flexible wall joint compound?

[logbiter]

I've got a bit of a different problem.
There's not a spot of drywall in the house, all the walls are covered in about 1/8" thick plywood paneling (w/ veneer!) that's been painted but no tape (& little or no mud) at any joints/seams.
The problem is that all the joints flex readily (imagine that living in the deep south ) which causes paint cracking and distinct ridges at the edges of some panels. I've tried spackle and joint compound at some spots but after a season or two the cracks reappear.
I'm wondering if I need to tape and mud these seams, or if it would be easier to use some sort of flexible wall joint compound (ie- a quick n dirty fix for the bad spots) or what options there are besides installing drywall?

Is there a 'flexible' joint compound that would work? Yeah, I'm looking for the easy way out.

Also, I've got the same problem in the one room where there's no ceiling tiles and it's got the same wood panels on the ceiling, which is the room we're getting getting ready to re-do.

PS- all these 'wallboards' were likely installed in the 1940's when the house was built & it's mostly tongue in groove "center match" behind the 'wallboard' with little or no insulation between the outside & inside walls.

Thanks!
Serge

[Drywall DIY Guy]

I have not taped plywood but I have successfully taped paneling in our basement extra room. The plywood must be firmly attached at the edges. Then tape and finish like a butt joint on drywall. See Butt Joints - How To Tape and Finish Them

If you only apply drywall mud, it will probably crack.

I have heard of a plaster crack repair substance that is flexible. I don't know how nice of a finish you can get with it however.

[skeezix]

Something else to consider is that in many areas, building codes require installing wood paneling over a fire-resistant backing of drywall. It look better and be safer to just install Drywall.

[tudor]

The plywood wallboard sounds so familiar: we have a former summer bungalow that had that. We ripped it out and installed drywall, and since have had the drywall shift around and crack each spring when the ground thaws out. There can be a point to having the wooden wallboards. If I could do it over again, I might just glue or nail moldings over the cracks and paint away.

[Drywall DIY Guy]

I have taped corners in the old-fashioned paneling in our basement and the joints have held up. What I would suggest is to tape and finish one or two joints and see how they hold up for a season. If they hold up well, then do the others. As long as the surface is smooth and the edges are firmly fastened and level where they meet, you can tape and finish this like drywall.

Go to Taping Drywall Step by Step Instructions - How To Tape Drywall for a taping tutorial.

[tudor]

Here is something I found today about putting tape on panel edges and drywall mud on wood and woodlike panels:

Covering Paneling With Drywall Compound

Does this sound like a plan? I would really like for this to work as I am looking at redoing my home office which has ugly greenish mock wood panel -- over wallpaper over plaster. Thanks--