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White panel wall with white couch and pillows, light brown pillows, brown wooden side table with white vases and tall lamp

How To Paint Shiplap

What Is Shiplap And How Do You Paint It?

White panel wall with white couch and pillows, light brown pillows, brown wooden side table with white vases and tall lamp

How To Paint Shiplap

What Is Shiplap?

So... what is Shiplap? How do you paint Shiplap? What is Shiplap used for? Thanks to TV home improvement shows spurring on the modern farmhouse trend, the term “shiplap” has become a well-known and popular decorating term. It's a classic style of wood plank paneling that can take any home from modern to modern farmhouse and add a touch of style and classic charm to any room. Read on to learn more about what Shiplap is and how to paint shiplap for your home.

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What Is Shiplap?

Pre-Plywood Utility

What Is Shiplap And How To Paint It?

In the times before plywood, shiplap was used as a sheathing that helped strengthen the structure before siding and drywall were added. It is made up of wooden boards that are stacked horizontally or diagonally, often featuring notches, called rabbets, that help the boards to self-space and fit together to provide a water tight seal for the building. These boards used to be covered up by drywall in homes, but if used in outdoor buildings, such as barns and sheds, they were left exposed with just a coat of paint. This visible shiplap became stylish and reminiscent of the Down Home Feel of southern country living.

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What Is Shiplap?

Painting Shiplap Today

What Is Shiplap And How Do Your Paint It?

The nostalgia surrounding old rustic barns and their exposed shiplap may be responsible for the recent decorating trend of exposing existing shiplap in older homes, removing shiplap and repurposing it as wall paneling, or installing faux shiplap on interior walls in newer homes to make them look older.

Painted Shiplap walls add charm and subtle texture to rooms, giving a rustic modern farmhouse style to the design. Wider shiplap boards work well when you are covering an entire room, and thinner shiplap looks wonderful as an accent wall. If you hire a painter, make sure you talk to them about painting between the seams of the boards as well.

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What Is Shiplap?

The Modern Farmhouse Style

What Is Shiplap And How Do You Paint Shiplap?

The modern farmhouse style is all about making a room feel comfortable and relaxing. To achieve this, shiplap walls should be painted in a light neutral gray or off white paint such as Cool Slate or Moth Gray, or even a luxurious dark blue like Goblin. You can achieve different levels of rustic charm in a room by painting shiplap with a solid coat, or painting shiplap with a light coat of paint and then randomly sanding the boards to reveal glimpses of the wood underneath. The sanded paint method works best for accent walls, as it has a busier, yet super rustic, texture. A tip to remember is to paint the individual boards before nailing them onto the wall to make it easier to cover all of the board's surfaces with paint.

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