Faux "shiplap" wall for $20 using only paint!

     Yep, you read that correctly! I'm going to share with you how I painted a "shiplap" accent wall in my living room for twenty smackaroos! Keep reading for the details :)

     For months now I've been searching for a way to create a shiplap accent wall in my home. I needed it to be inexpensive and something I could do with little to no help. Let me also add that my husband was not completely on board (but that's nothing new, lol).

     I found several options and none of them were bad...but, for the most part they would have required me to ask for help. I won't go into all the options but if you're curious and don't want to do the research just let me know and I'll fill you in ;) 

     When I stumbled onto the idea of PAINTING a "shiplap" wall I was intrigued to say the least. It was the perfect alternative to actually nailing boards to the wall. And, best of all, when the trend fades and my taste changes I don't have to worry about prying the boards off the wall and patching any damage or holes....all I have to do is paint over it!! HOLY CANNOLI!! 

     Now, I'll be the first one to tell you that it's not the perfect solution and it's obviously not going to be for everyone. But, for me and my home I'm completely happy with how it turned out.

     Here are the tools that you'll need if you decide to go with a painted faux "shiplap" look. 

     You'll need painters tape, paint--at least one color but possibly two if your wall isn't already the color you want as the base color--I was lucky that my walls were already painted gray, a level, black fine point marker, ruler, paint brush, clear glaze and last but not least, you'll need a wood graining tool.

   

The only thing not pictures that you will need is a paintbrush!!!
I used the oldest rattiest paintbrush I had because I wanted to add
texture but I'm sure you could work the same magic with a new brush as well.

Sooo...are you ready to see my masterpiece yet?? Well, wait no longer my friends! Here it is!

A close up view of the faux "shiplap" wall

     
One of the options for the accent wall that I'd entertained had been wallpaper...they have some gorgeous shiplap designs at Lowe's but they were a bit pricey for me. I was looking at around $175 for a half wall and I just couldn't quite force myself to do that. I think my painted wall looks at least as good as the wallpaper would have looked for a fraction of the price.

For this entire "shiplapped" wall it cost me roughly $7 for the wood graining tool from Lowe's and $12.99 for the glaze. I already had everything else, including the white paint. So, a grand total of $20.

And, in all honesty, I think the glaze was a bit irrelevant with the technique I used. From my understanding, the glaze acts to slow the drying time for the paint...but I worked one row at a time so drying wasn't really a factor for me.

     So, tell me what you think! Love it? Hate it? 

     I think it's a good cost effective option and saves a lot of time and headache when the shiplap trend is history.

     The main "ingredient" to achieving this look is this tool from Lowe's (or any other home improvement store I'm sure). This thing is like magic...I'm not sure HOW it works only that it does. 

I hope I've given you something to chew on and if you decide to paint your own faux "shiplap" wall be sure to send me a picture...I'd love to see it!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

EDITED:
I've had several people ask HOW I did this so I'm going to try to explain it. I originally created this post as a "hey look what I did" post rather than a "how to" post so I don't have detailed photos are instructions, unfortunately.  But, I'll do my best to give a step by step!

Our wall was already painted a medium gray color which was what color "undertone" I was hoping for. But, really you could use any colors you want!

     In the photo above you can see that this is when I first started. What I did was first to take that ratty paintbrush I mentioned earlier...and paint some horizontal strips with it...I did not completely cover the area I just brushed the paint on horizontally in a straight line side to side. I painted no more than 2 strips at a time before using the graining tool. One thing I did to kind of break up the "pattern" was that I alternated which side I started on. If I started left to right on one line then the next line I went right to left. And, also, I had watched several videos on YouTube on the graining tool AND I had practiced on a piece of foam board I had in my craft room before I started on the wall.
   
      In this photo you can see that I'd done 4 separate lines. After the paint had set for a couple minutes but BEFORE it dried I took my paint brush and lightly brushed across the strips again to blend if you will.

     Once I'd used that technique on the entire wall and it was completely dry, I then took a level and a marker...not a sharpie but just an American Crafts medium tip marker and drew on the black lines at every 5 inches. That's really all there was to it.

     I'm not sure if this helps you guys but I sure hope so and please ask me if I left anything out!

     Here is the "finished" wall (as if anything is ever really finished, lol!)

This picture is a little dark but it's been a couple weeks now
and I am still absolutely loving my "shiplap" wall! 

We have a new addition!

     Yep, you read that right...we have a new addition to our family and we are all head over hills in love!
     When my son and his wife told me they were having a baby I was floored--I think my soul may have actually left my body! I had almost lost hope that they would have another child and while I was more disappointed than either of them knew, I had also made peace with the fact. So, opening my Mother's Day gift and finding the pregnancy test was THE best gift imaginable.

     And, a couple weeks ago baby K made his long awaited debut and he did not disappoint. He's beautiful and perfect. I have been sick with the flu so I hadn't seen him in a week so yesterday when we finally felt that there was no risk of him catching my sickness I rushed over for some cuddles and a photo session.
     While I am not a photographer and do not claim to be, I do feel I got a few great photos. And here are a couple of my favorites.

     Doesn't that just melt your bones?? Ahhh...I have to say that 2018 was a great year!
     Thanks for stopping by and I'll see ya next time!

To blog or not to blog...

     THAT is the question I'm left asking myself today. I actually blogged very little in 2018 and here we are on day one of 2019 and I have to wonder if there is even any point in continuing. Is there a purpose in this blog? Does anyone really care one way or the other? Is there even a slight chance that at some point in the future that someone might stumble upon this blog and find what they're looking for?

     I feel like if I could stick to one topic the blog might become more relevant. Unfortunately, I struggle with that because I want to share all my "adventures" and that includes home diy projects as well as scrapbooking and craft projects with the occasional life update tossed in for good measure.

    I guess if I'm being honest with myself--and any person who might be reading this--I'm just not quite ready to let the blog go. At least not yet. I'm not sure how often I'll be popping on but I guess time will tell. Not sure if I should apologize in advance for that or not, lol.

     So, there you have it...life at the tralace goes on :) So, I'll see you fellers next time! (side note: I actually DO say "fellers" in case you were wondering. I'm probably the closest person I know to a "hillbilly" and there's no shame in my game).