Whether you're looking to create an accent wall or cover your entire room, shiplap adds rustic appeal to any space. Its distinctive texture and timelessness make it a versatile choice for any style home – ranging from modern farmhouses to coastal cottages. Our guide walks you through each step of installing shiplap to make the DIY process simple and straightforward.

Tip!

Read our guide What Is Shiplap? to learn more about this type of paneling.

Before You Begin

Before you can start installing shiplap, there are a few steps you should complete.

Choose Your Shiplap

Shiplap comes in two different varieties: wood wall panels and peel-and-stick wallpaper. The traditional shiplap is a type of wood paneling that is fitted together, but not overlapping. Peel-and-stick wallpaper mimics the look of traditional shiplap paneling and can provide a more temporary, renter-friendly option with an easy application and realistic look. Read our guide How to Apply Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper to learn step-by-step instructions.

Take Measurements

You'll need to know the square footage of your wall space to determine how much shiplap you'll need. Measure the length and height of the room (or the specific wall if you're planning on an accent wall) to find the square footage.

To determine how many shiplap panels you'll need to purchase, look for the dimensions of each board and multiply the length and width. Take the square footage of the wall and divide it by the square footage of each panel to find how many panels you'll need to cover the space. Add 10% to this measurement so that you have some spare materials for repairs or possible mistakes.

Prep the Walls

In preparation for your shiplap installation, you'll need to remove everything from the wall, including any nails, baseboards, wall plates, and outlet covers.

Let the Shiplap Acclimate

It's important that you open up the boxes of shiplap so that the wood can acclimate to the humidity of your home. By letting the boards acclimate for at least 72 hours, this allows the wood to adjust to the temperature and humidity.

If you skip this step before shiplap installation, you could face warping and shrinking that could cause the boards to not lay evenly or lock together properly.

Find & Mark the Studs

When installing shiplap, it's best to attach the boards to a stud. Use a stud finder to locate the vertical studs and use a pencil to mark where each stud is, creating vertical lines that can guide your installation. Most studs are placed 18" to 24" apart.

How to Install Shiplap

Learn how to install shiplap by following these steps:

What You'll Need:

• Tape measure
• Shiplap
• Circular saw or miter saw
• Level
• Construction adhesive
• 2" nails
• Hammer or nail gun
• Nickels

Step 1: Measure & Cut Shiplap Boards

Using a tape measure, measure the length of the shiplap boards and the length of the wall where you'll be installing the shiplap. You can use these measurements to calculate how many boards you'll need for each row and if you'll need to cut any boards to the right size. Use a circular saw or miter saw to cut the shiplap boards to the correct size.

Step 2: Place the First Board

To start installing shiplap, it's best to start from the floor and move your way up, or from the ceiling and down if your floors are uneven. Add a layer of construction adhesive to the back of a board and set the board against the wall. The adhesive will hold the board to the wall, but still allows you to remove or adjust the board before you use a nail to permanently attach the board. Use a level to make sure the board is even, and adjust the boards if they aren't level.

Step 3: Secure the Shiplap With Nails

Use an air-compressed nail gun or a hammer to nail the shiplap boards to the walls. Opt for 2" nails to ensure that the nails are securely attached to the studs. Use the vertical lines you drew earlier to easily locate the studs.

Step 4: Space Out the Boards

Before installing the next row of shiplap, place 3 to 5 nickels along the top of the boards. The nickels will work as spacers, giving your shiplap an authentic feel.

Step 5: Repeat the Process

Add adhesive to the next shiplap board and place it on the wall, the bottom edge resting right above the nickel spacers. Check to see if the board is level and if so, nail the board to the wall. After you've added the next row of shiplap, you can remove the nickels and place them above the boards you've just attached.

Repeat the process until you've covered the wall, making sure to never overlap boards.

Tip!

While installing shiplap, you can stagger the length of the boards to give your wall a more textured, farmhouse-inspired look.

Step 6: Attach Baseboards & Trim

Once you've installed all of the shiplap, it's time to reattach the baseboards and trim. Because floors can be unlevel, this step will help you disguise any gaps.

You might need to trim the ends of the baseboard since the new shiplap may have made your walls slightly thicker. You could also use this as an opportunity to replace your baseboards to better match the shiplap.

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