Shiplap Installation Guide

Minimum tools required 


Before you buy

    • How much should I buy?
      •     We recommend buying 10% more sq ft than the area of your wall.
    • Measuring the area of your wall.
      •     Divide the Area(inches) by 144 and this gives you the sq ft required for your wall.
      •     example: (H in x W in) ÷ 144 = sq ft
      •     If you have any doors or windows measure the area of those and subtract that from your total.
    • If you are not certain your new planks will adhere properly to your wall, buy planks without tape and fasten them to your wall with a Brad nailer and a few dots of construction adhesive.

Design your plank layout 
  • Lay your planks on the floor to check your design.
  • Design ideas: Random staggered pattern, Repeating random staggered pattern, Herringbone, Chevron.
  • Tip: The most important cuts will be the first plank in each row as this will determine your layout.
  • Things to avoid:
    • Sister Joints - assure adjacent joints are at least 10 inches apart.
    • Stair Steps
    • H Joints

Installing your planks
Preparing your wall
  • Leave your planks in the room they will be installed in for ~48 hrs to allow them to acclimate and contract or expand as needed before installing. 
  • Surface must be clean, completely dry, structurally sound, flat, free of significant texture.
  • Use a scraper or putty knife to remove any large abnormalities sticking off of the wall. The adhesive tape will stick to lightly textured walls. If your wall is heavily textured you will need to sand it to remove the texture, and primer/paint prior to installation. Do not install over bare drywall or drywall mud (joint compound) as the adhesive will not stick well. 
  • If gaps are desired between Shiplap planks be sure to darken your wall prior to installation. Light painted walls will show through the gaps and cause an unwanted appearance.
  • Important!!! Thoroughly wash your wall with TSP degreaser and completely dry your wall. This step is crucial if you are using adhesive tape. DO NOT use soap to clean your wall. It can leave a residue that will prevent tape adhesion.

  • It is also very important to cut your planks in a separate room away from the wall you are installing on. If you cut the planks in the same room saw dust particles can get on the wall and cause the adhesive not to stick. 
Making cuts
Tip: Measure twice, cut once.
Tip: Use a fine toothed blade or saw for a cleaner cut.
  • Use a measuring tape & speed square to mark your cut. 
  • Cut your planks in a different room than your installation wall to avoid saw dust on your wall. 
  • Choose your cutting tool
    • Miter Saw
    • Circular Saw
    • Jig Saw
      • Use a speed square as a cutting guide.
    • Hand saw and Miter box or speed square
      • Be sure to get a Miter box that will fit a 5.75" wide plank. 
      • Or use a speed square as a cutting guide. 

Cutting planks lengthwise
  • Test fit your plank where it will be installed.
  • Use a pencil to mark your plank on both ends where it needs to be cut.
  • Connect your marks using a straight edge or the edge of your level.
  • Use a table saw, circular saw or jigsaw to cut along your marked line.
Flexible installation options for Shiplap Planks 
(**see below for additional BRICK instructions**)
(Use a level to assure that the base where your first row will start is level)
(Be sure to check with a level every few rows and make slight adjustments as needed)
      • (Note: If you purchased the Classic Smooth Primed planks you will need to lightly sand and then clean the planks prior to painting them)
  • Peel-and-stick adhesive tape 
    • The adhesive tape is very strong. Before you remove the protective backing for final installation, be sure to test fit each plank as you go to assure proper fit. 
    • After test fitting, remove the tape backing and apply to the wall.
    • Tip: put the piece at an angle with only the bottom edge touching the wall before fully applying it to the wall. This will assure good positioning prior to the adhesive sticking to the wall.
    • IMPORTANT! Use a J roller every few rows to activate the pressure sensitive adhesive tape. This step is very important to assure proper adherence. Your planks may not stick to the wall if the tape is not activated with enough pressure. 
    • If you wish to have gaps between your planks you can use popsicle sticks (recommended), nickels, or tile spacers between each row of planks. (gaps not recommended for brick planks)
    • IMPORTANT! If you are not certain your new planks will adhere properly to your wall use a Brad Nailer (~$40 on Amazon for corded brad nailer) to drive a few nails into the ends of each plank for added security. 
    • Troubleshooting tip: Sometimes you may get a few planks where the ends don't stick down to the wall very well. This can be because of the subtle hills and valleys in most walls due to mudding and taping or other construction processes. If this happens use a brad nail or finishing nail to tack down the end. We recommend putting the nail into the wall at a downward angle to get better bite into the drywall. Sometimes two nails may be required. You can then fill the small nail hole and paint to match if necessary. 
  • Additional BRICK instructions
    • Start your first row in the bottom left corner of your wall. 
    • The flat mortar joint should be facing down towards the molding. 
    • Cut ~4.25 inches off the left side of your first piece so you have a whole brick on top, and a half brick on the bottom. This will help you keep a staggered brick pattern on each subsequent row.
    • The numbers located on the back of the panels are mainly for production purposes. However, you may utilize the numbers to ensure the panels are installed in a random order. 
    • Dry fit each each plank before final install. 
    • Place the bottom edge of the plank against the wall, slide it into position, then press the adhesive tape against the wall. 
    • With the first plank in each new subsequent row be sure to stagger the brick pattern evenly. 
    • If you wish to hide more of the seams you can use a 'Sanded Caulk' that closely matches the mortar color. We recommend Mapei Keracaulk S, colors. Gray, Pewter or Pearl Gray for Brick - Brownstone which can be found at Lowes. Or Custom Sanded Ceramic Tile Caulk, 544 rolling fog for Brick - Hampton or AccuColor Sanded Siliconized Acrylic Latex Caulk, 973 Warm Taupe for Brick - Brownstone. which can be found at Home Depot. However, you may find another color that you like better. 
  • Construction adhesive 
    • Test fit each plank as you go to assure a proper fit. 
    • Apply three 1/4 inch beads lengthwise to the back of the plank, and apply it to the wall. 
    • Be sure to keep the adhesive at least 1 inch away from any edge on your plank.
    • If you wish to have gaps between your planks you can use popsicle sticks (recommended), nickels, or tile spacers between each row of planks.
  • Brad Nailer or Finishing nails 
    • Mark the top and bottom of each stud in your wall with a stud finder. 
    • Connect the marks with a pencil and the edge of your level (or a chalk line).
    • Use a Brad nailer, or finish nails/hammer/punch to apply at least 4 nails per 4 ft of board into the marked stud lines. 
    • Use 18 gauge brad nails at 1 1/2" length 
    • If you are unable to nail into a stud be sure to nail into the drywall at a downward angle to assure a secure fit. 
    • If you wish to have gaps between your planks you can use popsicle sticks (recommended), nickels, or tile spacers between each row of planks.
    • To fill in the nail holes we recommend using lightweight spackling, painters putty, or caulk. Touch up with matched paint (from your local paint store) or furniture marker. 
      Installing around electrical outlets and light switches
      • Turn off the electrical breaker. 
      • Remove the outlet cover.
      • Dry fit your plank and use a pencil to mark where the outlet box will be. This will need to be a tight fit because the metal tabs on the outlet will need to fit over the plank. This assures that your outlet will sit flush with the outlet cover. 
      • Cut the plank where you placed your mark, using a jig saw or keyhole saw. 
      • Loosen the screws for the outlet, but do not fully remove them. 
      • Slide the plank into place. The metal tabs on the outlet should sit on top of the plank. 
        • If the plug is not flush, don't worry. You can use outlet spacers to fix that. Spacers can be purchased at your local hardware store, or online. 
      • Tighten the screws on the outlet and replace the cover. 
        • You may find that you need longer electrial screws now that your planks are installed. The common size of electrical screws is #6-32. They can be purchased at your local hardware store or online. 
      Finishing edges and corners
      (Paint or stain trim pieces as desired to match or compliment your planks/panels)
      • Edges: We recommend using wood or metal square edge trim when needed to finish edges.
      • Inside and outside corners: Corners can be finished with square edge trim, corner trim.
      Hanging objects on your wall 
      • We recommend using a drill and long wall anchors to support any objects you will be hanging on the wall. 
      Ceiling installation
      • For ceiling installation we recommend using construction adhesive in conjunction with finish nails, nailed into ceiling joists. 
      • Be sure to check local building codes prior to installing on ceiling and adhere to any code restrictions.

        Backsplash installation

        • These planks can work great for a kitchen or bathroom backsplash. However, they are not water resistant so extra steps must be taken to seal the planks from water. We recommend using caulk to seal all the seams (sanded caulk for brick planks). Then, use a protective finish such as Minwax Polyurethane, or Minwax Polycrylic over the entire area. Reapply as directed by Minwax. Also, we recommend using some type of protective strip where the planks meet the counter because that is where most of the issues with potential water damage would occur. Even a simple waterproof trim piece would work great.  
        • Tip: Do not install these planks near a shower or tub. Or in a bathroom that has regular steam from a shower or tub. 

        Care & Maintenance
        • Dust or vacuum with a non abrasive vacuum attachment. 
        • If water gets on the wood dry it immediately with a cloth.
        • For minor paint scratches use a matched paint or furniture pen for touch up. 

        Advisements
        • California Residents: Wood dust is known to the State of California as a Carcinogen. Wear protective equipment while cutting and installing wood products. 
        • Warning: Wood is flammable. Do not install this product near open flame or heat source such as a fireplace or furnace. 
        • This product is not intended for floor installation.
        • This product is not intended for installation in very damp or wet areas. 
        • This product is made of recycled wood and thereby susceptible to changes in temperature and humidity.
        • This product is for interior use only. 
        • This product may be used for ceiling applications as long as you adhere to local building codes for installation procedures and restrictions.