How to Create a Wood Planked Accent Wall

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Measure your wall to estimate your lumber needs.

   This size of your wall will determine how much planking/lumber you'll need to cover it.
   
   Use your tape measure to take the necessary measurements (wall length multiplied by height) for determining the total area of your wall.
   
   In some cases, you may be able to save money by buying a single large piece of lumber, or several large sheets, and then cutting these into planks.
2. 2

   Step 2: Gather your materials and tools.

   This project will likely require a trip to a lumber yard or home improvement store, like Home Depot or Lowe's.
   
   There are many kinds of wood you might use for your planking, including Douglas Fir fence boards, ¼" (.635 cm) plywood, or underlaminate.All things considered, you'll need:
   Butter knife (optional; or putty knife Caulk gun (and caulk) Drop cloth (optional; recommended) Hammer (or nail gun; with nails) Jigsaw (optional; for cutting around accents and fixtures) Level Paint Paintbrush (optional) Pencil (for marking boards) Primer (optional) Rag (or paper towel) Sandpaper (fine grit; 120 to 220 rating) Saw (miter saw or table saw recommended) Spacers (for planking, like pennies, nickels, or quarters) Spackle (optional; for filling nail holes) Tape measure Wood planking, Remove any unnecessary furniture or household items from near or around the wall you'll be paneling with your planks.
   
   Lay down a drop cloth so it covers the floor leading up to the wall, and use a piece of painter's tape to secure the drop cloth to the floor.
   
   All parts of the floor should be covered.
   
   You should also:
   Encourage ventilation with a fan in rooms that are small or have poor airflow.
   
   Not doing so could cause a buildup of toxic fumes from your paint, adhesives, caulk, and so on.Remove all electrical outlet covers, light switch plates, and hot/cold air vents with a screwdriver.
   
   Keep screws from these in a plastic baggie to prevent losing them.
   
   Edge hardware that cannot be easily removed, like sconces, sills, and so on with painter's tape.
   
   For especially small or difficult to edge hardware, like outlets and switches, you may want to cover it completely with the tape., You'll likely have to cut boards to fit around protruding areas, like wall outlets and switches.
   
   Irregular angles will also have to be compensated for, and may require a special angled cut, like a sharply pitched ceiling would, for example.
   
   These special cuts will be the most time consuming part of this job.
   
   Depending on your preference, you may find it most convenient to save these cuts for last. , This step is optional, but if you don't plan on sealing gaps in your planking with caulk, people may be able see the original color of the wall through the gaps between planks.
   
   For this reason, a quick coat of primer and paint that is the same color your accent planking will be is recommended.
   
   When painting, be sure you follow the label directions on your paint and primer.
   
   In many cases, you'll have to stir or mix the paint before using it.
   
   When painting, do so from the top of the wall down and use long, overlapping strokes.
   
   This will prevent drips, runs, and unevenness in the paint.
   
   Generally, a few thin coats of primer and paint create a more chip resistant, better looking finished product.
   
   However, since you'll be putting planking over this paint job, a cursory paint job should be sufficient., Either top corner is OK to begin with.
   
   Allow a small gap, about the width of a penny between the ceiling/wall, and the board.
   
   Use a level to ensure the board is level.
   
   In many cases, your ceiling may have a slight angle, so it should not be used as a guide, as it might make your planking look off level.
   
   Then, use your nail gun or a hammer and nails to attach the board in place.
   
   If your ceiling is angled, you may want to start at the bottom of the wall.
   
   An angled ceiling will require you to cut the same angle into your planks.
   
   You can panel your wall from the bottom-up, although there are often outlets and heating or cooling vents that you'll have to cut around toward the bottom of the wall.
   
   This can be time consuming.
   
   You may want to do the easier areas first., Depending on the length of your wall, you may have to use a few full planks.
   
   For shorter walls, one or two planks may be sufficient.
   
   If your wall only requires two planks, after attaching the first one:
   Position your second plank the same as your first, but on he opposite side of the top row.
   
   Your unattached plank should overlap your attached one.
   
   Use a pencil to mark the unattached plank ¼" (.64 cm) before where the boards overlap.
   
   Use your saw to cut the board at this mark and sandpaper to remove burrs.
   
   Position your plank in place so it is level and aligned with the attached one.
   
   Use a penny to ensure there is a 1/8" (.32 cm) gap between planks, the ceiling, and the wall.
   
   Double check the levelness of your unattached board, then use your nail gun or a hammer and nails to attach the plank to the wall.
   
   Save the excess plank to start the next row.
   
   This way, you'll prevent yourself from wasting lumber., Add rows of planks to your wall, working from the top down.
   
   Be sure to remember to leave a penny-wide gap on all sides of the planks and their surroundings (other planks, the wall, ceiling, floor).
   
   When a fixture or other feature of your house (like light switches, sconces, sills, sharply angled walls/ceilings, etc.) are in the path of your plank row, you'll have to cut away part of the plank so it fits the fixture or feature.Measure the placement and dimensions of features, then mark these on your plank where it will interfere with the feature.
   
   Use a saw to cut the marked area free to make room for the feature.
   
   When cutting your planking to make space for features, you may want to use a jigsaw/reciprocating saw, which can be very efficient for making these kinds of cuts.
   
   After every cut, use your sandpaper to remove roughness or burrs from the cut portions of your board so they have a well finished look., This is the part of the wall where you'll likely have vents and outlets to contend with.
   
   These will be handled in the same way as fixtures and features elsewhere on your wall.
   
   Measure the placement and dimensions of all vents, outlets, and so on.
   
   Then:
   Mark the placement and dimensions on your plank.
   
   Use a saw (like a jigsaw/reciprocating saw) to cut away the plank where you've marked.
   
   Fit the planks into place in their proper rows.
   
   Check that associated hardware (like wall plates or vent covers) will also be accommodated by your cut away sections.
   
   Double check levelness, then use your nail gun or a hammer and nails to attach your plank to the wall.
   
   Do this until your final, bottom row is fully covered by planks., You may want to leave nail holes in your wall to give your planking a more rustic appearance, but for a more finished look, fill in these holes with spackle.
   
   If your nail holes are very small, you may want to take a hammer and lightly tap holes with it to create a small indentation where the hole is.
   
   Dip a putty knife into your spackle, then:
   Pull the putty knife over the indentation so that the spackle fills the hole.
   
   Try to work some of the spackle deeply into the nail hole.
   
   Drag your knife flat against the plank so that a flat, unblemished surface remains.
   
   Allow the spackle to dry completely according to its label instructions.
   
   Lightly sand spackled areas with fine grit sandpaper (120 to 220 rating).Apply a second layer of spackle in the same fashion as the first., Insert your caulk into a caulk gun and apply it according to its directions.
   
   Generally, this involves cutting the tip off the applicator and pressing the applicator lever on the gun.
   
   Then, use your gun to fill in the gaps between planks and between planks and the ceiling/wall.
   
   Caulking the gaps will give a more finished look to your wall.
   
   What's more, you can use a paint-able caulk, so when you paint the color of your accent planking uniform.
   
   After caulk hardens, it retains some flexibility.
   
   This is great for you planking, which may warp or swell in humid weather.
   
   The caulk will flex with the planks, preventing them from popping free or coming loose., Many kinds of planking are very absorbent.
   
   By using two to three layers of primer, you'll not only have a more chip resistant finish, but you'll also use less paint over the course of this project, saving you money.Primer is also useful when you are trying to paint over a dark color, or colors that are vibrant, which can sometimes show through paint-only applications.
   
   Use long, even, overlapping strokes when applying your primer to the planking.
   
   Prime from top to bottom to decrease the likelihood of drips and runs.
   
   Once you are finished priming your first coat, touch up drips, runs, and puddling so the coat is even.
   
   Wait for the primer to dry, then add coats until you have at least two, but no more than five., Follow the directions on your paint for best results.
   
   In most cases, this will involve using a paint stirrer to mix the paint thoroughly and dipping a clean brush into it.
   
   Wipe excess paint on the inside lip of the can, then:
   Apply the paint from the top row of planks down.
   
   Use long, even, overlapping strokes, much as you did for the primer.
   
   When finished with your first coat, check for runs, drips, and puddling.
   
   Each coat should be even and smooth.
   
   Use your paint brush to touch up these spots.
   
   Allow the paint to dry according to its label instructions, then apply coats until you have no less than two but no more than five coats total.
3. 3

   Step 3: Prepare your work area.

4. 4

   Step 4: Identify protruding areas and irregular angles.

5. 5

   Step 5: Paint your wall.

6. 6

   Step 6: Attach your first plank at the top corner of your wall.

7. 7

   Step 7: Cut and attach your remaining plank(s) for your top row.

8. 8

   Step 8: Continue cutting and attaching planks to your wall.

9. 9

   Step 9: Cut and attach planks for the bottom quarter of the wall.

10. 10

    Step 10: Spackle over nail holes

11. 11

    Step 11: if desired.

12. 12

    Step 12: Caulk the gaps between boards

13. 13

    Step 13: if desired.

14. 14

    Step 14: Prime your accent planking before painting.

15. 15

    Step 15: Paint your accent planking.

Detailed Guide

About the Author