Shiplap can be a great addition to a bathroom as a wainscot, backsplash, or accent wall. Install shiplap panels from bottom to top, making sure to seal them properly to prevent moisture damage. Shiplap can be a great addition to any home style, rustic or modern.

Here’s what you need to know about installing shiplap in your bathroom and the steps to follow, brought to you by the

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Why create a shiplap bathroom wall?

Shiplap has been around for a long time (well over 1,000 years) and served the purpose of, well, protecting the exterior of a ship from water damage.

But these overlapping planks haven’t been revived in the common imagination because of their seal-like functionality. Instead, they’ve become a hallmark of the modern farmhouse style popularized by Chip and Joanna Gaines.

Shiplap’s texture can spruce up any area, from a living room to a bedroom and even a bathroom. You don’t have to be into the modern farmhouse aesthetic, either—paint vertical shiplap a dark color to accentuate a moody modern space, or give it a weathered look to complement your nautical or beachy bathroom.

Shiplap inside a house is a purely aesthetic choice. A shiplap bathroom wall will look great, but it must be sealed properly to avoid damage to your walls from the high moisture levels.

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Design considerations

To reiterate, shiplap will hold up in your bathroom as long as it’s properly sealed. This includes sealing all the cut ends and filling any nail holes with a drywall compound.

First, you’ll need to choose your shiplap type:

It’s recommended that you choose Paint Grade, which is multiple pieces of wood spliced together. (The areas where the planks meet are called “finger joints”)

Stain Grade is a single piece of lumber and is more liable to warp

Never use MDF Grade except for crown molding because this wood sucks in too much moisture

Next, choose your size:

1x6 shiplap is the most popular size and best for small or medium rooms. You can install it horizontally or vertically

1x8 shiplap is intended for larger spaces

Then, choose how much area you want the shiplap to cover:

Wainscoting: the lower half of the wall. This goes great for the sink wall or if you want to use patterned wallpaper for the top half

Backsplash: a rectangular area behind the sink

Accent wall: an entire wall to highlight the shiplap

Never put shiplap on or too close to your shower wall, where the splashing water can get between the layers and cause moisture and mold buildup.

Finally, calculate how much trim you need. Trace the entire surface you want to trim in linear feet.

How to install shiplap in a bathroom

To create your trendy shiplap wall, you’ll need:

shiplap boards and trim boards

tape measure

stud finder

nail gun: 18 gauge brad nail gun

drywall mud

miter saw

utility knife

pencil

Prepare the shiplap

Once you have your shiplap boards, let the wood sit in your home 24-48 hours before applying so it can adjust to the temperature and humidity of your home.

If the shiplap you chose is primed, it’s a good idea to apply a coat of mildew-resistant paint before installing it on the wall.

Treat the wall and remove existing baseboard

You need to remove the baseboard (the trim running along the bottom edge of the wall) before you install any shiplap.

Then, seal the drywall that the shiplap will be covering with primer. (Alternatively, you could remove the drywall entirely, but you’d have to go full-on demo mode for the day.)

Attach the shiplap boards

Time to put on the shiplap! Cut the boards to the length of the wall.

Take the first board and squeeze small dots of construction adhesive interspersed on the back side. Then, line it up at the bottom of the wall (leaving enough space for the new baseboard at the end).

Use 1.75” 18-gauge nails and alternate shooting nails to the left and right as you fasten the board to the wall.

Work from bottom to top, attaching each board securely to the one below it by pushing a nail down into the upper lip.

End with the top piece: you’ll probably need to cut it a little extra to squeeze it in between the board below it and the ceiling. If the cut doesn’t come out perfectly, use some caulk to hide the uneven edges.

Remember to seal all the cut ends of shiplap boards in a bathroom. One coat of sealant on each surface should be enough. Seal up nail holes with drywall compound.

Once the boards are securely attached, use two finish coats of paint.

Put in a new baseboard

Put a new baseboard of your choice on the bottom of the wall. It should stick out beyond the shiplap, ideally.

Cut the factory end off—because it will have factory priming buildup you don’t want. Just like with each shiplap board, alternate shooting nails between both sides. Two-inch nails are recommended for the baseboard.

Fill in the nail holes

Finally, make sure you fill any nail holes with drywall mud. Use a razor blade or similar item to scrape it in, then sand the nail holes.

Key Takeaway Use caulk for wood joints and drywall mud for nail holes.

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FAQs

Is it a good idea to put shiplap in a bathroom?

It’s a fine idea to put shiplap in a bathroom. The only consideration is that you’ll need to properly prime the drywall underneath and seal the shiplap panels together tightly due to the high moisture levels in the space.

What type of shiplap do I need for bathroom?

It’s recommended that you use 1x6 paint-grade shiplap in a bathroom.

Is shiplap good for a small bathroom?

Shiplap can work well in a small bathroom, especially if used as a wainscot (half-wall) or backsplash. Since shiplap is thick, you’ll lose about a quarter-inch of space on every wall you cover with shiplap.

Will shiplap warp in a bathroom?

Shiplap shouldn’t warp in a bathroom if you install it carefully. Use paint grade shiplap rather than stain grade, which is more likely to warp because each panel is a single piece of lumber instead of multiple pieces spliced together.

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