Faux Shiplap
DIY shiplap is one of my favorite ways to update a space. You can create any size that you want, you can install horizontal or vertical, and you can paint it any color that you want. When I first saw Fixer Upper I became in love with shiplap. Didn’t we all? I love that it can look as rustic and country as you want, or modern. It really can fit in any space and the end product is so beautiful if you take the steps to achieve it. There are many tutorials out there, so I am just going to tell you how I did it in my entire kitchen. I am not claiming this is the correct way or that there aren’t other ways to do it. Just find what works for you and I am happy to share what worked for me.
Tools Needed:
table saw
chop saw
jigsaw
18 gauge brad nailer
brad nails ( I used 1 1/4”)
sander
level
stud finder
Materials Needed:
220 grit sandpaper
primer
paint
paintbrush
foam roller
caulking
Step 1- Pick out your shiplap. There are two different materials that I would recommend. The first, being 1/4” plywood. This is for more of a rustic country look. It still looks smooth and beautiful but I think it gives it a little more rugged look. The second is 1/4” MDF. This will be smooth and streamlined. I bought 4x8’ sheets of 1/4'“ underlayment plywood. This worked for the majority of my kitchen. There was a wall that showed dents in the wood that I had to redo. My best advice is to just inspect your pieces carefully and make sure they are what you are looking for. Trust me, there are sheets of plywood out there that are better than others. Take the time to sort through them.
Step 2- Cut your shiplap to size. The strips I cut for our kitchen were 8” in width. I ran the sheets of plywood through the table saw at 8” and cut strip by strip until we had enough to cover our kitchen.
Step 3- Lightly sand your strips with 220 grit sandpaper for any splinters that may have occurred during the cutting process. This will also help the paint adhere.
Step 4- Prep your wall. If your wall is already white behind then you are good to go. If not, you will want to paint your wall white. Or if you are painting your shiplap let’s say black, then you will want to paint your wall black if you want more of a seamless look rather than a pinstripe look. You will be able to see whatever color is on your wall with the gaps that are in between your shiplap. My recommendation is that your wall is painted whatever color your shiplap will be. If you already know where those gaps will be on your wall, you could just paint a line of paint across your wall from where those gaps will show through. This will save you time and paint. Just don’t get your math wrong. You will want to remove any outlet covers or anything that will get in the way of your shiplap going on the wall. There will be things that you will need to cut around. Maybe a thermostat, light switch, outlets, etc. I used my jigsaw for this. If you are using plywood as I did, you can put painter’s tape over the area on the board where you will be cutting. Then draw your pencil line over that and make your cut. The painter’s tape will prevent any splinters or tear out from the wood.
This was an old doorway that led to a pantry we wanted to close off. Do you see how I only painted white stripes on the wall behind where it would show through the cracks? I saved A TON of time and paint that way.
Step 5- Installing your shiplap to your wall. I don’t think there is a right or wrong way on where to start. Unless your shiplap is measured is going to fit perfectly on your wall then there is going to be a smaller strip at the top or bottom of your wall. It may not be that noticeable but most likely the last piece you install is going to have to be cut to size. Whether you want that piece to be at the top or bottom of your wall is totally up to you. I will say, If you start at the bottom then when you lay your next strip on the wall, it can rest on top of the bottom one where you don’t have to have someone there holding it in place while you nail.
I used an 18 gauge brad nailer to install my pieces of shiplap. The sizing of the nails is really up to you. I used 1 1/4” and that worked great for me. It was long enough to go through my shiplap, drywall, and reach my studs in areas where I could nail into the studs. Place your first board on the wall and make sure that everything is level. If there is an uneven gap at the top or bottom of your board because of making it level, do not worry. That will be covered at the end with caulking and you won’t be able to tell a thing. Once your board is level, nail the plywood sheet to your wall. If you have a stud finder I recommend marking out the studs on your wall. You will want to make sure you get a few nails in them on every board if possible. If you have walls that are larger than 8 feet like mine were, wherever your board ends I just butted up against another board right up to it and continued to lay it out to cover the length of the entire wall. Use your chop saw to cut the excess boards down wherever you need to. (ie if the remainder of the wall is 28” and you have a board that is 48”, cut it to 28” with your chop saw to 28” and then hang it on your wall to install.
For the next row, I used nickels as my spacers. Place a few nickels and start nailing your board in place. Since the first board was nailed level, you won’t need to continue checking if everything is going on level. As long as you took the time with your first board, it sets all the other boards up after that. Continue to repeat the process until the end. If your last board is too big then you will need to cut off any excess length with your table saw.
When you have an obstacle that you need to cut around like an outlet or around the framing of a window, I used a jigsaw. I just marked my board with a pencil where I needed the cut and then made the cut. It worked out great. Because the new wall will be around 1/4” higher in height, your outlets will be set back. When you go to put the outlet plates back on it will not work because your outlet will be sunk too deep into the wall. These spacer tabs I found on amazon work WONDERS. I am not kidding. They are so easy to install and they did exactly as they are supposed to do. Just read the instructions that come with the tabs on how to install.
Step 6- I installed quarter-round trim to where the ceiling meets the top of the walls. This gave more of a finished look. Once that was applied I caulked the seam and caulked down all corners of my room. The caulking is going to be what takes your shiplap from looking DIY to looking like a professional installed it. I am not kidding, do not skip out on your caulking!
Step 7- Prime and paint your boards. If you are using MDF I highly recommend priming your boards with a separate primer and then painting your boards after that. MDF likes to soak up paint like a sponge and you don’t want to skip this step. If you have 1/4” plywood as I used, then you can get away with a paint and primer in 1. I applied two coats to my entire kitchen. This is the paint that I used and after two years it’s still holding strong! I am very happy with it.
There you have it. Your own shiplap wall or room for a fraction of the cost. If you have done this project yourself and have any tips on what you did I would love to hear!