What Is Shiplap And How To Use It?  |  by Chafin Communities

Shiplap is one of the hottest materials to decorate with. You’ve seen it on HGTV and probably in a neighbor’s house or new home construction site. It’s a trend that can take a room from blah to wow. Use it as an accent wall or to cover an entire room from floor to the ceiling and Pinterest boards will fall in love with your designs.

By:  Colleen Voisin   Date: 7/28/2021

Where Does Shiplap Come From

Shiplap was first developed to waterproof ships. It was a specific type of wood paneling with a rabbet (groove) cut at the top and bottom of each board. The reason for the groove is so they overlap to form a tight seal. This seal was effective against wind and water. Today interior shiplap is more seen as a design aesthetic over function. It’s one of the hottest materials to decorate with.

What Does It Do To A Room or Home

First, it can infuse a room with a rustic, farmhouse feel but has a coziness. Shiplap has very clean lines and works well with many styles and settings. When kept in its raw form it can feel rustic. But when painted, it takes on a whole new level. It can remain clean in a modern, historic, or even contemporary design setting. From modern contemporary to vintage classic, it’s very versatile and fun. Shiplap breaks up the monotony of flat boring walls.

How to Decorate With Shiplap

Whether you’re decorating a nook or creating an accent wall, you will need to remember two rules. First, installing vertical boards in a room can make the room feel ten times taller. It helps to emphasize the height of the room and make it feel taller. The boards draw the eyes upward towards the ceiling.

Second, installing horizontal planks makes the room feel bigger. Your eyes travel around the room with the space that’s captured between the planks. One thing to remember with installing shiplap is to make sure everything is level.  All boards follow suit in their match up. If any boards are off you’ll be able to tell.

Where Can You Use Shiplap

The straight answer to this is in any room of your home. Put it in the bathroom, use it as an accent wall, or even put it from floor to ceiling. Shiplap can turn any space into a welcoming room. Also, it does not need painted. It can remain in its raw form or painted. Don’t be afraid of color.  Adding a little color to your room is a good thing.  Keep it subtle or go bold.

Finally, shiplap can remain a DIY project with some added hands needed for leveling boards. You can always call in the professionals too if you are not sure about the project scope.