Everything You Wanted to Know About Shiplap Walls

Shiplap is used on many farmhouses and outbuildings because it is easy to install and is called shiplap because the boards overlap to fit snuggly together. We installed these beautiful shiplap walls in our she shed and it made the space feel so much bigger. I thought I’d share Everything You Wanted to Know about Shiplap Walls.

Shiplap walls have become popular with the rise of Fixer Upper but have been used for hundreds of years in historic buildings, barns, and in interiors.

I’ll be sharing how to install them, how to paint them, and ways for incorporating them in your home, including which spaces they work best.

Several years ago, we installed shiplap walls in our She Shed, our now pool house and it made the space feel spacious and cozy all at the same time – a distant cry from the unfinished 8 x 10 shed that it was.

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What Are Shiplap Walls?

Genuine shiplap is grooved boards, usually hung horizontally, and used on the exterior of barns, outbuildings, and homes. Prior to sheetrock it was used as a barrier to the exterior wall and framing. Many people would wallpaper over it. On Fixer Upper, Chip and Joanna would remove walls to expose the shiplap to make it a design statement.

Now people are mimicking the look by either buying planks of wood and installing them or even using sharpie pens or pencil to give the “look” of shiplap without the need for power tools.

Why You’ll Love Shiplap Walls

• Clean lines
• Makes spaces feel cozy AND spacious, especially when hung horizontally. It makes the room feel larger
• Instant coastal, farmhouse or transitional style
• Can make a statement wall for a room or backsplash

Where Should One Use Shiplap

Really shiplap walls can be used anywhere but I probably wouldn’t put it all over my home. We only have it in our pool house / she shed. Here are some places I think shiplap would work great.

• bathrooms
• backsplash in kitchen
• feature wall with fireplace
• feature wall in bedroom where bed is placed
• shiplap ceilings also make for a fun use of this look
• playroom
• mudroom

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What You Need To Install Shiplap Walls

1. Shiplap planks – sold at most retailers (they are now selling primed options and also nickel gap shiplap which I’ll detail below).
2. White Screws or you could use filler if painting
3. Compound Miter Saw
4. Table saw
5. Cordless Drill (to use with the screws)
6. Jigsaw

How to Install Shiplap Walls

Step 1 – Make sure you have a level start. Starting with the first plank of wood along the wall (starting from the bottom) place a level on top of the board to ensure you start level. Many floors are not level in homes. If you’re hanging shiplap on drywall mark where you’re studs are.

Step 2 – When installing, screw two screws into the board along each stud to prevent twisting.

Step 3 – Slot the next board directly on top. The great thing about shiplap is that it slots right on top of each other and is pretty quick to install. Above, you can see the back wall coming along.

Step 4 – When you reach windows, put the board in place without screwing and mark where the window is. Use a compound miter saw or jigsaw to the cut the sections to mean your window.

Step 5 – For the last board on top, use a table saw to rip the final board to the correct height. Remember to cut the top of the board and not the bottom.

Painting Shiplap Walls

Painting shiplap is optional. For me, I love the look of white shiplap, but it also looks great stained in wood hues or grays or white washes depending on the look your going for. Black shiplap is also lovely and a bit more modern and sleek looking (especially when hung vertically).

The knots in shiplap are the most pesky things!!! It’s imperative to cover these when installing shiplap if you want a clean white look.

To seal the knots use Zinnser bin primer and spot prime the knots. I recommend going over the knots twice.

Then prime your walls (even if the paint says it has primer in it)!

After the primer is dry it’s time for paint!

White Paint Colors I Love for Shiplap Walls

I LOVE warm whites for shiplap walls. Some of my favorites include:

• Behr’s Polar Bear (what we used in our she shed / pool house)
• Benjamin Moore’s Simply White (I’ve used this color in 4 rooms!)
• Benjamin Moore’s Mascarpone
• Benjamin Moore’s White Dove
• Magnolia Home’s Shiplap
• Benjamin Moore’s Super White
• Benjamin Moore’s White Dove

See my favorite white paint colors here.

We enjoyed the shed as a finished she shed before turning this space into a pool house for the whole family to love! We kept the walls as is but added a mini fridge, cabinet and built in storage benches with a slat front.

Shiplap walls are a timeless. They will never go out of style.

FAQ – Answering Your Questions on Shiplap Walls

Alternative Ideas for Shiplap Walls

• Paint it black or hang vertically for a more modern look.
• Hang with a chevron pattern.
• Create a focal wall using shiplap hung horizontally or vertically
• Hang on the back of a mudroom with hooks and cubbies to create a clean and functional storage space.

Here you can see shiplap left natural as a ceiling and painted black for an accent wall. I helped Kjeld Mahoney use shiplap in his gallery. The black paint is Black Beauty by Benjamin Moore.

More Posts You Might Enjoy

• Summer Morning in the She Shed
• Sea Fan Wall Art
• The Colors of Our Home
• DIY Floating Starfish Wreath
• DIY Butcher Block Counters

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Did you enjoy learning more about shiplap walls? If so, let me know!

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