Creating a Wood Accent Wall

A wood accent wall that looks like exposed siding creates an interesting focal point in any room in your home.

1. Cut sheets of 1/8-inch luan plywood along its length. Cut strips that are the width you want each “board” to be. We chose 7-7/8 inches so we could get six pieces out of each sheet.
2. Paint or stain each piece, including the edges.
3. Mark each stud in the wall with a vertical line. Use these lines to mark the cut points on each board. Random vertical seams are part of the look, but they need to land on studs so you can secure the edges. Mark the locations of outlets or wall switches so you can cut them out before the boards are installed.
4. As each board goes up, apply construction adhesive to the back side and drive two finish nails at each stud location. Don’t forget the corners.
5. As you move up the wall, alternate the locations of the vertical seams so they aren’t too close to each other. The idea is to make this look like exposed siding.
6. If you have stained the wood, apply a coat of sealer once all the boards are in place.

Watch the video for details.