Rustic Wyoming inspired home decor and accessories.

Affordable DIY Shiplap

Affordable DIY Shiplap

Hey there!

I’m so far behind in my DIY posts as they relate to the updates to our home. As I am ready to embark on another Planked Wall adventure, I thought perhaps I should share with you one of our DIY shiplap adventures in case you are looking into doing this yourself.

Entryway Before Shiplap
Entryway Before Shiplap

Now, this was a very affordable project, and while it was less than $40 minus the cost of the Paint, ( We got most of our supplies from LOWES) please keep in mind that we did a small section of our entryway, not an entire room.

We headed to our local Lowe’s to find just the right wood for the job – 1/4″ Common Fir Sanded Plywood. The sheets were approximately $12 each and we only needed two of them for the entire job. The great thing about purchasing from Lowe’s was that we could have these sheets cut to size right there in the store for no additional cost. We were helped by a great associate who knew just what we needed and he effortlessly cut each board into 6″ high strips. I think Handy Hubs was over the moon that I did a little research before we went and saved him a lot of work with his saw on this part!

 

SUPPLIES & TOOLS

  • 1/4″ Common Fir Sanded Plywood, cut into 6″ strips
  • 220 Grit Sand Paper
  • Air Nail Gun
  • Air Nails
  • Tape Measure
  • Table Saw
  • Tile Spacers (to create a small gap between the boards)
  • 1x2x8 Select Pine boards (for trim)
  • 1 Gallon Sherwin Williams Alabaster Eggshell Paint
  • 1 tube Caulk
  • Light Switch Plate Extender

Once home with our wood strips, we took the sander to each one on the smoother side and along the edges very lightly. This was to ensure that there weren’t any rough spots for a clean look. We also didn’t want to do the sanding in the house once they were already up because of the mess it would create. While I sanded, Handy Hubs located the studs in the wall and drew lines to mark for the air nails we would apply.

We decided to use a pattern for the planks much like we did when we laid the tile. Instead of the planks being cut randomly, this would create a more uniformed look. One thing I considered during this project was the size of the space. I didn’t want to do anything that made it feel smaller, but rather bright, airy and welcoming when you came in. Wider planks, in a creamy white color applied in a uniform design were just the ticket.

Once the boards and wall were prepped we began the application process.

For this project, we started right at the top. Your starting point may vary depending on the wall size and the focal point. Ours started at the top for a couple of reasons. First, our entryway appears to have a lower ceiling. Having full boards from the top down gives the sense of a bit taller ceiling. We calculated how many boards we could fit and how much we would end up cutting on the bottom board, with additional consideration for the trim that we would install along the bottom. Secondly, as you come down the stairs to the entryway, you notice the top part of the wall that meets with the ceiling and I felt a slimmer board here would be a distraction.

We cut each strip and applied the boards using air nails and tile spacers to properly space each board. Some people use gorilla glue or liquid nails and air nails for application, but we didn’t feel the gluing process was necessary. I think this is more of a preference issue because after two years in an area of our home that feels the most fluctuation in heat or cold, our boards haven’t had any visible issues.

DIY Easy Entry way Shiplap
DIY Easy Entry way Shiplap

As we moved through this project, one thing we did not consider was getting paint between the spaces to cover the edge of the boards. After they were up and ready for painting, I brushed and rolled on two coats of  Sherwin Williams Alabaster – which I use for EVERYTHING because I just love it – and then went back with a smaller paint brush in between each board meticulously until I thought it looked crisp and clean. Lesson learned: I should have done one coat of paint prior to hanging them!!

We used a farmhouse style simplistic trim in the entryway to tie the look together and painted it Alabaster also after applying caulking at the top and edges. Once the interior sides of the front door and garage door were painted and the light fixture installed I fell completely in love with my little entryway.

 


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