How to DIY the Shiplap Fireplace of Your Dreams

Mark the Studs on the Wall

Photo: bmak / Adobe Stock

Use your stud finder to find the wall studs behind the drywall above your fireplace. You’ll want to nail the shiplap boards directly into the studs to secure them and ensure they hold up over time. Mark where each stud lies with a pen, then draw a vertical line down from the ceiling to the fireplace along the studs.

Cut Your Shiplap to Size

If you didn’t have the home improvement store cut your boards to your desired width, now’s the time to bust out the miter saw and do it yourself.

Install Your Boards

• Starting at the top of the wall, place your first board against the wall and use a level to make sure it’s straight. 

• Nail the board into the wall studs by placing a nail through the center of your board everywhere that it crosses the vertical stud line that you drew. 

• Line up the next board and nail it to the wall. If you bought the tongue-and-groove shiplap boards often sold at home improvement stores, you don’t have to worry about placing a nickel in between them to create a space. Tongue-and-groove boards nestle together easily. 

• Repeat these steps until you get to the last board.

Rip Your Last Board

While you may get lucky and have your last board fit perfectly in the gap between the fireplace and the previous board, chances are, that won’t happen, and you will have to make a rip cut on your last board. That means that you’ll need to cut your board parallel to the grain to make it narrower so it will fit in that space. 

Measure the width of the remaining gap between the fireplace and the rest of the shiplap wall. Rip your board to this width using a table saw. You may need to trim a little more than the exact width so you can push the board flush against the other shiplap. 

If you have a gap between the last board and the top of the fireplace mantel, that’s OK. You can use caulk to fill it in, or place a piece of trim on top to hide it.

Fill in Nail Holes, Paint Your Shiplap Boards, and Caulk (Optional)

Photo: Pixel-Shot / Adobe Stock

Fill any nail holes with wood putty, smoothing it out with a putty knife. Wait for it to fully dry, then sand the putty smooth, working with the grain. Clean up the dust with a tack cloth and vacuum. 

Now it’s time to paint your newly installed shiplap fireplace wall. If you want the grains and knots of the wood to shine through, skip the primer. Otherwise, add primer using a roller to quickly cover the flat planks. Use a small brush to paint between the boards if necessary. 

Once the primer fully dries, apply your paint using the same roller and brush method. 

Caulk the gap between the last board and the top of the fireplace mantel once the paint dries.