How to install beadboard planks

Install the Beadboard

Adhesive may be used to fasten panels to a smooth, well-adhered surface. On the back of each panel, place a 1/4″ bead of adhesive about 1″ from the edges of the panel. Press the panel firmly onto the wall, and add nails at approximately 12” intervals to hold it in place while the adhesive dries.

Installation is easy, yes, if you know how to handle obstacles, such as doorways, windows, or electrical outlets. Or, how to make beadboard gracefully turn corners. Says Tom, “With a little know-how, this is a project you can easily tackle yourself.”

Smear quite a lot of putty over the seam. Then take a larger putty knife and feather it out. Use the corner of a putty knife or the edge of a scrap of wood to scrap the putty out of the beads. Once the putty dries, sand the flat portion with a sanding block or an orbital sander.

Things You Will Need

Caulk is applied to fill the gaps and seal the seams between the beadboard, the chair rail and the wall. Caulking prepares the surface for painting and leaves clean lines.

5. Beadboard: Beadboard is simply another type of tongue-and-groove paneling, except that the tongues and grooves connect not single boards but panels with the distinctive look of beaded-board plank.

Shiplap is cheaper than tongue and groove, but it requires a bit more work on the carpenter to get the rows to lay flat against the building in a waterproof fashion. Also, if not installed properly, shiplap is more likely to warp and leak than its counterpart.

Beadboard costs $0.50 to $1 per square foot and a contractor charges $4 to $6 per square foot to install it.

Tongue and groove makes a stronger shed, which is harder to break into. Shiplap tongue and groove sheds share many of the same qualities as regular tongue and groove sheds, but the Shiplap has one special feature. Shiplap cladding has a little channel running along side the timber.

Shiplap is Here to Stay

So, is shiplap going out of style? No way! As you can see from the examples above, shiplap can bring a rustic charm or a historic vibe to any home. If you’re looking for shiplap for your space, we can help.

Unlike beadboard and V-groove, which are connected via tongue and groove, shiplap boards are joined with an overlapping “rabbet” joint, which usually creates a 90 degree-angled gap in between the boards. (I say, “usually,” because just to confuse things, there is V-groove shiplap with a beveled edge.)

Tongue and Groove installation is similar to shiplap installation. The biggest difference in installation is that tongue and groove paneling actually fits together like puzzle pieces instead of overlapping. Nails are also driven through the tongue of each plank into the stud at a 45-degree angle.

Shiplap is for siding, and while there’s no rule against using it for flooring, there are good reasons not to do this. A shiplap wall looks great, but a shiplap floor is a little incongruous — like carpeting on the ceiling.

The Different Shiplap Panel Widths

Fortunately, shiplap comes in numerous widths to best fit the interior design of your home; however, 5 ½-inch and 7 ¼ -inch are the most commonly used widths. You can use one width of shiplap board to create your home’s style, or you can mix the widths to create a unique design.

The Best Wood for Shiplap

“When it comes to water resistance (think bathroom walls), cedar works best. But if moisture is not an issue, you can make shiplap planks out of cheap, pine wood.”