before and after

Easy Vertical Paneling Installation

We have been making SO much progress on our garage attic transformation. We are excited to be able to use it soon as an exercise/office/band practice space. It has been a slow but steady work in progress and it feels like it is finally coming together! I wanted to give you a step-by-step on how we installed the wall paneling. It is pretty simple and something you can totally do on your own.

patticakewagner panelling installation.JPG

It was not Brian’s first rodeo with window trimming but it was his first time installing this specific type of paneling. We used the Painted Shiplap MDF from Lowes. Something I really admire about Brian is his willingness to learn new things, and dive right into it! He is super precise when it comes to these types of projects and handles everything he does with so much care.

Initially, we were deciding between having vertical or horizontal panel placements. I put a poll on Instagram and the results were pretty split with 52% of people voting for horizontal and 48% of people voting for vertical. Ultimately we went with vertical because it gave the illusion of more height to the room.

Prior to installing the paneling, we trimmed out the window.

Step 1: Cut the panel at an angle in order to fit in the slanting wall. Brian was able to cut the panel at an angle with his T-Bevel/Angel Finder pictured and linked below. To use the angler all you have to do is place it at the angle you want (based on the wall angle) and mark it on the panel. Then take the marked panel and cut it with a miter saw.

T-Bevel/Angel Finder

The cut angled panel should look like this on the wall:

patticakewagner panelling installation.png

Step 2: Once you have your cut angle pieces, the next step is to install them. Use construction adhesive on the back of the panel, lay the panel on the wall, tap it with a hammer, and then secure the panel on the wall with a nail gun. It is that simple!

Pro tip: use a scrap piece of wood when tapping in the panels with a hammer. This helps you to not leave any markings on the panel.

patticakewagner garage attic.png

Step 3: Installing the final panel. Brian made sure to purchase three extra panels just in case he messed up. Luckily it went super smoothly and he did not need to use the extra panels. It is always better to be safe than sorry, especially when you’re installing it late at night when stores are closed and you just want to knock it out.

Step 4: Paint the wall panels. We made sure to do two coats of paint using a paint sprayer for a smooth finish. This is the sprayer we recommend: Graco Magnum 262800 X5 Stand Airless Paint Sprayer

patticakewagner panelling installation.png
Reminder this is what we started with

Reminder this is what we started with

We just finished laying the flooring which took Brian two evenings to complete. Next up, we will install built-in cabinets, paint the built-in cabinets, and then we will be on our way to wrapping up the project!

LVP Flooring linked here

LVP Flooring linked here

Tools Checklist:

T-Bevel/Angle Finder

Panel (Painted Shiplap MDF)

Miter saw

Construction adhesive

Nail gun

Hammer

Scrap wood

Paint Sprayer

LVP Flooring

Sweetest Regards, Patti