It is easy to achieve excellent results when you want to paint wood panels if you prepare your wood surfaces correctly.  The first challenge that you may face, though, is removing the panelling from the walls particularly if they are attached to dry walling.  As a result of this first big challenge many people will consider painting the panels while they are on the wall and this is perfectly acceptable if the process of taking them down is going to be more costly and could result in additional damage to the walls and the panels.

What you want to start with is the preparation of your walls ensuring that the surface of the wood panels is both clean and dry.   Before you begin any work, you will want to ensure that your panels are safe to sand and that the paint used on them doesn´t contain any lead.  If your home is older than 1978, when lead paint was banned, you will want to ensure that you painted panels are clear of lead.

Cleaning your Panels.

After years of polishing and cleaning you will have a build up of wax, oils and other residue substances from cleaning solutions.  You will want to get rid of all of that so that you can have a dull and clean surface to work with.   There are a range of excellent cleaning solutions that you can use to remove these types of surface build up.   Light scouring with a scouring pad can also aid at getting rid of the more built in dirt and oils.

Remember when working with liquids that you will want to cover all electrical outlets and protect your carpets from marks and dirt.  It is best to cut the electricity to the room altogether when doing this kind of work to prevent any problems.

Working your way around the room cleaning one small area after another will eventually get you back to where you started.  For the more fastidious of you, a second round of cleaning will ensure that you have covered the entire area completely and then it´s time to let it dry and then being the painting.

Priming your Panels

Once the panels are dry, it´s time to prime.  Priming is used to prevent any staining as well as to ensure that the panels have good adhesion.  There are a range of different primers that are available including shellac and oil.  Now is a good time to test your primer to ensure that it has good adhesion.

Painting your Panels

Painting your panels is one of the easiest parts of the job and making use of a three quarter inch roller will work great for getting into the paneling grooves.  Making use of a smaller brush to get into the grooves and ensure a smooth finish is easy and quick to do.  If you have chosen to take your panels off the walls, then painting them on both the front and the sides will facilitate a great looking finish when you put them back on the walls, particularly for wainscoting-ideas”>wainscoting panels.  Painting wall panels is not difficult, but will take a couple of days to complete in order to get the most professional look.

Ceiling panels can alter the overall look of a room dramatically, taking a room from looking dark and dingy to light and airy all with just the simple addition of the right ceiling panels and the right ceiling panel installation system.

The primary advantages of installing ceiling panels include:-

1. Sound Absorption
2. Better Indoor Air Quality
3. Better Insulation
4. Improved Fire Protection

One of the most popular systems is the suspended ceiling system which makes it extremely to insert various lighting options.  Finishes for these panels include 100% wood panels in a range of wood including oak, maple and cherry wood amoungst others as well as simulated wood ceiling panels that are manufactured from materials such as thermoplastic which are mould proof ad water proof and are much easier to maintain.

When it comes to durability, you could opt for bamboo as an alternative to standard wood ceiling panels.  Bamboo is sustainably grown and is extremely economical as well as handling all weather conditions.  In addition to this, it also comes in a wide range of finishes.

The most cost effective ceiling panel system has to be vinyl ceiling panels used in hospitals, schools and other governement institutions.  Although not very attractive, they are extremely econical and can be quickly and cheaply installed for quick cover.