Painting my wood panel

joefromcal

Am getting ready to paint my wood panel. I"ve read that it's a good idea to wash the walls with a de-greasing soap. Can anyone recommend a de-greasing soap or other suitable cleaner for this?
Also, some have suggested using Spackling to fill in imperfections in the paneling. Can I also use the spackling to cover up screw heads? The type of spackling I bought said it was "all purpose," but I want to make sure that it's okay to use to cover the screws. The spackling brand is Phenomenal. If not, I also have some wood putty but that stuff never completely hardens. Or wood epoxy?
Last question. In regards to lightly sanding the paneling. This wood type paneling is probably from when the house was built aroun 1964. Can I just use a dust mask when I sand it or a respirator? Don't know what they had in those panels. Thankss.

ratherbefishin'

joe, are these the walls you plan to use BIN on? If so, you don't need to sand, just clean with Dirtex. Your spackle should be fine, but if this paneling has a gloss surface I'd rough up the places you need to spackle so it'll get a good grip and make sure the screw heads are recessed a little.

joefromcal

Ratherbefishin',
Yes, I already got the BIN. I didn't realize BIN had that strong of an adhesive nature. If I don't have to sand it that'll save me a lot of work. Thanks for the info on the DIRTEX as well.
Joe

ratherbefishin'

Amazing how much time and money can be saved sometimes when we read the instructions, isn't it? Just kidding, Joe.... Yeah, BIN even sticks to glass and cures as fast as it dries, so be careful what you get it on. It can be a little tricky to apply without making a big mess because it's so thin, so keep a can of denatured alcohol and plenty of rags handy. It's best to clean up any drips or spills immediately, before it dries. BIN can be a pain in the butt to work with until you get a feel for it, but it's well worth the effort. Good luck!