Jamie Burke

Shiplap, shiplap, shiplap. Everyone is talking about shiplap clapboard. Where to get it? How to distress it? Where to put it? It has been on high demand for almost five years now. It used to be an inexpensive way to add character or introduce a featured wall to a room. Now it is so expensive and popular, it is hard to even find! On a whim, I tried a cheap way to mimic the pricey look. It came out beautifully and was extremely easy to do. All you need is a tiny budget and about an hour.

Supplies:

Peel-and-stick faux shiplap paper

Ruler

Pencil

Scissors or X-Acto knife

Level

Wall

Credit card or wall scraper

Steps:

Go to your local home improvement store or home décor store and pick out the paper. It will run about $20-$30 a roll for 10-15 feet per roll. I like the Target rolls but have found some at TJMaxx for $5 on clearance! When you see it, buy it and save it for a rainy day.

The most important part of the process is measuring and marking, so make sure to take your time. I measure from top to bottom, making marks in pencil for a basic template. Measure twice, make your marks once. Make sure your wall is level to start, so you might need to start from an inner wall.

Lay out the roll on the ground and measure twice the length of the roll. Make marks on each end of the roll and a couple down the center to connect to the other mark. Take your ruler and connect your marks with your pencil. Then, take your scissors and cut the roll.

Prep the wall by cleaning it with a damp cloth and drying. When you are ready, start peeling one side only and match it to marks on the wall. Push out air bubbles as you go with card or scraper. Go slow, and make sure the marks line up as you put the peel-and-stick paper on the wall. Repeat this step as many times as you need to until your wall is finished. If you make a mistake, remove the roll from the wall and start again. The peel and stick roll is forgiving and really easy to use. It is that simple!