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Installing shiplap
Posted on 8/13/20 at 7:42 am
Posted on 8/13/20 at 7:42 am
Anyone have any advice for installing shiplap? I am thinking about doing a moderate to large room in my house? I am average skill level with projects.
Posted on 8/13/20 at 7:48 am to LSUFootballLover
May not be the traditional shiplap, but I installed nickle gap shiplap in my man cave. It creates the perfect "nickle-gap" since its sort of a tongue and groove product. Looks exactly like regular shiplap when installed, and super easy to put up. You level off your first piece at the bottom and the rest will fall out perfectly as you go up. I bought mine from Doug Ashy and the price was way better than all of the big box stores.
This post was edited on 8/13/20 at 7:49 am
Posted on 8/13/20 at 7:49 am to LSUFootballLover
If you are planing to paint then paint it first or else getting between the cracks is a PITA
Posted on 8/13/20 at 8:55 am to LSUFootballLover
If you have a table saw, make your own and save a lot of money for what is just a label.
Posted on 8/13/20 at 9:14 am to LSUFootballLover
- paint the boards beforehand
- check to make sure you are square every other board
- check to make sure you are square every other board
Posted on 8/13/20 at 10:30 am to RedBeardBaw
quote:
bleger
did you have to put up black backing first?
you found this easier to install? pricewise about the same as shiplap?
i like the cleaner 'nickel' gap look.
Posted on 8/13/20 at 11:03 am to CAD703X
I went with Nickel gap as well.
What I learned:
- Painting before or after didn’t make a difference to me but I did sand every board down slightly even though they came primed. This was to not create mess in the house after install. You’re going to have to fill nail holes and lightly sand but that’s a small mess to deal with.
- LEVEL YOUR WALL. If you want a uniform look you’re going to want to ensure you address any bowing/warping prior to install. It messes with the gaps and how they look IMO. I’m a perfectionist so this may not be an issue for most.
- Also for uniform and the perfectionist owner, measure wherever the shiplap is going. Account For any moulding (if you’re planning on swapping/keeping crown and base) and rip boards at the top and bottom to fit. This prevents all boards being the same size and all of a sudden at the top or bottom you have an entire row of 3/4 shiplap and the rest of the wall is 5”. If you don’t have a table saw, get one or rent one. Tracks for circular saws are handy as well.
- I painted after with a spray gun for the gaps. As someone mentioned earlier they are a MASSIVE PITA to try and paint by hand. I rolled one room and quickly realized that was not the best course of action. Buy or rent this as well.
- Determine now how you want to treat corners. Are you a “continuous” look person or do you prefer trim pieces that cover inside/outside corners. Will any pieces be cut to “end” on an exposed edge? If so, you may want to look at some shiplap options specifically designed for that.
- If you will be moving any outlets to “hide” them or align them, try to make these adjustments a day or so prior to shiplap install so you are not over complicating and install by adjusting outlets too. Also, Home Depot has outlet extenders. These are great to quickly and very easily move your wall outlets up where they are flush with the new shiplap. From an aesthetic standpoint you want your outlet/wall plates level with the gap lines. Small variations stick out like a sore thumb to me. Which is why I’m sitting on about $120 in new outlets, AV jack components, Screw less wall plates, etc.
If I think of anything else I’ll add later. Hope this helps.
What I learned:
- Painting before or after didn’t make a difference to me but I did sand every board down slightly even though they came primed. This was to not create mess in the house after install. You’re going to have to fill nail holes and lightly sand but that’s a small mess to deal with.
- LEVEL YOUR WALL. If you want a uniform look you’re going to want to ensure you address any bowing/warping prior to install. It messes with the gaps and how they look IMO. I’m a perfectionist so this may not be an issue for most.
- Also for uniform and the perfectionist owner, measure wherever the shiplap is going. Account For any moulding (if you’re planning on swapping/keeping crown and base) and rip boards at the top and bottom to fit. This prevents all boards being the same size and all of a sudden at the top or bottom you have an entire row of 3/4 shiplap and the rest of the wall is 5”. If you don’t have a table saw, get one or rent one. Tracks for circular saws are handy as well.
- I painted after with a spray gun for the gaps. As someone mentioned earlier they are a MASSIVE PITA to try and paint by hand. I rolled one room and quickly realized that was not the best course of action. Buy or rent this as well.
- Determine now how you want to treat corners. Are you a “continuous” look person or do you prefer trim pieces that cover inside/outside corners. Will any pieces be cut to “end” on an exposed edge? If so, you may want to look at some shiplap options specifically designed for that.
- If you will be moving any outlets to “hide” them or align them, try to make these adjustments a day or so prior to shiplap install so you are not over complicating and install by adjusting outlets too. Also, Home Depot has outlet extenders. These are great to quickly and very easily move your wall outlets up where they are flush with the new shiplap. From an aesthetic standpoint you want your outlet/wall plates level with the gap lines. Small variations stick out like a sore thumb to me. Which is why I’m sitting on about $120 in new outlets, AV jack components, Screw less wall plates, etc.

If I think of anything else I’ll add later. Hope this helps.
Posted on 8/13/20 at 12:15 pm to LSUFootballLover
DO NOT REST IT SITTING ON TOP OF THE NEXT BOARD
they need a bit of space to expand and contract so use a nail or something to maintain a small gap between the top board and the one under it
beyond that a chop saw is your friend since its hard to cut the ends straight every time with a skill saw
they need a bit of space to expand and contract so use a nail or something to maintain a small gap between the top board and the one under it
beyond that a chop saw is your friend since its hard to cut the ends straight every time with a skill saw
Posted on 8/13/20 at 12:24 pm to LSUFootballLover
Am I wrong to compare 2020's shiplap to 1970's wood paneling?
Posted on 8/13/20 at 1:41 pm to LSUFootballLover
quote:
Anyone have any advice for installing shiplap? I am thinking about doing a moderate to large room in my house? I am average skill level with projects.
Hop on instagram and search #shiplap
Posted on 8/13/20 at 1:55 pm to East Coast Band
To me ship lap should only be used as an accent feature. Otherwise yes you are correct. We have it around our fireplace and on the back side of our kitchen island.
Posted on 8/13/20 at 2:00 pm to East Coast Band
quote:
Am I wrong to compare 2020's shiplap to 1970's wood paneling?
yes and no
shiplap is a classic look, unlike paneling
but you will absolutely be able to date houses based on shiplap in 10 years
if you wanted to get ahead of the next big thing, bead and batten is going to be the next shiplap
Posted on 8/13/20 at 2:37 pm to CAD703X
No backing needed. The boards are either 3/4 or 1" thick, and with the nickle gap, you can't see anything behind it. I found it super easy to install, and did most of it by myself, this included using 16' boards as well for less splices and less finish work. I caulked all the corners with high stretch caulk as well as the seams, to give it a cleaner look. Pricewise, I found it almost as cheap as ripping plywood and making "faux shiplap", but a whole lot less work especially since its already primed. I got contractor pricing but it was right around $1 per sq ft for the material.
Posted on 8/13/20 at 3:14 pm to Salmon
quote:
if you wanted to get ahead of the next big thing, bead and batten is going to be the next shiplap
i like the b&b look for an entry hall wall where you hang hooks for coats but it seems a bit much for a small bathroom (what i'm considering nickel gap for). Nickel gap provides a cleaner more modern style to the walls that don't try to make the bathroom more than it needs to be.
Posted on 8/13/20 at 3:42 pm to East Coast Band
quote:Yes, terrible. I'm glad my wife didn't buy into this shiplap farm house fad shite. We're still beige with white trim and brushed stainless of the early 2000's.
Am I wrong to compare 2020's shiplap to 1970's wood paneling?

Posted on 8/13/20 at 9:22 pm to LSUFootballLover
It’s a fad trend like barn wood wallpaper just paint the wall
Posted on 8/14/20 at 12:59 pm to Cracker
All the new million dollar+ homes going up here have several nickel gap accent walls.
I think it looks great if not overused.
I think it looks great if not overused.

Posted on 10/15/21 at 9:09 am to LSUFootballLover
Some good suggestions here
I haven’t installed it but would like to try it out.
I’m also looking at pecky cypress which I like a lot.
I haven’t installed it but would like to try it out.
I’m also looking at pecky cypress which I like a lot.
Posted on 10/15/21 at 9:32 am to SlidellCajun
Fwiw if its for a room where you have anything but a blank wall, as in hanging stuff and its actually used by like kids then wood trim is a hell of a lot easier to maintain then drywall. Drywall is cheap to fix, but a PITA to keep looking good when actually used if its anything but just painting. Wood takes a lot more of a beating and is a lot easier to fix, lot easier to hang stuff, etc. IMO. That's why I'm a fan.
Posted on 10/15/21 at 9:36 am to SlidellCajun
We did it in a bathroom. Pull baseboards and crown. Install the base and crown on top of the shiplap as it will be too wide to butt up against. Also makes it infinitely easier to level it because you don't need to go to the floor or the ceiling.
We primed and painted before and used a brad nailer to hang. Ours was tongue and groove so it give the gapping.
We primed and painted before and used a brad nailer to hang. Ours was tongue and groove so it give the gapping.
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