DIY Shiplap Wall in Ben’s Bedroom

I am soooo excited to share this bedroom progress with you guys!! Last week I finished up the shiplap wall in Ben’s new big boy room (since baby sis will be taking over the nursery 🙂 ) and it turned out SO GOOD! I wanted to give you a step by step DIY shiplap wall tutorial in case you’d like to do this in your own home!

We installed shiplap walls in our home’s old dining room and master bedroom, and I absolutely loved how it looked. This time, I decided to go a bit moodier with the color and document exactly how I installed the shiplap!

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A post shared by Liz Pacini | DIY + Affordable Home Decor (@lizpacini)

To give you some context, here’s a look at the before and after so far:

Tools:

• 18 gauge nail gun
• Miter saw
• Jigsaw
• Drill
• Prybar
• Laser distance measurer (not a must, but it’s such a time saver!)

Materials

• 7 1/4″ nickel gap shiplap
• Quarter round
• 220 grit sand paper
• Wood Filler
• Caulk
• Paint (I used Irony by Clare Paint)
• 6″ foam roller

Prep the wall & shiplap

The first thing I did was remove the baseboards and paint the shiplap. I used a brush on tongue and groove and then used a foam roller to eliminate any brush strokes. Pro tip: if you want to completely eliminate brushstrokes, you’ll need to immediately use the foam roller after brushing the tongue and groove. I waited too long between brushing and rolling, and in certain lights, you can see the brush strokes. It’s not a big deal at all, but it’s something I learned!

You’ll also need to locate all the wall studs and mark them off. You want to make sure this wall is sturdy! Wall studs are typically at 16″ on center. An easy way to locate your first stud is using your stud finder on either side of the outlet, since the outlet boxes are mounted to a stud.

Then, cut the shiplap to size. Since I put quarter round on either vertical side, I didn’t need the cuts to be *perfect.* I used my miter saw for the first cut, checked that length in the room, and then used the scrap wood as a template for the rest of my cuts. Don’t just check the length in one spot on the wall, though. Your walls may not be level, so it’s important to test the board length in multiple spots vertically on the wall (ex. at the ceiling, in the middle of the wall, and at the bottom.)

Install the first board and make cuts for outlets

It’s time to begin installing! Make sure you get your first board level. It’ll just make installing the rest of the wall easier.

Once you nail your first board in, you’ll need to use your jigsaw to cut around the outlets. I promise it’s easier than it sounds! I used a drill bit to make a hole in the corner of my cut, and then I used my jigsaw. You don’t have to use the drill bit method, but I already had my drill out and I think it can be easier than trying to make curved cuts with the jigsaw.

Now it’s SO EASY!! Just add your boards, check periodically to make sure they’re level, and you’ll be done before you know it. I got lucky and my last board fit almost perfectly against the ceiling. If your’s doesn’t, you may need to use a table saw to rip it down.

Install trim pieces, fill nail holes, and add your final coat of paint

These finishing touches will make all the difference, I promise. Add your quarter round to each side and the ceiling (I made 45 degree cuts on each piece for a seamless(ish) transition at the ceiling.) Put your baseboard back on with your brad nailer, and then it’s time for caulk and wood filler.

I used caulk between:

• the baseboard and the shiplap
• the quarter round and the wall/ceiling
• the quarter round and the shiplap

Make sense?

I used wood filler to patch my nail holes in the shiplap, sanded it down with 220 grit sandpaper, wiped the wall down with a tack cloth and added a final coat of paint with my foam roller. I painted the quarter round with a brush after install – it turned out great!

What do you think?! I’m so happy with how it turned out. I can’t wait to share more of this room transformation.. I have some projects planned that I’m super excited about. 🙂

And of course I had to take some bump pics against the wall! 🙂 I’m 21 weeks pregnant!!!

Check out the final reveal of this room HERE!

xoxo