house with lots of paneling. Friend of mine had an interior decorating business with his wife. They convinced me to clean the walls with TSP and paint them in a color of our choosing. House was from the late 40's and at some point paneling was the rage and glued up over the plaster walls.

We ended up extremely happy with the results, it was quicker and less messy and a whole lot cheaper. With your dark color you may need a coat of primer but it would be pretty easy to try a wall and see what you think.
 

martinslanding

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You have to think small. Think of the hurdles you could bend your will towards besting, in making a train model, say 1/100th the size of HO scale. Maybe the whole thing fits in a shoe box?


... and lasers .. .the train needs lasers lots of lasers...everything is better with lasers
 


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