Installing Barn Wood Wall Board
Now that you have purchased the perfect wood for that dream accent wall we have a few tips for making sure that the installation goes off without a hitch.
A reclaimed wood wall will be the focal point of your room and can be easily installed by even the novice handyman, handywoman or DIY’er. One of the amazing things about reclaimed wood is once it is installed it always exceeds our customers expectations.
We always try to stress the importance of holding judgment until there are at least a few rows installed. Every piece of reclaimed wood is different, and installing a reclaimed accent wall is a lot like putting together a puzzle. When the pieces are looked at separately you will not see the picture. Trust the process and don’t get discouraged. With each new layer the previous pieces will look even better. As you get farther along stand back and see the whole picture.
Reclaimed Wood Plank Applications
Reclaimed wood planks can be used in a variety of applications, from accent walls, kitchen back-splashes, islands, cabinets, doors, fireplaces, beam wraps, and floors just to name a few. They are used in both commercial and residential applications and typically install the same in both.
Prepping for Wall Board
First you will need to do a little site prep.
Step #1
Remove any trim that will be in the way including baseboard, crown and window and door casing. If installing over a sheetrock wall you will need to either paint it black first or cover it with black roofing felt. This will allow the character marks such as nail holes, knots, splits and checks to be left and keeps any unwanted colors coming through from behind. This is a very important step to the overall look.
Step #2
Next you will want to lay out some basic tools.
- Level
- Speed Square
- Stud Finder
- Drill
- Miter saw (either electric or hand)
- Jigsaw
- Razor Knife
- Compressor and nail gun
- Hammer
- Construction Adhesive
You may not need all of them but its best to have them all ready just in case.
Step #3
In this step you will be getting your wood laid out and staged so you can see what you have and easily access the different colors and sizes you will have. I like to separate by color, width and length. For example I separate the browns and grays and keep the 3” width boards together in each color and the 4” boards in another stack while also separating the 2’ boards from the 4’ boards, and I think you get the idea. This will make the install much faster.
Step #4
Now you want to take your stud finder and mark the studs in the wall. Use a level to carry the line up the entire wall where you are going to work. You will always nail on these marks. This is also where your boards will stop and start.
Step #5
Now that the studs are marked its time to put up your first piece. Its always best to work from bottom to the top and let gravity be your friend. Make sure the first piece is level and use a couple of your longer boards. Use your finish nailer or brad nailer and put at least 2 nails in each piece everywhere you cross a stud.
Tip: If a board does not end on a stud you can either use construction adhesive on the end or cut it to length where it breaks in the middle of the closest stud. Continue this process alternating colors and widths to keep a random pattern.
Tip: Remember to carry out each row with the same width all the way across. Watch your supply of boards and vary the pattern of widths depending on which width you have the most of.
Step #6
Use your jigsaw to cut out outlet boxes and any other obstacles you have to go around. Mark the location of your outlet and make starter holes with your drill to give yourself access to insert the jigsaw blade. Depending on the size of your wall in just a few short hours you will have transformed your space.
Step #7
Now sit back and enjoy the fruits of your work. Don't forget to come back and review your product and even include a picture of your updated space!