How To Install Shiplap Paneling – White Accent Wall

Before The Shiplap Paneling – Bedroom Update

Scary! Let me say that allowing strangers into your bedroom is risky business, especially when your wall looks like this! Yep, you guessed it. There WAS a HUGE headboard (I painted around it because it was easier than taking it down) there at one time, but now I’m tired of the look and ready for a change. If you want to see the headboard that my hubby and I built 15 years ago and the last bedroom update, CLICK HERE.

And if you’re new to my blog and missed my last home tour, CLICK HERE to see more of our home.

Please don’t ask me about my lame attempt at a faux finish on my walls. It was a LONG time ago. We all had to start somewhere.

SUPPLY LIST For This DIY Project

• white nickel gap shiplap panels 4X8 panels
• 1 X 4 primed boards (for trim)
• table saw
• liquid nail paneling and molding adhesive
• 3 ft level
• pneumatic nailer
• white wood putty (if you’re painting the shiplap paneling white)
• Sherwin Williams Pure White SW 7005
• Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray SW 7016

Installing White Shiplap Paneling And Trim

I found everything I needed to create my white shiplap paneling accent wall at Home Depot. This isn’t a sponsored post; I just love the store. I could spend hours browsing and coming up with new DIY projects for our home. Sometimes the hubby and I make it our date night. You may have seen us holding hands and walking the isles. 🙂

This is why we are showing you now how to install shiplap paneling today. Silly date night gets me in trouble every time. That’s what HE said!

Updating The Walls With A New Color

Here’s where things got iffy.

I thought I would LOVE this new color I chose by Sherwin Williams called Evergreen Fog SW 9130. It’s the 2022 color of the year, but it just wasn’t happening. Maybe it was the time of day I was painting. Perhaps it was the blue wall. Maybe I’m colorblind; I was not too fond of it.

Just so you know, no matter what you think of me, not everything I do turns out as planned. I’m normal if there is such a thing. Wait, no, I’m not.

So, the walls were repainted to my favorite Gray. SW Mindful Gray SW 7016

How To Install Shiplap Paneling Accent Wall – Quick & Easy

STEP 1

Measure the wall to determine the amount of shiplap paneling you’ll need for your project. The paneling comes in 8 ft sheets. If your wall is taller or wider than the 8 ft paneling (vertical or horizontal) than 8ft, you will have to splice the paneling together. Doing this creates a seam, but the line will be minimal if your wall is straight and you use wood filler. That’s what I did.

A table saw comes in handy if you need to cut these large pieces. We had to rip one of the panels due to an uneven wall.

STEP 2

Mark the wood studs on the wall using a straight edge. Most walls are constructed with 2x4s and should be on 16-inch centers. That means there should be a 2×4 for every 16 inches. Find your first stud and measure over to the left or right, determine their location and mark them using your level, so they’re visible above or below the paneling. Use a small nail to find the studs and then keep them in a straight line, so they are easy to see. The shiplap paneling will cover the lines, so there is no need to worry about messing up the wall.

Use A Level

Where ever you start on your wall, you’ll want to make sure you have a level line to start from. Use that level! We started this accent wall in the middle of the wall centered over our bed. The first panel was leveled from the baseboard, and we worked our way up to make sure the top was level. A crooked line in the middle of a room will be very noticeable.

STEP 3

Apply liquid nail paneling adhesive to the back of the shiplap paneling around the edges (not too close) and in a zigzag pattern across the whole backside. This will help hold the paneling in place before you nail it into the studs.

I highly recommend using the liquid nail. The installation of shiplap paneling without the adhesive will not give you the best results. The paneling is thinner than regular shiplap boards, and you’ll need the extra hold to make the paneling lay flat against the wall, especially if your walls are not straight. Mine are not.

STEP 4

Once the shiplap paneling is where you want it on the wall, secure it in place with a finish nailer. You’ll need a set of extra hands to hold it in place while you nail it to the wall.

Kudos to my hubby for helping me and being a great photographer.

We used four sheets total (with leftovers for other DIY projects) to create the shiplap paneling accent wall.

To give our wall a finished look, we trimmed it with 2×4 trim molding.

How To Fill Nail Holes After Installing Shiplap Paneling

TIPS & TRICKS:

I love the look of the shiplap paneling after the installation, but all the nail holes weren’t the look I was after. The nails holes had to be filled and sanded before painting, and it was taking me forever. Then I learned this from TikTok! LOL, I’m so addicted.

After applying a small amount of the wood filler into the 999,000 nail holes, use a damp cloth to remove any leftover wood filler around the hole before it dries. BOOM! No sanding is needed. It’s quick and easy. Thank you, TikTok!

Allow the wood filler to dry, and you’re ready to paint. I also discovered after the fact that they make a white wood filler. Good to know for the next DIY white shiplap paneling project.

The Results Of The Shiplap Paneling Accent Wall

Learning how to install shiplap paneling wasn’t as hard as we thought it would be, and we are super happy with the results. Gosh, I LOVE this room.

Thanks for joining us today, and we hope you keep coming back for more. We love sharing what we do and look forward to the next blog post. And as always, we are happy to answer your questions in the comment section or just say hi so we know you were here. We really love hearing from you.

Don’t forget to pin this for later or share it with your bestie for inspiration.

Until the next project… xo, Do