| 1. |
Wear goggles for this project. To remove the baseboard, use a pry bar
to carefully pull the baseboard away from the paneling and insert wooden
wedges between them. Use the pry bar to pull the baseboard off completely
and pull out any baseboard nails with a nail puller. |
| 2. |
Select a section of your damaged panel that is just inside the nearest
seam, but not on the stud (you need to be able to break though the panel).
Use a hammer to drive your chisel directly into the panel, forming a split
that is about a foot long. |
| 3. |
Push your pry bar into the split and pull the damaged panel away from
the stud. You may need to work your pry bar a bit to wrench the nails and/or
adhesive free, so go slowly so you don’t mar the good adjacent panel(s)
in the process. Remove any nails that may remain in the walls. If there
is old adhesive, scrap it off with a paint scraper so the surface is level. |
| 4. |
Bead a line of carpenter’s adhesive along the stud(s) that will
hold your new panel. |
| 5. |
Place the new panel in the space and secure the TOP EDGE ONLY with three
or four finishing nails. Insert a small wood block between the bottom edge
of the new panel and the wall, so that the glue has a chance to get sticky
for a minute or two. |
| 6. |
Once the adhesive seems tacky, remove the block and press the panel against
the stud(s). Place a thick cloth (a folded hand-towel works well) under
your wood block to prevent divots as you carefully tap the panel where it
sits over the stud. If the panel seems secure, you can remove the finishing
nails up top. If not, leave them, countersink the heads and cover with matching
putty. |
| 8. |
Flop into an easy chair and watch This Old House as you beam with pride. |
