Shiplap Walls in Arizona – What is Shiplap and Why Should You Put it on Your Wall?

Shiplap – you’ve no doubt heard the term before – especially if you’re a fan of Chip and Joanna Gaines from HGTV’s famous show – Fixer Upper. But just what is this magical wall treatment, and why might you consider shiplap walls in Arizona? Shiplap got its name because it began in the shipping industry as a way to make ship hulls watertight. The notched shiplap boards overlap each other and form a watertight surface, which would have made ships seaworthy. Thanks to their ability to keep out water, shiplap was often used on the exterior walls of barns, sheds and other buildings to protect then from weather. When talking about shiplap as an interior design element, it is a wall treatment made up of long wooden planks with a bit of a gap between each plank. Traditionally, shiplap would be painted white, but these days you can stain it or paint it any color you like. The possibilities are endless, but the finished result is always beautiful and reminiscent of exterior shiplap walls from times gone by. It’s important to note, however, that true shiplap has a notch cut into the edges of the board so that they fit together tightly (kind of a tongue-in-groove scenario). The notches (called rabbets) end up self-spacing the boards, but you can’t see them and often there is no real space between boards either. There are a few reasons why you might choose to go with a shiplap wall in Arizona: – A shiplap wall installed horizontally, helps make a room seem larger and airier because it draws the eye – A shiplap wall installing vertically makes a room feel larger by emphasizing the room’s height – A shiplap ceiling will draw the eye upward, also adding height to the room. No matter how you choose to do that shiplap wall, it will add a rustic charm to your room as well as opening the room up to the eye. Always choose a trusted, experienced custom woodworker in Arizona to design and install shiplap walls for you. Not only will a good master wood craftsman help you decide which wall to shiplap, he will also help determine if vertical or horizontal placement would suit the space best. Then, a good master wood craftsman in Arizona will handcraft and install your shiplap perfectly and professionally so it lasts for decades to come. Here at D & R, we do tons of shiplap in Arizona – it’s a design element we really love. Let us quote your shiplap project today.