3 Clever Ways to Get the Joanna Gaines Shiplap Look for Less
Shiplap is modern farmhouse goals!
Installing shiplap is time-consuming and costly, but with these DIY shiplap ideas, you’ll be spending less time and money on your next home DIY. Plus, since you’re staying home right now, there’s no better time to do those projects you’ve been putting off.
These are the best shiplap planks from Lowe’s & how much they would cost you:
- Buy it at Lowe’s – $735 (with delivery for 300 sq. ft. or 84 planks)
Yes, these planks are obviously gorgeous and anything we would want in our home if we were trying to impress Joanna Gaines. However, online you’d have to purchase a minimum of 300 square feet and either lug it home yourself from the store or pay a $75 delivery fee.
The planks also come only primed, so you’ll be buying paint and the supplies you’ll need. To top it off, if you’re not super handy, you’ll also need to also pay a professional, which comes at an expense, too.
Instead… here are three budget-friendly shiplap DIY ideas:
1. Use peel and stick shiplap wallpaper for the quickest and easiest application.
- Buy it at Target – $35 (1 roll of 27.5 sq.ft.) OR $385 (11 rolls or 302 sq. ft.)
Whether you want to do an accent wall or the whole room, even the bulk buy of 11 rolls of shiplap wallpaper is only half the cost of real shiplap. Plus, you won’t have the added expenses of painting it afterward or even paying a professional.
I’m really loving this textured wallpaper from Target! Doesn’t it look so stunning in my friend Kristina’s nursery?! Not only does it have the texture of real wood, but it’s easy to put up and easily removable! And for all you renters who can’t damage your walls, this is such a great design alternative! Happy landlords and happy renters, it’s a win, win!
“I’m absolutely in love with this wallpaper! To my surprise, it was way easier than I had anticipated. I love how real it looks, and the texture gives it depth and dimension. This is worth every penny!
I just ordered it for the third time around, and I’m going to be using it in my entryway after already doing our kitchen and bedroom. It really does peel and stick! And if you mess up, you can take it off and reposition with no problem. This is so much faster than doing the real shiplap, and cheaper, too!” – Vanessa ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. Install inexpensive shiplap using plywood.
- Buy it at The Home Depot $35 (1 slab of wood for 32 sq. ft.) OR $360 (or less for 10 slabs of wood or 320 sq. ft.)
Did you see Lina’s beautiful DIY faux shiplap wall? She did an entire tutorial on how she cut slabs of inexpensive plywood to create the look of shiplap in her home, and I am totally obsessed with how it came out!
Lina was lucky enough to scoop up the plywood in the store for just $10 a piece, making her renovation ring in at just under $100 once it was finished! 😱 Considering you’re actually using real wood (and how amazing it looks), I wouldn’t even consider this a faux alternative, but you’re sure going to save a ton of money once you’re finished!
“We’ve added DIY shiplap to a few areas of our home and love the bright modern farmhouse look so much! Plus, by ripping down pieces of plywood from the hardware store, we’ve saved money in materials compared to actual shiplap.
The project doesn’t take much time once you get going and was a family affair (my son and hubby hung the pieces and I painted them afterward).” – Lina
3. Repurpose old wood fence panels and paint them.
- Repurposed fencing | Cost – FREE!
Wide plank fencing is another great way to achieve a gorgeous shiplap look. Not only will it look great on your wall, but I absolutely love how this kitchen repurposed smaller planks on the ceiling – such a dramatic and gorgeous statement you can add to your home!
Collin’s sister Marley had this done in her kitchen and we’re wowed by the entire room. 😍
The best part of this DIY idea? You’re repurposing old materials, so the cost for your reno will be totally FREE! With a price like that, that’s some elbow grease even I can get behind. 😉
Hip Tip: If you don’t have an old fence to tear down, you can also source local fencing companies close to you. Chances are, they might let you take some old fencing from projects they’ve torn down or sell it to you at a really reasonable cost. Another option? Check Facebook Marketplace, Freecycle, and Craigslist for discarded fencing.
Score this lookalike farmhouse console table for $1,500 less!
I’ve seen people paint foam board to look like shiplap in small areas. Super affordable hack!
Wow…what a great idea!
Thanks for the tip, Kayden! 🙌
My mother has wainscoting wallpaper in her kitchen and unless you touched it you’d never it was the real deal.
How neat! Thanks for sharing that with us!
Do you think the wallpaper would hold up in a bathroom?
My mother had put wallpaper up in her bathroom over 20 years ago and it still there .
I moved into a new house about 18 months ago. Previous owners had enclosed the back porch. Hello playroom!! Unfortunately, white vinyl siding was still up around the back wall. I pulled down the siding and replaced it with a thin gray shiplap from Lowe’s. Packages were about 16 and I used Lowe’s GCs I’d purchased at at discount (thanks H2S!). Installation wasn’t hard. Borrowed my dad’s hack saw, plus hammer and brads. If I’d had an electric nail gun it would have been even easier. Bought some corner pieces and used thin down gray and black paint to match the shiplap. So for about $100 (maybe less?), I gave the room some much needed depth personality.
Oh wow! That sounds super nice! Thanks for taking the time to comment, LauraG!
We’re making our own and it was easier than expected. Just pine boards instead of plywood ( just pick good ones not warped…we did 6 inch boards) and used a router to cut the top and bottom groove where it lays over each other. Took just one test piece to figure out the depth. Our farmhouse is being remodeled and has plastered walls we re-did. Instead of $1000 for each room the shiplap will be like $300 for two rooms and a hallway (kitchen and mudroom).
I’d be afraid to use fencing indoors since it might be pressure treated. Too many chemicals and more flammable than regular wood. But cutting sheets of plywood sounds like a super idea!
I have been seeing the Sharpie Marker Shiplap and it’s insane how real it looks!!
Last month we did a ship lap wall using plywood. It turn out great, plus we saved a lot. We also had a green marble fireplace that we sanded and painted with black chalk paint. Now it looks like slate and it is fabulous.