Calculate total shiplap boards, nickel gap reveals, linear footage, 18-gauge brad nails, cut-off scrap waste, and material costs for horizontal and vertical accent walls.
Standard 3x6.8 door = 20 sq ft; 3x4 window = 12 sq ft.
Eliminate uneven top rips, stock shortages, misaligned nickel gaps, and excessive seam waste.
Buying a 1x6 board expecting 6 inches of coverage leaves you 15% short. The overlapping rabbet edge conceals 3/8 inch, leaving only 5-1/4 inches of exposed reveal. Our calculator uses precise actual face profiles.
Starting blind at the floor can leave a tiny 1/2-inch sliver at the ceiling line that is impossible to nail. By calculating total courses upfront, you can trim the bottom row slightly for balanced full planks at top and bottom.
Over an 8-foot wall, twenty 1/8-inch nickel gaps add 2.5 inches of vertical wall space. Ignoring gap spacing leads to over-purchasing lumber; our formula integrates gap geometry directly into course counts.
Walls wider than 12 or 16 feet require butt joints centered directly over 16" o.c. studs. Cutoffs that do not reach the next stud become scrap. Our 10% to 15% waste buffers prevent costly mid-job lumberyard trips.
Five simple steps to generate accurate shiplap materials takeoffs.
Input total wall length and vertical height in feet or meters to establish gross surface area.
Subtract window, door, and fireplace areas to calculate net square footage of wood coverage.
Choose 1x6 (5.25" reveal) or 1x8 (6.875" reveal) and pick your 1/8" or 1/16" nickel gap.
Select 8', 10', 12', or 16' boards based on wall length to minimize intermediate butt seams.
Review total boards, linear feet, brad nail counts, adhesive cartridges, and click Copy Takeoff.
Engineered for trim carpenters, interior remodelers, and DIY home builders.
Computes lumber using true exposed face measurements (5.25" for 1x6, 6.875" for 1x8) rather than deceptive nominal board dimensions that under-calculate coverage.
Factors in the cumulative vertical height expansion generated by 1/8-inch coin shadow lines across every course, preventing over-purchasing on tall accent walls.
Calculates required 18-gauge brad nails (2 per stud intersection at 16" o.c.) and 10-ounce polyurethane adhesive tubes for secure, squeak-free installation.
Evaluates 8', 10', 12', and 16' lumber options so you can choose boards that span your wall length with minimal mid-wall seams or butt-joint cutoffs.
Standard milled lumber profiles, actual reveals, and coverage per board.
| Nominal Board Size | Actual Overall Width | Exposed Face Reveal | Coverage / 8' Board | Coverage / 12' Board | Lin Ft Needed / 100 Sq Ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1x4 Shiplap | 3.50 inches | 3.125" - 3.25" | 2.17 sq ft | 3.25 sq ft | 370 lin ft |
| 1x6 Shiplap (Standard) | 5.50 inches | 5.125" - 5.25" | 3.50 sq ft | 5.25 sq ft | 229 lin ft |
| 1x8 Shiplap (Wide Plank) | 7.25 inches | 6.875" - 7.00" | 4.60 sq ft | 6.90 sq ft | 172 lin ft |
| 1x6 T&G V-Groove | 5.375 inches | 5.00 inches | 3.33 sq ft | 5.00 sq ft | 240 lin ft |
Authoritative carpentry answers on board reveals, nickel gaps, and wall installation.
