Installing A Slat Wall As A Complete Beginner

There are so many accent walls you can choose from it can be overwhelming. For example, my favorite accent wall would have to be a slat wall; I love the look of walnut wood on a black wall or white oak in a bright sunlit room. You probably landed on this post after spending the last 6 hours on Pinterest looking at slat wall ideas. Today, I’ll give you step-by-step instructions to install a slat wall in your home as a beginner.

I also recorded a video on a slat wall project we’ve done for a client below for you to follow if you are like me and need a visual aid.

Now let us begin!

What is a slat wall?

A slat wall is a type of feature wall that consists of vertical strips, usually 1.5” wide by the length of your wall, spaced evenly between 1 to 1.5” apart. You can install your slats using individual slats or slat wall panels.

Whichever direction you take, you will love the final results!

Reasons You Need to Know How to Install a Slat Wall First Before Attempting This Project

Slatwall installation is very cost-effective, but the wrong information can quickly burn a hole through your pocket. Also, the tools I recommend will be best for an easy and quick installation.

Understanding how to use the tools outlined in this guide and how to install a feature wall is a skill set many people search for.

Now enough about making money doing this; let us discuss the steps you must follow to complete your slat wall.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Install Slat Wall

The first and most crucial step you need to know before we start going through the list is what room will your slat wall be in. For example, will you install your slat wall in your bedroom, or will you install it in your living room? The space will dictate your colors for the slats and the background wall.

Secondly, you must know how many pieces you’ll need to complete this project. Finally, I use an easy formula that helps me determine how many slats will be required for my project; its as follows: length of the wall in inches + (length of wall x15%) (round to whole number) divided by(slat width + spacing width) = amount of slats needed.

For example:

The existing wall is 14’ long, we want a 1” space, and the slats’ width will be 1.5”. Here is the formula:

168 + (168×15%) = 193.2 or 193/(1” spacing + 1.5” slats)= 77.2 or 77 piece

*Hopefully, that makes sense.

Step 1: Purchasing Wood Slats

Now that you know how many slats you need for your project, it is time to visit your local lumber yard to pick up material. You can do this project with either plywood or wooden slats, but I will tell you now that the exposed plywood look is completely DIY.

I only like seeing the internal core of plywood on my projects if it is baltic birch. If you want to save money, I’d recommend purchasing select pine. Select pine will cost roughly 2.5x more in pricing, but I guarantee your slat will look just how you want it for a long time.

Some companies sell slatwall panels but remember they use felt backing, and you typically have to mount these panels to wall studs.

If you decide to go the route of plywood, you will need a table saw or circular saw to cut down the plywood into strips. Using your table saw is an extra step but will save you $100s if you take time to do so.

Step 2: Purchase other materials

Adding depth to your wall will alter how things look around your wall, such as your baseboards. Be sure to pick up baseboards to replace the one on the wall where your slat wall is located, and make sure the thickness is the same. This is a critical step to ensure your project is as professional looking as possible. We’ve swapped baseboards in over 30 homes, and none of the clients have told us they do not like it. They said they didn’t notice it until we pointed it out.

Step 3: Remove Old Baseboard

This step is easy; you’ll need a few tools. Here are the tools you’ll need for this step:

1. Razor blade
2. Prybar
3. Mallet or Hammer

Be sure to score a line above the baseboard, keeping your razor parallel to the ground. This will ensure you do not peel off your drywall when removing the baseboard.

Step 4: Paint Wall *if applicable

Once you have removed the baseboard, you can paint the wall if you plan on changing the color. This step is significant due to the difficulty you’ll experience if you try to paint your walls after the slat wall is installed.

Note: Darker colors work well with darker woods, and lighter shades work well with softer woods, Walnut to black as White Oak to White.

Step 5: Stain Select Pine Slats

Once you’ve completed the painting process, this gives you some free time to work on your slats. I recommend starting this after painting your walls to give your walls a few days for the paint to dry and for the enamel in the paint to start the hardening process.

This step is all up to you but remember, lighter wood works well with brighter backgrounds, and dark colors work well with darker wood. The wall we did for our client was a walnut stain, and we applied two coats to get it to this color.

Step 6: Seal Each Slat

Depending on your environment, you may battle humidity. Here in Georgia, this will cause your wood to bow and warp. I recommend using a Behr Water-base sealant or total boat products. The packaging says two coats, but three is the way to go. This will ensure your wood is sealed and give your project a quality finish.

Step 7: Cut Spacer Piece

Now it’s time for the fun part. Before you start brad nailing your slats to the wall, consider making a spacer. A spacer will reduce your installation time and ensure you have the exact spacing every time.

We went with 1” spacing for our design, but anything between ¾” to 1 ½” looks excellent; anything larger than that looks very odd unless you are working in a massive room greater than 20’. Keep at least two spacers if you lose or misplace one.

Step 8: Cut 45 Degree angle on two outside slats

This step isn’t necessary, but it’s a Would Wood Work special. We always cut 45-degree angles on our outside piece for one main reason… Walls are never flat. Allowing the outer edge to touch will enable you to scribe the wood easily, making your design look even more professional. Be sure to pick up one of these scribing blocks, making scribing easy.

Cutting the 45-degree angle can be done on a table saw, circular saw, or router. Just ensure the edge touching the wall is no greater than 3/16”. This will make your installation process easy.

Step 9: Cut Slats To Length

Once you’ve added the angle to the outside piece, install the two outer slats, measuring your walls using digital measuring tools such as the Bosch Laser Measure or the Rekon Laser Measure. You’ll have to measure the remainder of the wall using your digital measuring tool.

Once you find out how much more space remains, you can map out the exact spacing necessary to work the rest of your wall. First, subtract the spacing after the two outside pieces, then calculate your remaining area.

Step 10: Install the Slats

Cut each slat to the length of your wall. The easiest way to measure your wall is from floor to ceiling or from the top of your baseboard to ceiling using your bosch or Rekon measuring tool. It’s quick, accurate, and does not require more than one hand to operate. You can take multiple readings to ensure you have the correct measurement.

Note: Measure twice, cut once.

Working your wall start from one end, brad nailing your slats on the sides at a 45-degree angle to eliminate holes in the front of your slats. Ensure you use a level to ensure the second slat is entirely straight. Use your spacer after each installed piece to create the perfect spacing.

Once you have two to three feet left, measure the remaining space and calculate how many slats are needed to finish the wall. If your number is a whole number, you are golden, but if your number has a decimal point for whatever reason, you’ll have to manipulate the space slightly to make the spacing look the same visually.

It’s best to do this at the two to the three-foot area remaining so that the additional spacing can be distributed among 10-15 pieces vs. two-five pieces. Once you complete this step, the hard part is finally done!

Step 11: Allow room to air out

The fumes from the polyurethane and stain can be harsh to smell, so I recommend opening a window and allowing the room to air out for a few days.

Key Considerations For Successfully Installing Wooden Slats

There are a few things to consider to install wooden slats successfully:

1. Sand all your strips. This will ensure no high spots or rough patches when you stain.
2. Sand in between coats of polyurethane and stain. Staining causes the grain in the wood to be raised, giving your strips an unwelcoming feeling. Sanding at 220 grit eliminates this feeling.
3. Brad Nail the sides instead of the front. You’ll thank me later. No nail holes on the front mean a cleaner professional look.

Alternatives to individually installing each Slat

Some companies offer pre-assembled panels with felt backing, so you don’t have to install each slat. This is a great alternative, especially if you don’t have the equipment to do it yourself. All you genuinely need is a circular saw for cutting panels.

Although this is a great alternative, this is an expensive option. Below I’ve listed three companies that provide pre-assembled slat panels.

1. WoodPanelWalls
2. TheWoodVeneerHub
3. NatureWall

Tools Needed To Install SlatWall

I’ve listed the tools needed to install your slat wall successfully. There are more tools you could use to make your experience easier, but they are not 100% necessary.

1. Cordless Brad nailer
2. Hammer
3. Nail Punch
4. Drill
5. Level
6. Miter Saw
7. Stain Brushes For Stain
8. Foam Brushes For Polyurethane
9. Measuring Tape
10. Bosch Laser Measuring Tool
11. Wood Filler
12. Paint Brush If Painting Wall
13. Prybar
14. Mallet
15. Razor
16. Caulking
17. Pencil
18. Stud Finder

Now that you have the knowledge to install a slat wall yourself, take what you’ve learned and go create a wood slat wall.

Thank you for reading this article. I hope the information has helped you decide whether to make an accent wall manually or purchase premade panels. Feel free to contact us on social media.

If you are interested in slatwall installation or the process to install slatwall is complicated we can do this for you. My company can install this using the steps outlined above so that you are handsfree and you just end up with a beautiful feature wall.