In the 1970's and 1980's, wall paneling was popular in Sarasota. Offered in a variety of styles and colors, it provided an easy way to completely transform a room for practically any level of do-it-yourself skills. Paneling, much like linoleum flooring, can still be found in homes today, but, it's popularity is long gone and if you have it in your home, you probably cringe at the sight of it every time you walk into the room. The problem with removing wall paneling is how it's attached to the actual wall. It's usually nailed in-place and can stick to the bare wall over time.
How to Replace Wall Paneling in Sarasota
If you are tired of having wall paneling in your home, you're certainly not alone. It's one of the first things to go at resale and is one of the most popular home improvement projects that return a room's aesthetics to normal. It also helps to make a home more presentable when it comes time to sell. Buyers prefer move-in ready homes, so, it's a good idea to get rid of it now. You can then opt to patch the wall and paint it or hang drywall, if necessary.
Removing wood paneling is not a particularly difficult job in and of itself. Removing the paneling and not damaging it, or removing the paneling and replacing it with drywall, can be a more difficult task. Having a good sense of what is behind your paneled walls will dictate the amount of work involved in the project. --San Francisco Chronicle
The first thing you need to do is to learn what's behind the paneling. It some cases, you'll find that it's directly fastened to the wall studs, and, other times, it's fastened to sheetrock or drywall -- kind of like a popcorn ceiling. If the paneling is fastened directly to the wall studs, you'll have to hang drywall and then finish it with paint once the paneling is gone. Here's how to replace wall paneling:
- Gather your tools and materials. You'll need drop clothes, heavy gloves, pry bar, claw hammer, eye protection, dust mask, and a container. If you have to repaint the wall, you'll also need a spackle, putty knife, sandpaper, paint tray, roller, paint brush, and interior paint.
- Put down drop cloths. To protect the floor, you should cover it with drop clothes. This will also catch the dust and make cleanup a bit easier after you remove the paneling.
- Remove the trim from the wall. Try first to remove the trim by hand, but do so with gloves on. Trim, especially when it's old, can easily snap and splinter. If you can't pull it off by hand, use a pry bar or claw hammer to remove it.
- Take the paneling off the wall. Once all the trim is removed, you can then pull the paneling away from the wall. Try to do this by pulling at one section at a time to loosen the nails. Then, you can pull the nails out with a pry bar or claw hammer.
If there is drywall already hung behind the paneling, you can just patch the holes and sand the spackle flat. Then, paint the wall with a neutral color and let dry. When you're done taking down the old paneling, call a junk hauling and removal service to take it away. This will save you a lot of time and effort, plus, you won't have to make several trips to the local landfill. We serve the whole Sarasota area: Ringling Museum, New College USF, Lido Key, and more. f you need a self storage space cleanout to avoid losing money, just phone 800-433-1094 or visit AAA Rousse Services.