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Create a Fake Shiplap Paneling Using This DIY Paper Method

I’m no stranger to a miter saw and repurposed wood, but sometimes wood isn’t right for the project.

Whether it is concerns about chemical contamination on pallets, excess weight added to a wall via reclaimed barn wood, affordability concerns due to the 2021 lumber shortage, or just hesitation about the environmental impacts of the lumber industry, there are many good reasons to swap out an expensive and difficult wall treatment for cheap shiplap paper to create the look of shiplap without the complications.

create the look of shiplap with a fraction of the effort and expense

My friend Merre and I spent weeks tossing around ideas to easily update a closet with old sliding doors.

Open shelving, replacement with old doors, and even resurfacing with distressed metal were considered until we came up with the perfect, cheap solution: using giant pieces of photo backdrop paper (printed on XXL paper with no seams or pattern repeat) to add the look of wood shiplap without adding any additional weight or thickness to the closet doors. The smooth whitewashed faux shiplap wood-look surface adds interest and texture to the room while still reflecting lots of light back into the bright white room.

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Materials Needed

Blog tutorial on how to use cheap photo backdrop paper to create easy, seamless faux rustic barn wood. - Hawk-Hill.com

I’m in love with this product! This 4 ft x 12 ft sheet of paper with a seamless design inspires so many ideas and comes in several wood finishes:

Blog tutorial on how to use cheap photo backdrop paper to create easy, seamless faux rustic barn wood. - Hawk-Hill.com
White Washed Wood
Blog tutorial on how to use cheap photo backdrop paper to create easy, seamless faux rustic barn wood. - Hawk-Hill.com
Rustic Wood

 

Before you Start:

Dilute the Elmer’s Glue. The Elmer’s Glue website suggests diluting their glue for decoupage by mixing 3 parts glue with 1 part water. This formula worked great on this project and was much easier to paint on and apply thinly than pure glue would have been.

Blog tutorial on how to use cheap photo backdrop paper to create easy, seamless faux rustic barn wood. - Hawk-Hill.com
fake shiplap made with a fraction of the effort and expense of the real thing

BEFORE: Solid white closet doors in a 1980’s style

Prep Surface for Faux Paneling

Remove the door and lay it down on a horizontal surface. Remove any hardware from the door. In our case the handles were recessed so we had to remove the hardware and then fill the hole before applying the paper.

Blog tutorial on how to use cheap photo backdrop paper to create easy, seamless faux rustic barn wood. - Hawk-Hill.com

Step 2. Cut Fake Shiplap Backdrop Paper into Sections

We learned (the hard way!) that it’s helpful to cut the paper into smaller, manageable pieces. (Don’t worry, seams won’t show!).

Pieces of paper 4ft wide (the full width) by 24-36″ were the easiest to handle.

Blog tutorial on how to use cheap photo backdrop paper to create easy, seamless faux rustic barn wood. - Hawk-Hill.com

Step 3. Align Faux Shiplap Paper & Stabilize

Line up the paper straight, perfectly straight, along the edge of the door. While holding it in place, have a helper place something heavy and smooth (like a stack of books) near the center to keep the paper from shifting out of place:

Blog tutorial on how to use cheap photo backdrop paper to create easy, seamless faux rustic barn wood. - Hawk-Hill.com
Begin in the center and work towards the edges. Don’t worry if you end up with a little extra on the edges- the wet paper will stretch as it is smoothed.
Blog tutorial on how to use cheap photo backdrop paper to create easy, seamless faux rustic barn wood. - Hawk-Hill.com
Line up the paper just right, then add weight to hold it in place.

Step 4. Begin Gluing Paper to Wood

Pick a side and roll the paper up from the outside towards the center. Add a moderate amount of glue to your brush and spread a thin, even coat across the width of the section, but working in sections no more than 6-8″ long. IMPORTANT: Do not use an excessive amount of glue. The more moisture you add the more likely the paper is to fully saturate and tear when being smoothed- so you want just enough glue to get the paper to adhere.

Blog tutorial on how to use cheap photo backdrop paper to create easy, seamless faux rustic barn wood. - Hawk-Hill.com
Blog tutorial on how to use cheap photo backdrop paper to create easy, seamless faux rustic barn wood. - Hawk-Hill.com

Step 5. Attach and Smooth Faux Textured Paper

Roll the paper down, carefully, over the area you just applied glue. Working from the center out, smooth the paper with the wallpaper smoother, easing bubbles to the edges or bottom and making sure the paper is flat and fully adhered to the surface below. (You won’t be able to get a “perfect” surface, but the vast majority of remaining creases and bubbles will disappear when the paper dries)

Blog tutorial on how to use cheap photo backdrop paper to create easy, seamless faux rustic barn wood. - Hawk-Hill.com

Repeat steps 4 & 5, working down the same side until you reach the end. (don’t panic if you have excess paper hanging over the that edge you did not measure for- smoothing the wet paper stretches it!)

Blog tutorial on how to use cheap photo backdrop paper to create easy, seamless faux rustic barn wood. - Hawk-Hill.com

Step 6. Repeat on full width

Once one side is fully adhered, remove the books that were weighting the center, roll the loose side up until you reach the beginning point of where you’d previously glued, and repeat steps 4 & 5, working your way down this side.

Blog tutorial on how to use cheap photo backdrop paper to create easy, seamless faux rustic barn wood. - Hawk-Hill.com

Step 7. Cover Surface Fully

Once you get the hang of how much glue to use and how the paper smooths best, this project goes quick! For each section of faux shiplap paneling finish, simply line the top edge up with where the last section ended, weight the center, and continue gluing small sections at a time.

Blog tutorial on how to use cheap photo backdrop paper to create easy, seamless faux rustic barn wood. - Hawk-Hill.com

When you are done applying the paper to the entire surface- let the glue dry completely- at least 4-6 hours before applying a top coat to seal the paper.

Blog tutorial on how to use cheap photo backdrop paper to create easy, seamless faux rustic barn wood. - Hawk-Hill.com

Step 8. Seal the Fake Shiplap Paneling

You’ll want to seal the top of this paper so it can be wiped clean when it gets fingerprints and dust. IMPORTANT: Be sure and use a sealer with a MATTE finish. A glossy or semi-gloss finish will make the surface look flat and slick, ruining the barn wood look, so you’ll need to use matte finish Mod Podge or matte finish Glazing Medium (the artist’s equivalent of the former) Don’t panic if the wet sealer makes the paper buckle. Ours did, but after drying the paper was again flat.

Paper will buckle and bubble when sealer is applied, but will dry flat.
The moment of true and complete panic when the first coat of Mod Podge was applied and this happened, but thankfully as the paper dried it smoothed again completely.

FINAL RESULT:

My photos just don’t do this project justice! I will keep looking for better light and a better angle to catch a shot of these doors!

fake wood paneling applied with photo backdrop paper
IMG_3322
faux shiplap on closet door
IMG_3318

And here’s a shot of the other end of the same room- where the branches placed behind the headboard make a perfect companion to the faux barnwood doors.

the bedroom where this faux shiplap was installed

karen

Thursday 20th of August 2015

Can this be done on a wall?