Shiplap Wall Mantel Makeover

Hey friends! I’m super excited to show you all my new shiplap wall mantel makeover. I have been wanting to add shiplap to the wall above my mantle for the longest time. As you can see, this area is in need of some attention. The wall comes out a little further in the center above the mantel and is perfect for adding some detail to it.

I’ve been wanting to try and apply Shiplap and this small area was perfect for a beginner like me! If you have been afraid to tackle a project like this, I would suggest trying a small space first. This was actually pretty easy to do and I am proud to say, that I did it all by myself!

Here is the BEFORE photo!

The wall protrudes out above the mantle as you can see. I knew that I needed to do something to make it stand out and really become a focal piece. I thought the Shiplap would be the perfect touch that it needed.

So…off to Lowes I went! I purchased the MDF shiplap that is roughly 5 1/2” wide and 8 ft. Long. The price was right at $4.97 a piece. I purchased 9 pieces total.

Believe it or not, the process of hanging it was super easy! I got it done in about an hour.

I began by measuring and cutting down the pieces with my miter saw. Starting from the bottom, I took my first piece and placed it on. I would suggest using a level, as walls have a tendency of being uneven. I then used my nail gun to secure the shiplap to the wall. Continue this process all the way up.

There was a little bit of a gap on the top between the Shiplap and the ceiling. I took a small strip of wood to fill in the space. To finish off the sides, I used corner stripping. For the final step, I used a caulking gun to fill in all the holes and gaps. I’m sorry that I do not have pictures of this process. It’s hard to take photos and caulk at the same time!

After the Shiplap was up, that old fireplace cover just didn’t look good! I decided to grab a can of black matte spray paint and update that too! It’s amazing what a can of spray paint can do, right?

Time to decorate!

My decorating style is definitely a mix of thrift store and flea market finds, The Dollar Tree and whatever I find on sale! I found the shutters at the thrift store for $2.00 each. I just spray painted them in the same matte black as the fireplace cover. The lanterns were on clearance at Michaels. I purchased the books at the thrift store. I painted the covers and put some ribbon around them to create a unique riser. You can see just how I made them here.

Here is the AFTER!!!

I just love how it turned out and I am so glad that I tackled this project! It looks even more beautiful decorated for the Holidays. You can see how I decorated my Christmas Mantel here. If you are looking for some other ideas for mantel decor, you can see my Valentine’s Mantel here. You can find my Easter Mantel here and my Spring to Summer Mantel here.

I hope that it has inspired you to try this Shiplap Wall Mantel Makeover in your own home! Is there a project that you’ve been putting off? I encourage you to just go for it!