What Is Shiplap Wood Used For

Shiplap likely gets its name from a style of shiplap that was once used to make ships.

What is shiplap wood used for.

While shiplap may look like plain run of the mill wood panels that s not the whole story. It originated in harsh climates. Shiplap is a type of wooden board used commonly as exterior siding in the construction of residences barns sheds and outbuildings. If you nail plain wooden boards to a wall and call it shiplap that s not quite accurate.

A little light internet research reveals that shiplap is a kind of wooden board that s often used for constructing sheds barns and other rustic buildings. Or use the weathered wood to create a built in bookshelf. There are long wooden boards involved but genuine shiplap actually has overlapping grooves that fit together to make the design weather tight. What makes shiplap shiplap is how each plank is prepped for installation.

Traditional shiplap has a rabbet or groove cut into the top and bottom which allows the pieces to fit together snugly forming a tight seal. Joanna uses natural wood shiplap as wainscoting in this home s living room. This also gives shiplap its distinctive. The same overlapping joint that makes true shiplap tight and weatherproof in a house made for a water tight ship too.