How To Install A Shiplap Wall: DIY Project

I don’t have many immediate plans for the basement since the first floor is top on our priority list right now. Over time, I have LOTS of ideas for this space but for now, I didn’t have much planned.
This was the basement before we added the shiplap wall. It looks OK, but it needs more texture.

That was until our friends at Lowe’s asked us to create a shiplap tutorial for their site. I knew the wall in our basement that held our TV would be the perfect place to add one of our favorite wall treatments. Adding gray shiplap behind the TV in the basement was actually on my long-term to-do list, but I was more than happy to have an excuse to check this one off a lot earlier than expected!

DIY Shiplap Behind the Basement TV

When this opportunity popped up, Casey agreed to come over and get to work. That’s what best friends are for, right?! We actually made a whole weekend out of it. We kicked Matt out for the night, Casey came over on a Friday night, and we went out for dinner and enjoyed a rare night together with no work!! FInd out how to install a shiplap wall - even with a TV in the way! Here we are laying out the first boards.

A Weekend DIY Project on a Budget

Then early Saturday morning we got up and got to work adding shiplap behind the TV in the basement. We were able to get the whole wall up, puttied, caulked, and primed in one day! And did I mention the material for the wall cost under $100? See why I LOVE shiplap so much?! How to install a shiplap wall including info on painting.

The next day I got up early and added two coats of the existing wall color, Benjamin Moore’s Silver Satin. This was the first time I didn’t go with traditional white shiplap, but I’m loving the subtle color. Don’t get me wrong, I love a white shiplap wall, but this was a welcome change. The basement shiplap wall is installed! It's going to look great once we get more furniture in the space.

Gray Shiplap Love!

The texture brings coziness to this focal wall in the basement — I love it! Doens't our new shiplap wall look great in our basement? I love how it really ties the room together and adds some much-needed texture.

Right now this is what the basement is looking like. But you know the book, “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”? Well, that’s how I’m feeling about this space since adding the shiplap.

I Need Your Advice

I love the look and want to keep the DIY going! I want to add a dresser or fauxdenza of some sort under the TV so that we can store some electronics and our printer, just like in our last house. The ceiling downstairs is pretty low though so I don’t want the fauxdenza to feel overwhelming. Our new shiplap wall behind the TV in the basement looks great. I can't wait to finish the space with a piece of furniture under the TV!

What do you guys think? And what color would you do for the fauxdenza? I’m thinking white cabinets with dark wood trim (similar to Casey’s) but I’m open to your suggestions! Of course, a dresser there means I have to relocate that chair to the left but I’m definitely okay with that. What do you think… any ideas?!! How far our basement has come! Can you believe how brown these walls are? These needed a serious paint job to lighten this space up. While you help me brainstorm, let’s take a look back at what this space looked like just a few months ago. Pretty crazy, right?! These are the tools you need to install a beautiful shiplap wall!

A huge thanks to our friends at Lowe’s for giving me the perfect excuse to tackle one of my favorite projects in the new house. I love how shiplap adds such charm, yet doesn’t cost a lot of money or require a ton of time. Once our tutorial is up on Lowes.com, I’ll be sure to link it here so you can see the step-by-step process to tackle this project yourself.

And be sure to catch up on some of our other shiplap projects here…

Bridget