The Ultimate Guide to Adding Shiplap to Your Home’s Interior in 2023

Shiplap is a design feature made from interlocking wooden boards. It’s been used for centuries to protect exterior homes and barns against the elements, but in recent years, it’s become a popular design choice for inside the home. 

Its popularity is driven by its classic, rustic charm and the added visual intrigue it brings to accent walls, kitchens, and more!

What is Shiplap?

Andrew Pike @andrewpikeinteriors

Shiplap is a type of wooden siding made from thin planks of wood, typically made from cedar, pine, or spruce, that overlap to form a tight, sealed barrier that’s durable and weather resistant. You can use shiplap both outdoors and indoors, but you’re now more likely to find it on the interior walls of homes in order to give them a rustic, vintage look.

The beauty of shiplap is that it’s super easy to install, maintain, and clean, which makes it an ideal choice for DIYers who want to add a little bit of texture to their design aesthetic. It’s also affordable, which isn’t typical for luxury home design features, and it’s a great way to add some extra insulation to your home.

Shiplap isn’t just for looks, however. Its overlapping planks form a solid and durable barrier that repels moisture, which makes it an excellent choice for bathroom walls, kitchens, and basements. Its overlapping planks also create a tighter seal than other types of siding, which makes it an ideal choice for reducing drafts around the edges of windows and doors. Of course, the benefits don’t stop there!

The Benefits of Shiplap in Interior Design

Andrew Pike @andrewpikeinteriors

Shiplap is an excellent addition to any interior design because it offers a range of styles and functional benefits that any homeowner will enjoy. From creating visual intrigue to being incredibly versatile and cost-effective, shiplap has much to offer. Here are four of the primary benefits of using shiplap in interior design:

1. Creates Visual Intrigue

Shiplap’s horizontal (or vertical) orientation adds a layer of visual interest. It also comes in various sizes and shapes to add even more visual intrigue. The boards are typically staggered with a small amount of space between each to create a pattern that catches the eye. These qualities make shiplap the ideal choice for an accent wall or to give an otherwise plain room a bit of character.

2. Design Versatility

Popularized by the farmhouse and shabby chic aesthetics, shiplap is an incredible option for homeowners looking to add a bit of rustic, traditional charm to their interior design. It can also be painted or stained to match the color scheme of every room, to make it extra versatile. Thanks to this versatility, it can be added to almost any home, no matter the interior design style. It goes with everything!

3. Ease of Installation

Another benefit of shiplap is it’s relatively easy to install, which makes it an ideal choice for DIYers of any skill level. It requires just a few basic tools and can be done in as little as a few hours. So, if you’re looking for a simple and easy way to give your home a makeover without needing to hire a professional contractor, shiplap is the perfect option!

4. Affordability

Let’s not forget how cost-effective shiplap is as a design feature. The materials are relatively inexpensive. Plus, if you’re willing to do the work yourself, it can save you tons on hiring a professional to do the work for you.

How to Install Shiplap

As mentioned above, shiplap is an affordable and stylish way to create a textured, intriguing look in any room in your home. With just a few tools and materials, you can easily install a shiplap feature wall or a kitchen backsplash. It takes far less time than you’d imagine! That’s why we created this step-by-step shiplap installation guide to help you install shiplap in your home.

1. Choose Your Shiplap

Before you do anything else, you need to choose your shiplap. When it comes to transforming your walls, you have quite a few options when it comes to materials. Many homeowners opt for tongue and groove planks, but others prefer beadboard or birch plywood. You may also choose pine or cedar hardwood, which are some other popular shiplap options.

Once you have your materials chosen, you can also consider what color you want them to be. Pre-painted options are available, but you may choose to paint it yourself, which will add some time to the installation process. Ultimately, it’s up to you to select what looks and feels best for your home.

2. Prepare and Paint Your Walls

Once you’ve selected the material for your shiplap project, it’s time to clean and prep your walls. This includes removing wallpaper, sanding down irregularities, priming the walls, and painting them. Make sure to completely dry the walls before beginning installation.

3. Take Measurements

Once you’ve prepped your walls, it’s time to take some measurements. Using a measuring tape and a level, measure the entire surface area of the wall and note any obstacles you’ll need to work around. This will help you determine how much shiplap you’ll need and will make it easier to plan the project.

4. Mark Vertical Studs

Once you have all your materials and tools gathered, it’s time to mark your vertical studs with a pencil or marker. What you use doesn’t matter because the shiplap installation will eventually cover it. This process is incredibly helpful during installation because it lets you know where you can place the nails, so that your shiplap fits securely.

5. Create a Guideline

Next, you’ll want to create a guideline to ensure each board lines up properly. This extra step is a simple way to ensure a neat, uniform look. For the most precision possible, use a laser measure or a level to mark the line.

6. Attach Your First Row of Shiplap

Once your guideline is ready, you can start attaching your first row of shiplap. Start with the bottom row and secure your first row of shiplap to the wall with nails or screws. Remember to keep your level handy so you know the installation is straight and even. Few things are more distracting than a crooked row in a shiplap accent wall.

7. Place Spacers

To ensure every row of shiplap is even and has that ideal gap between each board, place spacers above each board and use them as a guide for every new row. This will help the boards fit nicely against one another and create a seamless, polished look.

8. Continue Until Complete!

Once you’ve successfully attached the first row of shiplap and the spacers, continue with the same process until the entire wall is complete. Once you reach the top, all you have to do is square away any finishing touches, and you’re good to go!

5 Beautiful Shiplap Design Ideas to Inspire Your Shiplap Design

When it comes to interior design options, it isn’t always easy to know how something will look until you’ve seen it firsthand. You also can’t expect yourself to know how something will look if you’ve never had any experience with it. That’s why we put together five gorgeous shiplap design ideas to inspire your shiplap creation.

1. Chic Bathroom with Shiplap

Well, who doesn’t love a chicly designed, dark bathroom? It has a dramatic flair while maintaining a cozy and inviting look. The shiplap adds to that motif by adding a sharp contrast between the lighter features and adding clean, symmetrical intrigue to an otherwise blank wall.

2. Cozy Bedroom with Shiplap

Whoever said that shiplap should be limited to main living areas, bathrooms, and kitchens? Shiplap also goes perfectly in bedrooms, and creates intrigue on walls that are typically unadorned, and it accomplishes that without detracting from the coziness of the room.

3. Modern Living Room with Shiplap

There’s nothing quite as beautiful as a sharply designed modern living with a shiplap accent wall. Even with the wall of windows and the chic modern décor, your eyes are drawn to the wood grain accent wall. This is what expert designing looks like!

4. Natural Sitting Room with Shiplap

We’re a big fan of using natural elements to create a chic and cozy design. So, with all the natural woodgrain, plans, and earth tones featured in this design, we couldn’t be happier! We especially love the shiplap’s grey and white muted colors because they contrast the woodgrain bench and flooring.

5. Warm Home Office with Shiplap

Anyone who works from home understands the desire for a warm and inviting home office that feels somewhat like a separate space without losing any of the comforts of your home. This home office captures that perfectly, and the shiplap adds a bit of design flair that home offices often desperately need.

Looking for High-Quality Shiplap for Your Home?

If you’re looking for high-quality shiplap for your home, look no further! At Metrie, we’re proud to offer a wide variety of shiplap materials and styles that are sure to fit any interior design. Plus, we also offer luxury trim and moulding, to make us your one-stop shop for the highest-quality materials on the market. 

Contact us today to learn more!