My wife and I, like most all old home owners, are fans of a lot of the restoration themed DIY shows these days. Rehab Addict, Restored, and, of course, Fixer Upper.
Their designs and passion to keep original elements of old houses is so rare in the renovation game that I can’t help but root for them to succeed. I miss the show already!
One of my favorite shows is definitely Fixer Upper. Partly because I’m from Texas, and partly because Joanna and Chip are such a trip to watch. They even have a book, The Magnolia Story, telling all about their story. Her designs are almost always stunning, but she does have a real addiction to what she calls “shiplap.”
The only problem is that rarely is the wood she calls shiplap actually shiplap! Not that you can tell on the television screen. I’ve noticed my clients recently asking about shiplap, if their house has it, or can they incorporate it somehow. And I always have to ask “Do you watch Fixer Upper?”
If the answer comes back yes (which it usually does) then my next question is usually, “Do you want actual shiplap or do you just want wood paneling?” This query often brings a cock of the head and a quizzical look. “Aren’t they the same?”
Don’t get me wrong, Joanna, I love your show and really don’t think you need to change a thing. You do enough for historic preservation that all of us in the field should be grateful.
I don’t actually think that you aren’t aware of what shiplap is. I think it’s more of a generalization that is happening much like a lot of people do. Much like a lot of folks call any sparkling white wine champagne when it’s not really champagne unless it’s French.
That may sound snooty, but it’s not my intention. I just want to make sure people know what shiplap actually is and what it isn’t.
What is NOT Shiplap?
It’s Not Sheathing
This is usually what Joanna calls shiplap and where I start to yell at the TV.
It is not plain wooden boards nailed on a wall. Often in old houses, these boards can be found on the exterior of the framing just beneath the siding.
Today, we frame a house and then install plywood sheathing to tighten the frame and help square everything up prior to putting on the siding and interior wall coverings. In the days before plywood, we used 1×6 or 1×8 boards, sometimes installed on a diagonal or horizontally as both sheathing and subfloor.
These boards can be salvaged and reused as paneling or other creative design uses since they can add a lot of rich character, but they are not shiplap. They’re just plain old wood boards.
It’s Not Tongue & Groove
Sadly, it’s not this one either. Tongue and groove boards are used in all different places in old homes and most of us have heard the phrase at one time or another. Flooring is of course the most common tongue and groove you’ll encounter, but there is a lot of siding that is tongue and groove as well.
Tongue and groove (or T&G) is just what it sounds like. One side of the board has a groove and the other side has a tongue. When they are installed side by side, they fit together nice and snug, which strengthens the floor or siding.
What Is Shiplap?
Shiplap is a 1x board that has a special rabbet or notch cut on the edges of the board in an alternating fashion. These rabbets allow the boards, when installed horizontally, to self-space themselves and keep water from getting behind them because they fit so perfectly.
Shiplap is mostly found in siding designs because of the need for consistent spacing and water tightness, but it can be found in other places. The lapped joint is one of the simplest you can use to accomplish the spacing and prevent water intrusion, which is why shiplap was and is so popular.
Once installed, shiplap can look just like regular wood boards because the rabbets are hidden, so yes, it can be hard to tell it apart from regular sheathing boards to even a trained eye, but it is different.
There are various profiles of siding available in shiplap too. Sometimes it’s just flat shiplap boards and other times you can find profiles like Novelty Drop, Dolly Varden, or the poorly named but still attractive #117 lap siding.
For the purist, shiplap is the original flat profile with a rabbet on top and bottom. Chip explains it in the video below so we know they are on the level about shiplap even if a few random styles get thrown in with all that Texas shiplap.
As long as she doesn’t start proclaiming that they come from the shiplap tree, I’m still a fan.
If you are having trouble finding the real stuff in your area, you can easily make your own shiplap with this quick tutorial. If you’re one of the lucky ones to have true shiplap in your house and you just need help repairing it, read my post The 7 Best Products to Patch Wood.
Designing With Shiplap
There are so many ways to incorporate shiplap into your home projects and almost all of them are attractive. Whether you use weathered natural wood or want a more clean painted look, a wood covered wall makes any room feel warmer.
Here are some of my favorite designs using shiplap from Houzz to give you a little inspiration for your home.
Pittsboro Residence Farmhouse Entry
Bastrop County Plantation House Farmhouse Bedroom
Founder & Editor-in-Chief
I love old houses, working with my hands, and teaching others the excitment of doing it yourself! Everything is teachable if you only give it the chance.
I have a Florida room in my house that appears to have what looks like shiplap walls, but it is installed vertically not horizontally. I’m not going to rip out the wall to see if it is true shiplap, but I was wondering if vertical shiplap is common.
Usually not vertical, but it’s possible.
Question… I ripped my bungalow down to the studs and want to put up horizontal boards to look like shiplap on an interior wall directly on the studs. I know that most people leave a gap between boards, but won’t the frame be visible if I do that? Can I just butt them together or is there another solution that will let me have the gap look? I will be painting the wall white. Thanks.
Thinking of shiplap in small bathroom in house built in 2014 after watching Fixer Upper. Needed to know and thanks to you, Scott now know everything anyone would need to know about it. Need to economize so can’t afford real stuff. Keep up this great blog.
I’m thinking of doing this, too and am looking at using fiber cement siding that you can get from Lowe’s or Home Depot for about $38 for a 4 x 8 sheet. (I thought I saw it for about $20 too if it is not painted.)
My plan is to turn it sideways on the wall. To put it up, I plan to cut out the pieces like a puzzle and then screw it into the studs – countersinking and filling in holes.
Great post! I never knew what shiplap was to begin with but love the texture and casual feel it brings to her rooms she designs. I have the old fashion soffits in my kitchen and not in a position to remove them. I like the look of shiplap vs bead board which I have seen used on soffits to give them an updated look so was toying with the idea if using “shiplap”
What is the material Joann is using and could I use that on my kitchen soffits to give them the “shiplap look? I would prefer a 4 inch width possibly 6. This would be my hisbands next project he doesn’t know about yet 🙂
Thanks!
I have some old cypress window and door trim that I want to rip to about half inch width and cut shiplap rabbets into. How wide should the rabbets Be? This would be depth from the edge.
Usually about 1/2″
Nice job! Well written and much appreciated.
Hi Scott, Im considering putting shiplap in our master bath. I’ve been having difficulty finding info on replacing drywall with it. Here’s my question. Do I rip out the drywall or apply it over the top of it. What I’m concerned about is my door jams and door/window trim being too shallow if I just put it over the drywall.
Also, if I put it up with a nail gun, what size fasteners would you recommend? I’m assuming you would have to fill holes before you paint. Thanks for the great post.
Hey There Scott….I have read thru all the comments and I feel I may have missed what is relating to my question….How far apart do I space them if I am using the #2 grade Pine boards…(not tongue and Groove)?
True shiplap is self spacing but if you are just using common 1x lumber then I would space them about an 1/8″ apart. Try using a toothpick as a spacer.
I’m an Interior Designer but haven’t worked with shiplap before but that is part of the farmhouse look my client wants, so very happy to find your site. I’ll be keeping watch on your site, great info, thanks!
I have been doing carpentry for almost 40 years. We have a siding that has a scallop like cut on the top and a rabbit on the bottom. We call it 105 lap siding. I saw you mention a 117 siding what is that exactly?
The 117 looks like a double piece of rounded bevel siding. A quick google search will show you some good images of the patterns.
I’m considering redoing our master bath walls with shiplap. What I can’t find any info on is whether I should remove the dry wall first so it will fit with door and window trim, or install over drywall? Think on top of drywall might be harder due to having to extend door jamb and trim.
Also, what size nails would you recommend for this. I have both a brad and a finish nail gun. Thanks for the great post.
Hi Scott,
I have a 118 year old Victorian Farm house that is all TG or SL, walls, ceiling, etc. The walls and ceilings were painted by the family that moved the house to this site in 1989. They ended up selling in 1992 and for the next 22 years the house was a weekend home. Short story long, I believe do to the lack of climate control or improper prep the paint has peeled in some places. Lead tested the paint and tested negative. I have scraped and sanded the ceiling to repaint. I am planning on painting with a latex kilz and then a latex paint. I have two questions: 1. Has my prep process been good so far 2. I read where someone said you need to be careful to not paint/seal the grooves? I have a vision of me on a ladder with a toothpick…1500 sq. feet of toothpick and that’s just the ceilings! Any advice would be appreciated!
Hi Scott,
Since my original comment I have searched thru all your blogs on painting and I have have not found the answer to question 2. How do you repaint shiplap or tg without filling in the grooves between the boards? Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Pat
I just used shiplap on my soffitt as well as my front room. WindsorONE has a 6 and 8 inch profile and a smooth and rough side and it’s treated with a 30 year warranty. I used the nickel gap for a little space in between. Husband is grumbling a bit as it can be a challenge painting in between.
Where do you nail the shiplap
2 nails in the face a couple inch for each edge at each stud.
What size of nails would you typically use with shiplap? I’ll be working with 3/4″ shiplap exactly like what you have pictured above. Other people have said they use clipped head framing nails, it just seems excessive to me, but I could very well be wrong.
2 1/2″ 15 ga
I pulled up some gross carpeting in my finished attic and found what I thought was shiplap. I was excited until I read this blog. Now I’m sure it isn’t shiplap due to the gaps between the boards. Bummer! If I pull up this carpeting, will I be able to finish the floor boards or do I have to put another type of flooring over this? My plan was to whitewash/distress the floor.
BTW my house is about 70 years old
That is likely just plain 1x subflooring which is typical in older houses. If it’s in good shape you can certainly use it as finish floor, but it may be a little rough and need some repairing to be soft enough for bare feet.
I have a house built in 1950, and assume it is the real shiplap on my walls, they are covered with sheetrock. i have uncovered a small area in my closet and there is a cheese cloth material and wall paper over it . I have removed it as well. My thought was to remove all the sheet rock and expose the shiplap, whitewash it. how does this affect my energy usage in home? Will removing the sheetrock make my house less energy efficent? (not that it really is to begin with)
Hi Scott,
My husband and I bought a house built in the 60s, and the walls were covered with years of various papers, vinyls, etc. We began stripping the various layers off and found that underneath the walls were what my husband said were tongue and groove. The son of the man who had built the house said that the wood came from an old school house that had been built in 1901. Even the barn at the back of the property has the same wood on the inside. The boards or planks are very thick and somewhat rough. My question is once we get all the glue residue off, should we sand the wood, paint it, or just leave it rustic looking. I have to say, the idea of covering up the old wood doesn’t appeal to me. Some of the wood is painted like green, red, brown…just ever so often a few will have paint. The walls in the dining room area are a pale white with a few red boards. What do you suggest
I say if you like the way it looks then keep it. You want that house to feed your soul and nothing beats real wood!
We are going to put an addition onto our 1940 house and in doing will be tearing down the existing garage. It has cedar shingles covering the younger and groove paneling that creates the walls. I would like to salvage this and reuse it on the interior somewhere. What is the best way to remove it to reuse?
Hi Scott:
I have flipped two houses on my own and I’m now in my forever home I think, although I look all the time and I’m on my second round of redoing my current house. When I flipped the first 2 houses on this one 13 years ago wainscoting was the in thing so my bathrooms and my dining room now a family room has wainscoting. I’m thinking about changing it to shiplap but keeping my bathrooms wainscoting for a varied look. My hallways, dining room aka upstairs family room would have shiplap. I also have a very large family room downstairs (basement) with wainscoting. My house is 3,300 sq feet. I choose to turn my dining room into a family room and family room into a formal living room both with tvs, the formal living room is off the kitchen of my house witch is small and will be upgraded. I also have a first floor master bedroom with a full bath used as an office an project room for my daughter and her friends. The upstairs of my house has 3 bedrooms that are very large and a bedroom in our basement. All the rooms on the first floor have chair rails and crown molding. It is truly a custom made house. So my question is this, should I incorporate some shiplap (in your opinion) or should I stick with the wainscoting theme? My house is a Colonial Cape Cod with 5 dormers sitting on 2 acres with professional landscaping and prestigious grounds such as an in ground pool. I live in an upscale neighborhood and I guess I’m wondering if wainscoting is better to stay with over shiplap, please help…
Hi Scott – excellent information! Our huge home-remodeling project in southeast GA incorporates shiplap walls in our living room. Our builder installed the pine boards back in November, typically a dry time of year here. There are only a few gaps here and there, but most of it is still very tight. We’ve been told to be patient and the boards will shrink to give us the uniformed grooved gaps that we want. My question: we will be heading into more humid and warm weather come Spring and Summer – do you think the expected shrinking will still occur? Can the seams be “scored” with a blade to achieve the look? The walls have already been primed – final coat will be done sometime this month. Thank you for any advice you can give!!