DIY Shiplap Wall

The bump out in our kitchen was given a little makeover this weekend. We decided to shiplap the walls to give our kitchen a cozy vibe. Shiplap can get pricey – as much as $7 a square foot! So this method is a budget-friendly alternative that gives the same effect and costs a fraction of the price.

So how did we achieve this look for only $150? We used 1/4” plywood underlayment and ripped it down into 8” strips! This gave us the look of shiplap, while using half the material of a standard shiplap wall.

I will break down the steps to create your own faux shiplap wall, but first here are the materials needed for this project…

Tools Needed:

• 1/4” Plywood underlayment sheet (we used oak plywood)
• Corner trim
• Paint
• Miter Saw
• Measuring Tape
• Nail gun and nails
• Level
• Spacers
• Wood Filler
• Putty Knife
• Jig Saw 
• Sandpaper
• Paint brush
• Paint roller

Step 1:

Purchase 1/4” plywood underlayment and cut the sheet into strips length wise. We did 8” strips, the most common shiplap sizes are 6” or 8”. I had our local hardware store cut the pieces for us since we didn’t have the correct saw to do this part.

Step 2:

Prep your walls and remove all switch and outlet covers. Before applying the shiplap, paint your bare wall the same color you will be painting the shiplap. We chose Sherwin Williams® Alabaster.

Step 3:

Measure your wall and mark your measurements on your board and cut it to size with your miter saw. Once the board is cut, place it on the wall, check to make sure its level and nail it in place using your nail gun.

Step 4:

Grab your spacers and place them on top of the board already nailed into the wall and place your next board on top. Again check to make sure its level and then nail it in place. For our spacing we chose to use a scrap piece of wood the same thickness as our boards at a 1/4” thickness. If you want a smaller gap try using nickels as spacers.

Step 5:

Working around outlets and switches. Use a jig saw to make your cuts. Here is a very helpful tutorial with a few tips and tricks to work around outlets:

Step 6:

Attach your trim piece. If you are working around corners like our bump out, then you will need a trim piece to cover where your corner pieces meet to give a nice clean appearance. 

Step 7:

Now that all of the boards and trim pieces are in place, it’s time to cover up all the nail holes we created. Apply a small amount of wood filler in the nail holes using a putty knife. Let the wood filler dry for the recommended time and then sand until smooth.

Step 8:

Prep and paint. Make sure to clean your walls thoroughly vacuuming up all the loose saw dust from sanding, so you have a clean surface to paint. Once your surface is clean, you can start to paint. 

I started painting by focusing on the edges of the baseboards, doorways, and in between the spaces of the plywood boards. Once I had all of the detail areas, I rolled on two coats of paint.

Step 9:

Once your paint is dry, place your outlet and switch covers back on to complete the look!

If you decide to try your own plywood shiplap wall, tag me on instagram [@bridgette.alexandra], I would love to see your projects!

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