If you are ready to tackle your own oak panelling (and yes, I know the very idea is a topic of serious spousal debate in some '80s-era homes), then professional painter Allan Wirzba is ready to help.
Wirzba, the proprietor or AW Painting (www.awpainting.ca), has been doing this for 20 years. He says wood panelling presents a unique set of challenges.
"It can be a little tricky," he says. "There's not a lot of room for mistakes." Still, the results can be spectacular.
Wirzba says to start by evaluating the condition of the wood. If it's from the '80s, it's likely to be dried out and showing some micro-cracks, possibly even separating at the edges. You'll know as soon as you start applying primer, when the wood soaks it up and the fissures are revealed.
"At one time that wood was solid and sealed," Wirzba says. "But when you're going from a lacquer look to a paint, there will be blemishes."
The solution? A flat paint finish; it's better at hiding the irregularities. This is especially important in a sunny room where light will be bouncing off the paint surface.
The easiest approach is to spray the wall, but Wirzba says that the paint won't fill the cracks that way. He often uses a combination of hand-held brush (on the mouldings) and flat finish roller (inside the flat panels).
Both methods allow him to create a "silky smooth finish" and bring out the grain of the wood.
For the edging, he recommends a high-quality synthetic brush. For rolling, a flat-finish roller, which has a low pile, so leaves less "texture" on the wall.
Wirzba also uses a high-quality paint such as from Aura from Benjamin Moore.
-- Canwest News Service
