[dropcap]A[/dropcap]s promised in my laundry room reveal, I am back to write a post on my diy shiplap experience – the good, the bad, and the ugly. As I said there are so many tutorials out there on Pinterest, but I took a little bit from each tutorial and created my own. It really is easy!
DIY SHIPLAP
SUPPLIES:
- miter saw1/4″ plywood cut into strips, I did 7″ strips
- tape measure
- miter saw
- level
- nail gun
- caulk
- wood filler
- paint, I used Valspar Ultra White
- paint brush, this one is my fav
- Handy Paint Pail, I can’t paint without it!
I had my 4′ x 8′ plywood cut into strips by the guy at Lowe’s. This makes things a lot easier and you don’t have to cut yourself! I chose to have them cut in 7 inch strips. Usually, six inches or eight inches is standard but I tested what I liked on the wall with a piece of paper first. I thought six inches was too small and eight was too big so I went with seven. Go figure.
Once I got home, I measured the width of the wall and used my miter saw to cut each strip. Then, using a stud finder, I marked the studs on the wall with tape. I started at the top first and made my way down nailing each strip of plywood into the studs. For this project, I used my new nail gun that I am obsessed with now and can’t believe I lived without one for so long.
As I made my way down, which happened pretty quickly I ran into an obstacle – the outlets. Using my jigsaw I marked and cut around them, but for my first time I didn’t do a very good job. Oh well. The bad part was actually the plywood. Because it is so thin, sometimes while cutting it would break or chip on the ends. If you are a perfectionist like me, this can be really irritating. Luckily, I used molding to cover up those imperfections. At the bottom I placed a piece of molding where the shiplap met the counter top. Then using wood filler, I filled all the nail holes and rough edges.
I attempted to use caulk on the seams between the shiplap and wall, however I wasn’t a fan of how this turned out and went back to Lowe’s to get more of the molding I had used on the bottom section. The molding helped cover the ugly imperfections and ease my OCD mind. If you are wanting the rustic shiplap look, don’t fill in any nail holes or broken wood areas. For me, that wasn’t the look I was going for and I wanted a fresh clean look.
Once the wall was completed, I was amazed at the impact. It made the room seem larger, taller, and gave it so much character. Next, was paint. I originally chose Ultra White by Valspar. The plywood will soak up a lot of paint so you will need a few coats.
Once I was done painting, I reinstalled our shelf and decorated. Overall, I was really happy with how the project turned out even though I ran into a few obstacles. In fact, I love it so much I want to install it in our dining room now!
Are you a fan of the shiplap trend? Is this a project you would tackle? Share with me!
Super cute, Allison! I love that you used the space given & made it seem soo much larger! It's fresh & so cute!!! Happy Wednesday!
Paige.Rose
from
The Quaint Sanctuary
Thanks Paige! Sometime ya just gotta work with what you got 🙂
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Beautiful Allison! I wonder if you can prime the wood before painting? A sealant/primer of some kind that will save you in gallons of paint!