In this video I walk you through my 10 best tips (plus a bonus paint tip) to get a professional-looking shiplap wall without a bunch of headaches. I cover the stuff that actually matters in the real world—like why I always pre-paint the boards (including the edges) so you don’t end up with those little white lines in the seams later. I also show you how I plan my layout ahead of time so I’m not stuck at the end trying to install some weird 1/2-inch sliver that looks terrible. From there, I get into the install process: finding the dead center of every stud (not just “where the stud is”), working top-down, and sneaking up on cuts because walls are almost never perfectly square. I also talk nails—don’t go too short, because shiplap can pull away over time—and how I like to alternate seams so the wall doesn’t scream “DIY.” And yes, tip #8 is the one most people miss: outlet spacers. They’re cheap, they’re easy, and they make your outlets look finished instead of sunk into the wall. Once everything’s up, I fill nail holes with spackle, sand, and finish with a final coat of paint for that clean, pro look.