Okay, I won’t lie. I’m writing this as an advice column to myself.
Yes, my wife is obsessed with shiplap. No, we don’t have shiplap on our walls, but one day we will.
I love all of my local contractors out there – and as a Realtor®, believe me, I know and have many on speed dial – but why hire out what I can do myself?
Now I’m no Bob Vila, but it turns out that installing shiplap actually isn’t very difficult. You can even find out how to do it on the Internet!
Speaking of Bob Vila, here are the 18 steps involved in installing shiplap in your home, according to BobVila.com.
*Disclaimer: You will need a table saw, circular saw, and several other tools and supplies in your garage for this project. Read the details to each step at www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-install-shiplap/.
Step 1: Calculate how much plywood you’ll need for your shiplap walls.
Step 2: Buy 3/4-inch AC plywood.
Step 3: Gear up.
Step 4: Rip your plywood into shiplap boards.
Step 5: Sand each board.
Step 6: Paint your shiplap boards.
Step 7: Sand and apply a second coat of paint.
Step 8: Remove the base molding from the bottom of the wall.
Step 9: Find and mark the vertical studs in the wall.
Step 10: Create horizontal chalk lines to guide plans.
Step 11: Nail the first board to the wall.
Step 12: Cut and install the next shiplap board.
Step 13: Start the next row with the leftover end from the board you just cut.
Step 14: Use spacers between shiplap boards.
Step 15: Continue installing shiplap up the wall.
Step 16: Reinstall the base molding.
Step 17: Fill all nail holes with spackle.
Step 18: Sand and touch up any nail holes with paint.
And just like that, you’ve got a shiplap wall! Easy peasy!
On second thought, maybe I will call one of those contractors after all. You know, just to supervise.
I’m still going to do it myself. 😉
Contact the author for all of your real estate needs. If you’re buying or selling a home, he can help you with that! If you’re remodeling your home…he knows people who can help you with that!
