Over the past few months, I’ve been helping my dad decorate the empty rooms on the second floor of his condo. You can see my guest bedroom design here, the bathroom design here, and the loft design right here.

9×12 Rug // Leather Sofa // Bean Bag Chairs // Oval Coffee Table // Floor Lamp // Media Console // Brass Planter // Gallery Wall // Velvet Pillow // Patterned Pillow

While I was very excited about my game plan for the loft space, I was a little nervous about the huge wall behind the couch.

I had a symmetrical gallery wall planned for this space, but this blank slate still seemed so expansive.

Learning About Wood Slat Panels

While putting the finishing touches on the loft design, the brand Metrie reached out to me about creating some content around their latest product – these slat wall panels. I’ve worked with them in the past on my stairwell accent wall and the board and batten in my sister’s hallway. They’re fantastic to work with.

Metrie wanted images and videos of the slat wall panels to use for their promotional materials. The only problem was I didn’t have a space in my own home to shoot the product.

Then, I remembered that big ol’ wall in my dad’s condo. It was the perfect place for a wood accent wall.

I happily accepted and ordered these wood wall panels in the black walnut color. They also come in white oak and cherry oak. I love the look of vertical wood slats to draw your eye up and add interest to any blank wall. These panels are the easiest option to achieve that look quickly!

DIY Slat Wall Project – Supplies

I’m not used to doing projects outside of my home, so I spent a lot of time making sure I had every single supply and tool that I needed for this project. I loaded up my car the day before to ensure that I didn’t forget anything! Here’s what you’ll need…

• Wood slat panels
• Speed square
• Black screws
• Drill
• Jigsaw
• Utility knife
• Sandpaper or orbital sander
• Circular Saw
• Liquid Nails (optional)
• Tape Measure
• Spirit Level
• Clamps
• Safety Gear

How To Install A Wood Slat Feature Wall

The boxes arrived and I was eager to get started. Two panels come in a box and they’re each 1 foot by 8 feet. I ordered six boxes, giving me a little extra in case I made any mistakes.

Figure Out Your Design

I wasn’t sure where I would add the wood slats on the wall when I started this project. Metrie wanted to feature an accent wall and didn’t necessarily want the paneling to cover the entire span of the blank space.

After using painter’s tape to envision it, I decided to cover about 100 inches across. This would span most of the length of the couch, but wouldn’t cover the entire width of the wall. This would also be a great backdrop for the gallery wall I had planned.

I didn’t remove the baseboard, only because I knew that the couch was going to cover the bottom portion of the wall. If you see the bottom of your slat wall, I would recommend removing the baseboard first with a mallet and crowbar. Then, you can butt the panels up to the floorboards.

Measure & Mark The Height Of Your Wall

Once you figure out where you want to add your slat wall, the first step is to draw a plumb vertical line for your first piece. I decided to install it from left to right, but you could always start in the center. This line must be plumb because it will be the starting guide for the rest of the wall panels.

I measured from the top of the baseboard to the ceiling and took this measurement back to my cutting station in the garage.

Cut Using A Circular Saw

I marked the height on the back of the panel. This area is felt and it can be tough to see the markings. I had a pencil on me, but a colored marker might have been better for this job. I used a level to mark a straight line across. However, I wish I would have packed my speed square to make it a little easier!

Once your board is marked, clamp it to the table and grab your circular saw. You’ll use this tool to cut the excess panel off of the bottom of the panel. I was happy to hear that a table saw was not needed for this project, because I still need some practice on that one.

The cut end of the panel may be a little rough, so use a fine grit sandpaper to get a smooth finish on those rough edges.

Install With Black Screws (Or Glue!)

With your first slat cut to size, bring it back to the wall and make sure it’s nice and straight. Grab your power drill and screw it directly into the wall using black screws. These screws will go through the felt, not the wood slats, so they should slide into the drywall pretty easily. There’s no need to make pilot holes or anything like that.

I installed about 8-10 screws up and down the panel spreading them evenly across up to the top of the wall. Because they’re black, you really can’t see them when standing back and looking at the wall.

You can also use a construction adhesive (I prefer Liquid Nails) to attach the panels to the wall. I didn’t opt for that because the screws kept everything nice and secure.

Cutting Around Electrical Outlets Or Light Switches

I went along pretty quickly, cutting and installing panels until, I came across my first outlet. I measured the wall and transferred those measurements to the back of the panel. I then used a utility knife to score the felt and grabbed my jigsaw.

I don’t use my jigsaw very often, so I was a tad nervous at this point. Luckily, it was pretty quick and easy to remove the slats and make a hole around the outlet.

However, during the cutting, one of the small wood slat pieces fell off. When I installed the entire panel on the wall, I used Liquid Nails to attach it back to the felt on the bottom of the wall. Easy peasy!

In total, I added eleven boards to the wall and the entire project only took me a few hours to complete.

No Painting Or Caulking Needed

I’ve done a lot of woodworking projects on the blog and many accent walls, as well. This one was probably the easiest and quickest! That’s because it’s just one cut on the end and then you put it right up.

Plus, there is no need for wood filler, caulking, or painting. Those finishing touches often take forever because you have to wait for dry time. Just installing the wood slat accent wall didn’t take much time at all!

Would I Use These Again?

Yes, absolutely! This project only involved a little math and the finished product is gorgeous!

I wish I had a good spot in my home to install these wood wall panels. I especially love the look of the white oak panels. I think they would look chic in a mudroom or entryway with a shelf and mirror installed right on top! I hope to use them in future DIY projects.

DIY Wood Slat Wall – Before & After

Here’s the final look of the vertical wood slat wall. It’s wild how some vertical strips of wood can make such a difference!

The vertical boards also give off a mid-century modern look which complements the vibes of the entire home.

Plus, the large size of the wall doesn’t feel quite so huge and bare with the dark color up there.

Adding a Gallery Wall

To personalize the space a bit more, I installed this gallery wall right over the wood slats. I added pictures of all of the grandkids (there are five now!) and I know my dad will love it.

I think this adds so much to the room. The boring white wall is gone and now there’s a dark background to highlight those special picture frames.

Living Room – Sources

9×12 Rug // Leather Sofa  // Oval Coffee Table // Floor Lamp // Velvet Pillow // Gallery Wall // Gold Lamp

What’s Left To Do For This Room Makeover?

I’m still waiting for this large TV console to arrive before I can finish decorating this space. I’ll be sure to keep you posted and share the final pictures right here on the blog when it’s all done.