Shiplap has become a staple in home design projects across the country – and for good reason. It has a variety of design options, from raw and rustic to nice and polished. Due to its overlapping nature, it’s also more weather-resistant than your run-of-the-mill design materials. In fact, it first became popular as a design choice for homes in areas with harsher climates – such as forests or coastal settings, due to its ability to withstand rough weather. And to top it all off – it’s easy to match the theme of your project area by painting it however you want. With the explosion in TV appearances of decorative shiplap, such as on Fixer Upper with Chip and Joanna Gaines, shiplap is here to stay.
Below are three tips to consider before using the versatile and charming shiplap design material in your home project:
1. Identify Proper Shiplap.
At first glance, a shiplap set up might just look like regular ol’ wood panels placed on top of each other. You can’t just nail boards to the wall and call it shiplap. There are features involved that make actual shiplap special.
More specifically, there are overlapping grooves (rabbets) in the shiplap that allows each board to fit snugly with the next. This design feature gives shiplap its weather-resistance and sturdiness when used in constructions. Another great thing about these grooves are the thin stripes in between each shiplap board – a widely cherished design feature in those pursuing home projects. At the American Lumbermill, our shiplap is authentic, grooved, and top-notch.
2. Shiplap’s Repair Process for Exterior Usage is Generally More Involved.
Due to the aforementioned design feature of being ultra-tight, shiplap can be slightly harder to repair than regular wood planks. If a shiplap panel suffers significant damage, it is usually required to take off the full panel and replace it entirely. Note that this applies to shiplap used in exterior constructions more so than interior projects. If you are unsure how to fix damage sustained by your shiplap, shoot us an email at americanlumbermillco@gmail.com and we can walk you through it.
3. Paint it However You Want!
One of the amazing features about shiplap is that you can paint it! Any color that you can think of can be appled to our shiplap boards. While classic white will always be a go-to choice for shiplap, you can make your shiplap as vibrant and inviting as your imagination will allow. Check out our FAQ to learn more about the process of painting shiplap in your custom home project, or go to our Gallery to get some design ideas to help you get started.
Shiplap is a unique design choice for any home project that is sure to get a lot of attention from your guests. Remember that real shiplap uses overlapping grooves – anything calling itself shiplap without these grooves is fake. You can get true shiplap from our Shop at the American Lumbermill. Shiplap has a wide range of exterior uses, such as for barns, but repairing exterior shiplap damage might be a slightly more involved process than when using simpler materials. Finally, feel free to paint your shiplap any color you’d like – make it your own!
Call us today at (682) 235-0991 or use our Online Form Submission if you have any questions regarding shiplap and what you can do with it.