An easy and inexpensive way to have a DIY shiplap wall in your home.
When we started the process of redoing the guest bedroom, I knew it would be slow going but I didn't think it would be 4 months slow.
We've already painted the ceiling and trim, installed crown molding and a DIY light fixture, but the biggest problem has been the water damage on the window wall, where we installed the shiplap planks.
We think that the chimney, which is located where you see the primed planks, was leaking where it meets the roof.
After some handy roof work done by Roger we are hoping that the problem is fixed.
Fingers crossed.
Once the roof was fixed, we pulled some of the old plaster off and cut holes in the wall where the leaks were to make sure there was no mold behind the wall.
Thankfully it was mold free and it stayed dry for the two months we left it open, so we patched up the holes and primed with some Kilz.
Our bedroom wall was finally ready for shiplap.
Supplies for a DIY shiplap accent wall
- 2 pieces 3/16" underlayment boards (ripped into strips at the home improvement store)
- nail gun
- miter saw
- sand paper
- spackle
- caulk
- paint
Before you install a shiplap wall
The very first thing I did before any boards went up on the wall, was to paint the wall the same color I painted the shiplap boards.
The reason you need to do this is because you can sometimes see the wall between the planks. To keep everything looking sharp, I recommend you prep your wall(s) this way.
So, my paint color of choice was Benjamin Moore Palest Pistachio, the same color as the other 3 walls in the room.
Installing a shiplap accent wall
With all the prep done we are ready to install our shiplap.
Actually, putting up the shiplap was the easiest part of this project. Since our wood was already cut into strips (thanks Home Depot!), we just had to hang them.
I didn't want this to be a complicated task of measurements and mathematics, so we just kind of slapped them up on the wall. We started right under the new crown molding, in the corner of the wall.
We did need to do a little bit of measuring and cutting around the windows and the return vent at the bottom of the wall but it wasn't difficult.
The planks actually went up pretty quickly, taking us about 2 hours to cut and put all up.
I spent another hour spackling, caulking and sanding all the nail holes. After it was prepped I painted 2 coats of BM Palest Pistachio finished it off.
I'm thrilled with the results and would love to have it in another room, maybe cover all 4 walls.
Woohoo...living on the edge!
Check out our other shiplap wall DIY in our small powder room addition.
Gretchen says
Love the ship lap!! We are moving to a house with a bunch of ***ugly*** textured wallpaper and I am thinking about covering it with this material. My question is about sealing the wallpaper with primer first or if I should just cover away and try not to think about what's underneath. I guess I am thinking about making the surface sealed so that dust, allergens, etc. on this nasty fabric wallpaper are sealed. There is no visible mold/mildew but I am wondering about normal room humidity causing something to grow under the wood. Maybe I am over thinking this---but just want to avoid a major problem down the line if I can help it!
Kristi says
Thanks, Gretchen, we love the shiplap too. First, congrats on your new house! 🙂
I'm not an expert but I would think that you could cover the wallpaper just fine. With that being said, if you plan on having gaps between your shiplap boards, I would do a quick cleaning of the wallpaper and then put a coat of paint on it so that you don't see any strange patterns or colors through the gaps. I painted the wall with one coat of paint before we put our shiplap up, just in case.
As for moisture...if the wallpaper feels dry and there's no evidence of moisture in the room, I don't think you'll have a problem. Like I said, though, I'm not an expert. 😉
Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions. Best of luck in your new house.
Thelma Hamilton says
You are not going to believe this, no really you are not! I have this same window and wall problem. What did you get for wood? I am all over this. I have wanted to do something for a long time (years) and just did not know what. I was thinking wainscoting. But I did not want a whole wall in it. This is great! And I am loving the light too.
Kristi says
Wow Thelma, I can't believe that you have the same set-up. We used a particle board type of wood from Home Depot. It came in a sheet and we had them cut it down in the store for us. I wanted to use something that was thin (so it didn't stick out further than the window trim) and easy to work with. This was really a cheap, quick and easy project to do. Thanks about the light too. I'm loving it in my room.
I would love to hear from you if you give this project a try.
Thanks so much for stopping in and if you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask.
K.
Dana says
WOW, the wall looks awesome!!
Kristi says
Thank you Dana! 🙂
K.
Susan says
I am a huge fan of wood plank walls. What a great way to patch up water damage and give the room some character at the same time.
Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
Kristi says
Thanks so much Susan! So glad you and Bentley stopped by.
K.
[email protected] says
I LOVE it! I'm dying to give a go at doing this myself. We are moving into a new "old" house in a couple of weeks and I definitely have a wall that is screaming this treatment to be done! Hopped over from Inspire Me Please an so glad I did! Blessings ~ Judy
Kristi says
Thanks so much Judy. It's my first planked wall and I'm really surprised how easy it was. I hope it looks good once it's painted. 😉 I hope you give it a try on your wall. I would love to see it if you do.
Good luck on your move and thanks for hoppin' on over from Inspire Me Please.
K.
Karen says
Your wall turned out great. I 'm thinking about adding a planked wall to my bedroom. I just love the look. Good luck deciding on a bed.
Kristi says
Thanks so much Karen. I hope it looks good once it's painted. 😉
K.
Beth H says
Looks really good. Just for future reference, you can also use wood flooring. Sometimes people on Craigslist try to unload their spare flooring for a really good price. And it's usually enough to do a wall. We did this with bamboo flooring on the ceiling of one of our spare bedrooms. You don't have to use nails, just construction adhesive. And since all the boards are tongue and groove, no gaps!
Kristi says
Thanks so much for the great tip Beth!
K.
Kristina @ My Own Home Blog says
This looks so nice. I'd definitely paint it white! I'm currently helping my friend redo her kitchen, and am trying to convince her that a white planked wall is a great decision!
Kristi says
Thanks Kristina. It's not going to be white though, it's going to be the same color as the other walls. That's so nice that you are helping your friend redo her kitchen. Good luck. 🙂
K.
Suzan says
It looks gorgeous !!!
We just planked a room in our house too !
xxx
Kristi says
I have seen your fabulous planked wall! Love how you finished yours. Thanks so much for stopping by to see mine.:)
K.
Shirlee says
I love real wood planks/logs but also like them painted out. I think it depends on the home and how one decorates. I plan on adding horizontal planks on the lower half of the stairway wall leading to the basement plus one small wall at the bottom of the stairs where we need to add insulation.
Thankfully we have not encountered any water leaks in our house. Just leaking plumbing which seems to be a constant and costly issue.
Adding the wood to the wall not only adds visual interest, it's a great way to cover a less than perfect wall surface. Looking forwards to seeing the completed room.
Kristi says
Hi Shirlee. I love the look of planks too. If they turn out ok I may have to restrain myself from putting them in every room. 😉
Plumbing problems are the worst, as are roof leaks. This is the first time we've dealt with a problem like this so I guess we're lucky.
So glad you stopped by today. Thanks for commenting.
K.
MaryJean Zajac says
When you said you were going to put planking on the one wall I couldn't imagine what it would look like. To tell you the truth I didn't think it would look good at all. If you could see me you would see a face like I just ate something sour! Well, I really like it! I think it looks great! I know you want to paint it, but I kinda like it unpainted.
We had a leak in our roof where the roof line meets the new garage addition and the leak was in my dining room. We could see that the ceiling was sagging in one spot and when I pointed it out, my husband, just as I was about to say, don't push on it, he does and his hand went through. Obviously we had to patch the ceiling and he had to find the leak in the roof and fix it. Haven't had any leaks since.
It took awhile, but great job!
Kristi says
Oh ye of little faith MJ! LOL I was more worried about fixing the leaks than the look of the planks. I'm glad they look ok though. My husband doesn't want me to paint them either but they really aren't a good wood to leave unpainted.
Roof leaks are the worst. I'm just hoping we don't have to worry about it again. Glad that you were able to fix yours.
Thanks so much for stopping in and commenting. It really means a lot to me.:)
K.
MaryJean says
The photos must be deceiving because the wood looks fine, a little rustic, but I like that!
MJ