Rental Property Investor · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2016 · 11 posts · 1 vote
I'm currently rehabbing a house and the basement is completely 80's style - red carpet, wood paneling for walls... you know the type.
What's the best method to deal with the wood paneling. Is it to tear down and drywall? Or would painting the paneling white (after using an adhesion primer) sufficient. It's a 1,000 SF house looking for an ARV of ~$150,000... so nothing super high end.
Rental Property Investor · Oakland, CA · Member since 2011 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
10y
I've seen well-painted white paneling that has done OK with lower-end properties. What does the market demand? Can you get your money back on the investment? What do the other sold houses look like? Do they have ugly wood paneling, and yours would be better if it was white? Or do most have drywall, and the painted white paneling would be inferior?
You can also test one area real quick and see what it looks like..
Just a couple thoughts..
Pictures help! And locals can you give you more local market advice..
Rental Property Investor · Oakland, CA · Member since 2011 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
10y
I've seen well-painted white paneling that has done OK with lower-end properties. What does the market demand? Can you get your money back on the investment? What do the other sold houses look like? Do they have ugly wood paneling, and yours would be better if it was white? Or do most have drywall, and the painted white paneling would be inferior?
You can also test one area real quick and see what it looks like..
Just a couple thoughts..
Pictures help! And locals can you give you more local market advice..
I have painted that old dark wood paneling a few times. It looks decent and even has some "texture" from the creases. If it is the basement and you're not going high-end, I would give paint a try. Spend your dollars upstairs in the kitchen, bathrooms and curb appeal.
Rental Property Investor · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2016 · 11 posts · 1 vote
10y
Thanks for the advice. Michael Wentzel so you wouldn't suggest using a joint compound in the grooves? (Grooves meaning the joints between panels running from ceiling to floor)
Also, does anybody have insight on special primers, paint, or rollers to use?
Is sanding the paneling necessary ?
Madison, WI · Member since 2014 · 46 posts · 26 votes
10y
I would use a fast dry oil primer like PPG's 17-964 (http://www.ppgpaints.com/products/seal-grip-interior-premium-quick-dry-primer-sealer) to seal up the paneling. It will give you a great foundation for your top coat. If you want to fill in the lines, I would use a stronger product, like Zinsser Ready patch.
Real Estate Mentor · Richmond, VA · Member since 2016 · 39 posts · 27 votes
10y
@Brady Alford , The ARV of $150,00? Is that a starter home for your area? Also is the basement just a bonus or rec room? If the answers are yes to both of those questions just paint the wainscotting. If the home is going to be a mid range or better or if there is a main component to the house there you should probably do a tear down. :/
Yeah, leave the grooves. Forget about trying to fill them in. Too much work. And forget the sanding too. TSP and a good primer should be fine, as @Chris Carollo said.
I hope it goes well. I've always been happy with how it turned out.
Contractor · Somerset, NJ · Member since 2016 · 2 posts · 0 votes
10y
I'm a contractor/budding flipper (been in building/home remodeling for 32 years in the NJ area and I once did spackle (in a trailer home) the lines in paneling and it turned out very nicely. That said, I wouldn't recommend it in your case because it does involve more work than it would warrant.
If the paneling is in good shape you should consider using the best quality paint/primer that you can afford (usually around $45 a gallon) If you don't know your "paints" then speak to the paint pro behind the counter and be sure to tell them you're painting paneling.
I also agree with the previous poster that said your money is better spent on the kitchen/bathroom.
Real Estate Consultant · Bloomfield, NJ · Member since 2010 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
10y
No offense to anyone but this is one of those issues where the OP should only be taking advice from experienced and local folks. What they're doing in Ohio might be completely different from what they are doing in his local market. if your local market is looking for tear down and drywall like mine, then painting the wood panel might not cut it.
Fix & Flip / Buy & Hold / Wholesaler · Toledo, OH · Member since 2016 · 99 posts · 33 votes
10y
Another option is to add mud to your primer as you roll it. Use a thick roller as this give it a little bit more texture for your paneling. I had another investor tell me this and have not done it yet. On lower end homes he also uses this to "Paint/Primer" over wall paper. Yes over wall paper. It takes away some of the texture of the paper and fills in some of the gaps in it.