Hey there!

I am sure you are wondering what is Terrie up to now?  Let me just tell you!

Shiplap is one of the biggest trend in home decor at the moment, thanks to Joanne Gaines and the show Fixer Upper.   Even my husband knows what shiplap is.   I really would love to have it over my fireplace mantel.  I mentioned installing it to my husband, he said no.  He didn’t want anything permanent up on the wall.  I have to admit, I like to change my home decor often and having something permanent would not be wise.

Well, my friends, I am going to show you the next best thing.  I saw this photo on facebook of a friend’s foyer wall.  She used a chalk line to make her faux shiplap.  Isn’t that smart?  So I got my imagination going.  Do you remember when I did my hutch makeover and I made a faux wainscoting?  If you didn’t see that post you can go HERE and check that out.

I would love to have the section above my mantel shiplap.   I decided that I would try faux painting our wall.  The biggest hurdle I have is how to stop it at the end of my mantel?  If I did the whole wall the corners would hide the fact that it is a faux painting and not real.  How am I going to hide the paint line?  See my dilemma?

Looking at photos of fireplaces that have true shiplap above the mantels I figured out how I can make it work.  I am ready to begin this project.

Let’s get started! 

Here is what I used to make the faux shiplap wall.

• level ruler or tape measure and a level (mine was all in one)
• sharpen pencil
• very thin washy tape you could use any type of tape.  I used washy tape before and it worked fine.
• painters tape

First thing I need to do is……

Remove everything off of the mantel.

I washed down the wall and mantle.  I fill the nail holes.

• The next thing I did was tape a border where I want my paint to stop.  I wanted it even with the fireplace surround trim and not the mantel.

• I wanted my faux planks to be 6″ wide.  I measured and marked.  I marked every 6″ down from the crown molding to the mantel several times across the mantel wall.  Making sure I was keeping my ruler level.

• Once all my marks made I started connecting the dots to make a line.  Making sure the lines were straight with the level.

I sanded the spackling making sure that was smooth.  Wiping away all the dust.

I stepped back making sure all my lines were straight and not running down hill.

• I took my washy tape (this is the same tape that I used for my hutch) and started taping out my lines.  I just went below my lines so the pencil marks will be painted over.

• Once I applied the washy tape I used painters tape to secure both ends of the washy tape.

• I used a flat edge scraper to make sure the tape was secured to the wall.

• When I was done with the taped lines.  I stepped back again to make sure all were even.

• I painted over the tape with the wall color.

Painting over the tape will seal the edges so the white will not penetrate under the tape.

That had to dry before I can move to the next step.

• After that dried I started to paint the wall white.

I am using Benjamin Moore Advance Dove White in Satin finished for the planks.

• I cut in all the trim first.
• I used a roller to paint the wall.

• I painted four coats of the white.

• Before the last coat dried, I peeled off the tape.

It is best to do this step about 10 minutes after the last coat.  If you wait the paint will peel off with the tape.

I read when installing shiplap use a nickle for a spacer between boards.

It just so happened that the washy tape that I used is the thickness of a nickel.  How about that?

Here is my faux shiplap.   What do you think?

Looks great, but I would not be happy leaving it like this.  It doesn’t look finished and it looks painted on.  I know it is…but!

I went to Lowe’s and purchased  a 1″ x 4″ x 6′ white pine board. ($6.07)

• Measured my wall from the bottom of the crown molding to the top of the mantel.
• Had my husband cut the board.  I needed two pieces at 27.7″ long each.

I sanded them both to make them smooth.

I primed and sanded prior to painting.

Painted the boards 3 times, sanding in between coats.

I didn’t want to nail this to the wall.  Remember… my husband didn’t want anything  permanent.  I took two small saw tooth picture hangers and attached them to the wood boards.

I attached the wood board to the wall with a nail.

Here is a picture of a fireplace that has true shiplap above the mantel.

(I found this picture on Pinterest)

Here is my faux shiplap over my mantel.

This was such an easy project and was so inexpensive.   Can you tell this isn’t the true shiplap?  It honestly looks real until you get up close to it.

Now that I have white faux shiplap I had to do something with my window frame.  I painted it to match the candle sticks and corbel.

I placed everything back on my mantel as before.

Close up.

Here is the BEFORE & AFTER because you know I love those!

BEFORE

AFTER

I have to say I am so glad that I saw that photo for the inspiration.  I loved my shutters on the wall over the mantel but this just looks so much better.  And….if I wanted to change it,  all I have to do is sand it a little where the tape was to make it smooth and paint over it.

Do you want shiplap, but don’t want to pay the cost or don’t want the construction going on in your home?  Here is a solution!  I am super happy with how it turned out.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope I have inspired you to do something out of the box.  You just never know what you can do until you try!

As always follow me on Instagram and Facebook.  And jump over on Pinterest and see what all I pin.  You can PIN this blog to your Pinterest board by simply clicking on the Pinterest button below!  If you like this blog please click on the LIKE Button!  AND if you really like it SHARE it.  I would really appreciate that so much!

Stay Strong and Stay Blessed!

     XO   Terrie