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You are here: Home / Home Remodeling / How To DIY a Wood Planked Ceiling

08/29/2012 · 164 Comments

How To DIY a Wood Planked Ceiling

Home Remodeling

As one of Lowe’s Creative Bloggers on the Lowe’s Creative Ideas site, I was given the challenge to update my kitchen.  The challenge was issued back at the beginning of the year.  It just so happened that we were smack dab in the middle of a kitchen re-do.  Perfect timing right? So I decided to fulfill my dream of having a wood plank ceiling.  In this post I will share with you How to DIY a Wood Plank Ceiling.

Wood Planked Ceiling

{After}

I shared with my readers a few sneak peak photos as we moved along in the extremely SLOW process of DIY home remodeling.  And I am so excited to be able to share with you how our kitchen FINALLY turned out.  We are not completely finished.  We still have a few finishing touches, along with the wall décor to complete, but I am really happy with what we have done so far.

Wood-Planked-Ceiling

{After}

When school ended in June we stopped working on the house remodel completely so that we could have a “normal” summer when the kids were home and underfoot.  And now that start of school is less than a week away, we plan to FINALLY finish up all the loose ends.

kitchen 6

{Before}

(I can’t believe how YELLOW my kitchen was…I am so happy with the new look!  Funny to think that I LOVED that color not too long ago!  But then again I am a person who likes to change things up…if you haven’t noticed :).

kitchen 10

{Before}

So for the #LowesCreator Kitchen Project, we decided to install a Wood Plank Ceiling.  I have always loved the look of them but wanted to make it a bit “fancier” and paint it white.  Part of our motivation for the wood paneling was to cover up a horribly ugly patch job on the ceiling to cover where some wrap around cabinets had been removed by the previous owners.  It was pretty bad.  We also combined the two lights over the table and centered a new single light over our dining area.  Then we had some canned lighting to the space.  So needless to say we had a huge ceiling repair on our hands.  Planking the ceiling was a great option and actually saved us a lot of repair work.

kitchen 11  kitchen 5

We ended up using these V groove, Pine Wood Planks from Lowe’s.  They were pretty inexpensive for a pack of six, 8 foot long pine planks.  We put them up in a staggered pattern so that all the ends would not be lined up for a smoother look and finish.  We added a thin line of painters caulk to the back side of each plank and then stuck it onto the ceiling.  Then added some nails every couple of feet to secure it to the ceiling.

kitchen 3  kitchen 14

While my husband and son put the planks on the ceiling, I followed behind them with the painter’s caulk and filled some of the bigger cracks and knot holes in the wood to give it a smoother, less rustic look.  The process was pretty tedious but so worth it for the finished product!

kitchen 12

After allowing the caulk to fully cure, we primed and then painted the wood planks white.  We some crown molding in the dining area to cover up the uneven edges where the ceiling meets the walls.  Then in the main kitchen area, we added just a small flat trim molding to cover up the edges as the city scape cupboards had crown molding and it would have been difficult to match up the crown molding on the walls and cabinets.

kitchen final 2  kitchen

I can’t believe we are so close to getting things completely finished up and will for sure share with you the final touches when we get them.  We did the entire kitchen tear out by ourselves (with some help from our family and our kids).  We were originally thinking of just painting our existing cabinets white like we have done with some bathroom cabinets, but considering our home is 30+ years old we decided to replace them.  I am so glad we did because as we started to tear them out we could see just how water damaged and rotten several of them had become especially around the sink area.  A couple of them just literally fell apart.

kitchen final 3

We had the cabinets built and installed along with the dark wood flooring.  All the rest of the work was done by us.  I am planning on sharing several tutorials in some future posts if you are interested in exactly what we did.  I am not going to lie, it was really A LOT of work, but I am SO glad that we did it the way that we did!  So now you know why I might have been a bit of a crazy person these past several months.

image

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About Amy

Amy Huntley is the owner/author of The Idea Room. A mother of five, who enjoys sharing her love of all things creative in hopes of inspiring other women and families. Never miss a creative idea that she shares by connecting with her here, or read more of her posts.

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Comments

  1. Marian says

    08/30/2012 at 1:58 am

    What a difference!!! Very inspiring post. Love your new kitchen and ceiling. It’s my dream to have my wooden kitchen all white once…. and the ceiling with built in lights just like yours. This is truly and inspiring post and I’m looking forward to more. Thanks!
    Bye,
    Marian

    Reply
    • Amy says

      09/01/2012 at 10:37 pm

      Thanks so much Marian! Hoping you are able to get a new kitchen for yourself too! We have just loved the transformation.

      Reply
      • Margaret says

        03/02/2013 at 3:35 pm

        HI Amy,
        I just found your pics, and fell in love. What a great job, it looks wonderful.
        I’m working in my downstairs bathroom, my whole home has those pop-corn
        ceilings, so, I’m trying to get most of it down in the bathroom, not an easy job!!!
        I am going to put the boards on the ceiling (hope it looks as good as your work). Now I’m
        wondering how much of the pop-corn I need to remove, and if I use the glue on the back of the board I wonder if they will adhere to what is left of the pop-corn. Any ideas?
        Margaret

        Reply
        • Beth says

          03/29/2013 at 7:11 pm

          Hey Margaret! We live in a manufactured home and have popcorn ceilings. YUCK! We have covered the bathroom and the laundry room with sheet rock as we were going to put sheet rock in those rooms and tear down the popcorn…but in a manufactured home, you can take all the insulation you can get so we just installed it over top.

          Just last weekend, we began using the same paneling as in this post to cover our popcorn ceiling in the living room. We scraped the popcorn so it was just not bumpy any longer. The smaller side of the living room (divided by a center beam) was done with Loctite glue and a nail gun ( GET A NAIL GUN!!! BEST TOOL EVER! besides a Kreg Jig) and it is solid. Just make sure you get a stud finder and run along the ceiling using a marker to mark where the studs are. You want to be sure that you get some nails in some studs to be sure the whole thing stays up.

          The second side of our living room we are going to try using flat strips about 1 1/2 inches wide run on all edges and in the center to fasten to the studs. This way, we’ll use less glue, but also be sure to be nailing every single piece into something that’s being supported by studs.

          Good luck with your ceilings!

          Reply
          • Margaret says

            04/01/2013 at 7:38 pm

            Hi Beth, thanks so much for your post, it’s great to have a place where we can find good techniques and help from real people.
            Good luck to you too with the rest of your ceilings and I’ll look into getting a nail gun!!
            Thanks again,
            Margaret.

      • Mario says

        11/19/2017 at 4:50 pm

        Good Evening Amy

        Love the work you did. Is their anyway I can get more step by step instructions. Looking to do the same style on the main floor.

        Thank you

        Reply
        • The Idea Room Assistant says

          11/21/2017 at 3:02 pm

          Mario- This post was awhile back. Sorry I don’t have more clear instruction for you. If you have any specific questions, I may be able to help though. Thanks.

          Reply
  2. Rae Higgins says

    08/30/2012 at 3:02 am

    I am in love with your ceiling! I’m gathering ideas for my own kitchen remodel & this is my first decision made! Thanks for a great review.

    Reply
    • Amy says

      09/01/2012 at 10:38 pm

      Yay! You will be so glad you did! Good luck to you on your remodel! It is a lot of work but so worth it in the end.

      Reply
  3. Amanda says

    08/30/2012 at 6:16 am

    Wow Amy if you hadn’t included all those step photos, I would have sworn that kitchen came from a magazine! Simply stunning, and I LOVE the planked ceiling! Gorgeous, just gorgeous :)

    Reply
    • Amy says

      09/01/2012 at 10:39 pm

      You are too sweet Amanda! Thanks so much for the kind words. Hope you are doing well. Loved spending time with you in Dallas!

      Reply
  4. Mandy @ Sugar Bee Crafts says

    08/30/2012 at 7:44 am

    I really LOVE your ceiling – amazing job on it!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      09/01/2012 at 10:40 pm

      Thanks Mandy! Fun to have both you and Amanda stop by right after each other. So good to meet you in Dallas! I really enjoyed getting to know you!

      Reply
  5. [email protected] says

    08/30/2012 at 8:24 am

    Beautiful! I LOVE the ceiling!! Your kitchen is so bright and airy now – good job! :)

    Reply
  6. Stacy says

    08/30/2012 at 8:44 am

    Oh Amy!!! You whole kitchen is stunning! STUNNING! I know how much work it must have been so I hope you can sit back and enjoy it now that it is done. I am off to pin :)

    Reply
    • Amy says

      09/01/2012 at 10:41 pm

      Thanks so much Stacy! That means a lot coming from you as I feel like you are always inspiring me with your DIY projects!

      Reply
  7. Jessica Anderson says

    08/30/2012 at 8:57 am

    LOVE it!! Could you tell me the dimensions of the room, I am in the planing stages of my own kitchen reno, and your kitchen is layed out very similarly to mine!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      09/01/2012 at 10:42 pm

      We have a long skinny kitchen. Our kitchen is about 15 feet across and 30 feet in length.

      Reply
  8. Shannon Fox says

    08/30/2012 at 9:04 am

    The kitchen is so beautiful, warm, inviting and light filled! It’s stunning. I hope you are thoroughly enjoying it. I love the ceiling treatment. My husband and I have this on our to-do list. We started talking about it about a year ago but we got sidetracked by a fireplace makeover. So glad you shared. I will be pinning so I can show him later.

    Again… gorgeous! Gorgeous! Gorgeous :)

    Reply
    • Amy says

      09/01/2012 at 10:43 pm

      Thank you Shannon! We have a fireplace that needs some serious makeover. Do you have any photos? I would love to see what you did. Good luck on your kitchen!

      Reply
  9. nest of posies says

    08/30/2012 at 9:05 am

    this is incredible! omg, amy what a beautiful kitchen.

    i KNOW how hard it is to work on ceilings. yes, the end result is always worth it, but those neck aches & arm pains make it so hard.

    your kitchen is beautiful!
    have a super day!

    xo
    kellie

    Reply
    • Amy says

      09/01/2012 at 10:44 pm

      haha! So true. I had such a kink in my neck and back after all that work up there. But it was worth it!

      Reply
  10. TidyMom says

    08/30/2012 at 9:40 am

    Amy this is GORGEOUS!!! I’m getting new appliances soon, and would love to do this to our kitchen!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      09/01/2012 at 10:44 pm

      So fun! I can’t wait to see if you end up doing it. Thanks Cheryl!

      Reply
  11. [email protected] Smartie Pants says

    08/30/2012 at 9:50 am

    I love it! I am dying to do this to my house. Let me ask you can you see a crack at the ends of the boards? The picture looks seemless. Great job!!!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      09/01/2012 at 10:46 pm

      Yes. You can see the cracks. I did minimize them with the use of painter’s caulk, especially in some of the bigger cracks. But you can still see the faint lines. But it is not very noticeable unless you look up for them. Not sure there is a way to avoid them completely.

      Reply
  12. Dresden says

    08/30/2012 at 10:00 am

    Can I get a little more info about your countertops? We are putting white cabinets in our new home and I love how well your countertops go with your white cabinets.
    Thanks!
    Oh and the ceiling looks incredible! Great job.

    Reply
    • Amy says

      09/01/2012 at 10:47 pm

      We went with a Quartz countertop. We went through a lot of options and decided Quartz was the best for us. I have been so happy with it. It has a lot of gray and some beige in it.

      Reply
  13. Dixie Redmond says

    08/30/2012 at 10:02 am

    My kitchen is a bit smaller than yours but I have a similar dream. LOVE the ceiling! LOVE LOVE LOVE it. Pinned your pictures. :-) Yay!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      09/01/2012 at 10:47 pm

      Thanks so much Dixie! So happy to have you pin my images!

      Reply
  14. marcusie says

    08/30/2012 at 10:09 am

    Love the kitchen….just one thought…IMO it would look a lot better if you changed the under and over cabinet lighting to lights that put off white light vs. the pinkie orangie yellowie color that your current ones do. That would help the light and white and airy feel of your kitchen be totally cohesive.

    Reply
  15. Emily says

    08/30/2012 at 12:03 pm

    Your kitchen is absolutely GORGEOUS! Love the new cabinets and I’m in love with your ceiling. I may even marry it.

    Reply
    • Amy says

      09/01/2012 at 10:48 pm

      haha! Thanks Emily. You can come over anytime and spend time with it if you feel so inclined!

      Reply
  16. how2home says

    08/30/2012 at 12:33 pm

    Thank u so much for sharing this with us! I’ve always wondered how people do this and these instructions/illustrations are awesome. Plank ceiling is a must for our future home!

    Reply
  17. Shelly says

    08/30/2012 at 1:30 pm

    Beautiful Kitchen! Where did you get your floor mat in front of the sink?

    Reply
  18. Tracey says

    08/30/2012 at 1:54 pm

    I love it! I’ve been going back and forth between wanting to do the ceilings with planks like this or the Armstrong ceiling tile/plank kits (which are expensive!) you said you put them up ‘staggered’ not worrying about lines matching up, is that right? And it looks like you ran the planks with the longest length of the room? Thank you for this post! I need to hide cottage cheese ceiling affordably :)

    Reply
    • Edie says

      05/31/2015 at 2:34 pm

      How did you make sure it kept square as you went?

      Reply
  19. [email protected] says

    08/30/2012 at 1:59 pm

    Beautiful! I’m in love with your new upscale kitchen. It looks really high-end! Congrads on having a beautiful kitchen!!!! Love it!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      08/31/2012 at 12:33 pm

      Thank you so much Michelle! Good to see your name pop up on here!

      Reply
  20. Sara @ Mom Endeavors says

    08/30/2012 at 3:24 pm

    Oh my goodness, Amy, what a transformation!!! This is absolutely gorgeous! Well-done!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      08/31/2012 at 12:31 pm

      thanks Sara!! Just stopped over to see what you guys did! Love that light fixture!!

      Reply
  21. Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality says

    08/30/2012 at 3:34 pm

    Amy, beautiful job with the kitchen! I love all the changes, the new cabinet, and esp. that planked ceiling. Gorgeous! I know the pain of a kitchen remodel. I tore out my fixer upper kitchen & it’s just getting put back together with Ikea cabinets and granite. So exciting! And I loved seeing yours too.

    Reply
    • Amy says

      08/31/2012 at 12:30 pm

      Thank you so much Rhoda! That really means a lot to me coming from you! Love seeing the changes you are making in your home too! So very exciting for sure!

      Reply
  22. Anjanette says

    08/30/2012 at 3:45 pm

    I think I have the same wood floor in my kitchen. Love them.

    Reply
    • Amy says

      08/31/2012 at 12:29 pm

      Yay! don’t you just love the floor. I LOVE the dark wood. It forces me to sweep my kitchen daily…which seems like a bad thing but it motivates me to keep a clean kitchen. I need all the help I can get some days!

      Reply
      • Tiffany says

        01/31/2017 at 8:35 pm

        Tell me about your floors? What brand/style/color. Love them!

        Reply
  23. Maryann @ Domestically Speaking says

    08/30/2012 at 6:23 pm

    Absolutely GORGEOUS! You are making me thinking about planking our ceiling (won’t the hubster be thrilled).

    Reply
    • Amy says

      08/31/2012 at 12:25 pm

      haha! My husband laughed out loud when he read your comment as did I. We should get these blogger husbands into a support group! Although my husband *usually* enjoys our projects!

      Reply
  24. Kimberly says

    08/31/2012 at 5:40 am

    I love your kitchen! The planked ceiling is such a beautiful and unexpected feature!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      08/31/2012 at 12:23 pm

      Thanks Kimberly! What a sweet comment. It is one of my FAVORITE parts of my kitchen! haha Who would have thought a ceiling could be a highlight?

      Reply
  25. DianeM says

    08/31/2012 at 5:45 am

    Your ceiling and kitchen look absolutely beautiful Amy! I would love to add a planked ceiling to one of my rooms for a Scandinavian feel :)
    Smiles, DianeM

    Reply
    • Amy says

      08/31/2012 at 12:22 pm

      Thank you Diane! I didn’t realize that was Scandinavian! My family is from Scandinavian lines so no wonder I am absolutely in love with this style! xoxo

      Reply
  26. Mindy says

    08/31/2012 at 7:11 am

    Amy I love it, it’s so pretty! You guys did an amazing job!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      08/31/2012 at 12:20 pm

      Thanks Mindy! We need to get together when things resume back to “regular schedules” as if there were such a thing!

      Reply
  27. Capturing Joy with Kristen Duke Photography says

    08/31/2012 at 2:35 pm

    Yay, Amy, so excited that this post in live! I feel special that I got to walk through your lovely kitchen in July, and have been excited for you to share this with your readers!!! Looks so amazingly beautiful!!! Seriously, looking at that ceiling makes me drool, but I can’t imagine the patience it must have taken to hang it–way to get your son involved. Looks fab!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      08/31/2012 at 5:32 pm

      Thanks Kristen! So glad you were able to come and see it in person too! It was a lot of work but totally worth it! Hope to see you soon!

      Reply
  28. Joanne - Craft Passion says

    08/31/2012 at 8:28 pm

    Love your kitchen sooooooo much!!!!! I will show it to my interior designer about this and hope she can visuallize what I want for my new home :) Thanks, Amy!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      09/01/2012 at 10:35 pm

      Thanks so much Joanne! Are you moving into a new home soon? How exciting!

      Reply
  29. Lisa says

    09/01/2012 at 1:16 pm

    Wow! What a lot of work, that is well worth the wait and time! I love your new paint color too. What kind of paint did you use and what color is it? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      09/01/2012 at 10:32 pm

      Thanks so much Lisa! The paint color is Quiet Moments from Benjamin Moore. We love it!

      Reply
  30. Karol says

    09/01/2012 at 11:21 pm

    I love your new kitchen! You did a fantastic job. What does the wall with the refrigerator look like? Have you taken any pictures of that wall? My kitchen layout is similar to yours, and I would love to see what you did with the wall opposite the sink. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kathie says

      09/08/2012 at 2:45 pm

      I too would like to see what you did with the wall not showing. We have a similar kitchen and I love what you have done with yours.

      Reply
  31. jamie says

    09/02/2012 at 5:11 pm

    Hi Amy – we are in the process of gutting our kitchen. Would you mind sharing the details of having someone build your cabinets. We are in Michigan, so we would probably have to find someone locally…but did you find this a more cost effective method over say a home improvement store kitchen?

    Reply
  32. Jenny says

    09/02/2012 at 7:26 pm

    Gorgeous and loaded with charm and character! Job well done! Quite an impressive overhaul, and a far cry from where it all began! Love it!

    Reply
  33. MelissaT says

    09/04/2012 at 9:03 am

    OMG, it is beautiful!!!

    Reply
  34. Daniella says

    09/04/2012 at 1:02 pm

    How tall are your ceilings? I have a popcorn ceiling that is awful and this might be a good solution for it…but I barely have 8 ft ceilings….Thanks!

    Reply
  35. Kristi @LollyJane says

    09/07/2012 at 8:57 am

    Love the ceilings!!!!! Your kitch is gorg but those ceilings especially- gah! LOVE the look! Pinning under my “we’re building a house board” which has turned into my “we’re renovating a 1930’s house board” and I can’t wait to do this to the kitchen ;)
    Thanks bunches for the inspiration, Amy!
    :)Kristi

    Reply
  36. Karin says

    09/08/2012 at 12:35 pm

    Your kitchen is beautiful!!! Can you please tell me the brand name and color of your wood floors? We will be doing our remodeling project this fall and I love what you chose! Thanks for your help!

    Reply
  37. karmen says

    09/09/2012 at 11:56 am

    Love the planked ceilings. If you dont mind me asking..what is the height of your kitchen ceiling

    Reply
    • Amy says

      09/10/2012 at 9:09 am

      The height of our kitchen ceilings are 8 feet.

      Reply
  38. [email protected] says

    09/09/2012 at 5:55 pm

    I’ve been dreaming of this in my bathroom and to see it here makes me want to hurry up and do it! I’m featuring this so all my readers can see the beauty. Showing it today at somedaycrafts.blogspot.com

    Reply
    • Amy says

      09/10/2012 at 9:07 am

      Thanks so much Michelle! I really appreciate you featuring it!

      Reply
  39. Lisa says

    09/09/2012 at 8:00 pm

    Your planked ceiling adds so much character to the space! And your kitchen remodel is amazing. I hope you don’t mind if I pin your photos as inspiration for when we do our kitchen over!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      09/10/2012 at 9:04 am

      Thanks so much! You are really sweet. Good luck with your kitchen remodel!

      Reply
  40. Deborah Jennings says

    09/10/2012 at 9:34 am

    I have always loved this look of a plank ceiling! I wonder if I can talk Hubby into doing that to our kitchen and living room area. I also want some wainscoting done in all of the rooms except maybe the bathrooms. Although I think they would look good with the wainscoting, too.

    What a difference some paint and some boards make! Awesome! And we happen to have a Lowe’s real close to where we live. =)

    Reply
    • Amy says

      09/11/2012 at 9:35 pm

      Thanks so much Deborah! Hopefully you can sweet talk your hubby into it. Sometimes it takes a little coaxing at my house too. And I am a fan of wainscoting as well!

      Reply
  41. Katy says

    09/10/2012 at 10:43 pm

    LOVE your kitchen remodel!!! What type of floors are those? And where were they purchased? They are gorg!! We currently have original hardwood from the 70’s in our ENTIRE house…I think they’ve seen their last days. We don’t want to spend our life savings replacing 1900 sq. ft worth of flooring so I’m looking for many ideas!

    Reply
  42. sandi says

    09/12/2012 at 2:36 pm

    Wow…now if that doesn’t open up that room, I don’t know what would. It looks absolutely gorgious!!! Makes me wanna do mine. If you don’t mind me asking, was it really expensive to do? I love the look.

    Reply
  43. Pam says

    09/13/2012 at 2:03 pm

    It’s beautiful. What color is your trim, ceiling and cabinets?

    Reply
  44. Sarah E. says

    01/07/2013 at 8:57 pm

    I love your kitchen! We are getting ready to put in new countertops and we’re going with quartz… do you know what “pattern” yours was? I love it!

    Reply
  45. Marti says

    01/07/2013 at 9:47 pm

    Your kitchen looks fantastic! I just showed your ceiling pictures to my Hubby. We did beadboard in our dining room, and about it put it in the kitchen. It was NOT the wood I wanted to put in there, but it’s what Hubby bought. But I want to do single planks when we do the living room and thanks to you, I’m going to check out those planks at Lowes. Funny. We had the same light fixtures in our kitchen and put in spots also.

    Reply
  46. Kelly says

    02/06/2013 at 7:50 pm

    This is my DREAM to do in our house! So I’m wondering…about how much did this ceiling cost you? Your space looks similar in size to ours so I’m just wondering. :) It’s so beautiful. :)

    Reply
  47. Joe C says

    02/27/2013 at 9:37 pm

    This looks great. Hope I’m not stating the obvious, but especially for this project and also on any trim/molding installation it would be monumentally easier to paint all your boards before you put them up – and then touch up your nail holes.

    Reply
    • Amy says

      02/28/2013 at 8:53 am

      haha! We actually had a big discussion about this very thing. Usually with our molding and trim we will do exactly that…but this was sooo many boards and painting every single one was a bit daunting. Since I was painting, I chose to do it all at once with a roller. It took only about an hour to do the whole ceiling and we got it all done at once rather than laying out one board at a time. Just too many boards and no where to lay them out to paint and let them all dry for our situation.

      Reply
  48. D says

    03/15/2013 at 2:30 pm

    Hi, Great job on the ceiling. Just wondering, I can see that the wood was ‘sticked’ directly to the ceiling – how do you provide space to install the spotlights (or whatever it is called :P ) ?

    Reply
    • Amy {The Idea Room} says

      03/16/2013 at 8:42 am

      Good Question. You have to have space between the ceiling and the roof or upper floor. We have a space between the ceiling and the upper floor. We also used canned lighting that was fully contained as one unit. The canned lighting needs to go into the ceiling BEFORE you put up your planked ceiling. We had those installed by a licensed electrician.

      Reply
  49. Beth says

    03/29/2013 at 7:12 pm

    I love your ceiling! It’s the inspiration for our current living room makeover. I saw your post and knew exactly what I wanted to do in our space. Thanks for the easy tutorial!

    Reply
  50. Lynn Van Slyke says

    05/02/2013 at 12:20 pm

    This is wonderful!! We are actually in the middle of doing this to our own kitchen right now. I came online to find info about finishing (ie filling holes, the ends, knots. what to do about the sap, sanding, etc) and found you. I started using wood filler and I think its going to be too much work.

    So, I’m not sure If you covered this or not, but did you fill in the nail holes or leave as is. Also you used painters caulk and not wood filler to fill in knots and where the ends butt? Is there a reason, is it easier?? any advice you could give would be much appreciated. Thank You!!!

    Reply
  51. Marlene says

    05/13/2013 at 5:35 pm

    I just found this post and love the ceiling. I am looking to do some ceiling treatment and love the idea of wood. You didn’t really say “how” you put the ceiling up. I have popcorn that I have taken off my ceilings and need to do something with them. How did you attach it to the existing ceiling?

    Reply
  52. Amy says

    06/10/2013 at 3:22 pm

    love the color paint…what is the name of it?

    Reply
  53. Amy says

    06/10/2013 at 3:23 pm

    what color are the walls?

    Reply
    • Amy says

      06/10/2013 at 9:44 pm

      The paint color in the kitchen is called Quiet Moments by Benjamin Moore.

      Reply
      • Amy says

        06/11/2013 at 7:16 am

        thanks so much…I absolutely love your kitchen!

        Reply
  54. Nicole says

    08/01/2013 at 2:27 pm

    Hi there!! Your kitchen is incredible! Where did you get your bar stools from?!?!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      08/02/2013 at 9:20 am

      We got them at a local furniture shop but I had seen them at RC Willey. They are about 15 years old though. We are actually planning on selling them and replacing them with ones that will fit our needs better.

      Reply
  55. Leen says

    09/05/2013 at 5:13 pm

    Hey Amy,

    I have been admiring your ceiling for a while now…we’re getting ready to plank our bedroom ceiling (been in the planning stage for months!) and I re-read your tutorial every once in a while just in case this is THE weekend we’re going to start (I want to be ready!)
    One question, I noticed that you didn’t prime the wood before applying it to the ceiling… when you were painting did you wish you had put a coat on the planks first? I ask because when we did our board and batten walls we primed the boards (or the battens? not sure which is which) first and then painted when they were up and it seemed easier that way. I am not a hige fan of painting ceilings so I want to make sure I make it as easy as possible :)

    Leen

    PS love, love, love the entire kitchen! It’s gorgeous :)

    Reply
    • Amy says

      09/10/2013 at 2:13 pm

      Ha! I totally hear you on painting the ceiling. You can do it either way. I thought it would be too tedious to paint every single board so I opted for painting them with a roller while they were on the ceiling. Yes…it was a pain in the neck and some of the grooves were had to get and I had to use a paint brush in a couple of depressions in the ceiling. But…overall I was glad I did it on the ceiling. But my neck was not enjoying it. Either way would work :) Just depends on what tedious you want to deal with the least!

      Reply
  56. danyelle says

    11/21/2013 at 10:47 am

    I love this!!!! What are the dimensions of your kitchen?

    Reply
  57. Becky says

    12/14/2013 at 9:22 am

    Hi Amy,

    How did you decide the width of board to use and the direction to hang it? I am looking for suggestion to make my room look larger.

    Reply
    • Amy says

      12/16/2013 at 9:10 am

      We just used the width that was available in the packaged wood. I liked the size of it. We decided to run it the length of our kitchen and the same direction as our wood flooring. I feel like the other way would have made the room look weird. I think you just have to go with the feel of your room.

      Reply
  58. sbobet says

    01/17/2014 at 5:45 am

    You’ve made some really good points there. I checked on
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    Reply
  59. Angela says

    04/09/2014 at 10:49 am

    Love the your ceiling. I have been planning to do this with my kitchen ceiling. Thankfully it is a small kitchen. I have a question. Could you put the planks directly over the popcorn rather than scraping? I saw another post on another website where they just put the planks directly onto the popcorn without scraping it off first. Trying to save myself a lot of mess, but if it will adhere better to a smooth surface then I guess I have no choice.
    Thanks,

    Reply
    • Tina says

      01/13/2015 at 7:33 pm

      Same dilema with the popcorn. Can you place directly over? Assuming you use nailgun as well?? Please respond..

      Reply
      • Amy says

        01/14/2015 at 4:07 pm

        Yes…You can put it right over the popcorn ceiling. Yes I used a nail gun!

        Reply
  60. Christina says

    04/24/2014 at 9:40 pm

    This looks so great!! One question – do you cut the holes for the pot lights before or after installing the wood planks?

    Thanks,
    Christina

    Reply
    • Amy says

      04/27/2014 at 9:44 am

      Great question! We laid the board up on the ceiling and then saw where it hit the hole for the light. Then we made a mark with pencil where to cut the board. Made a straight cut and then attached the board. We laid the other half of the board on the other end if the light and continued along the ceiling. We then went back and shaped each light hole into a circle at the very end by rounding the cut corners with a handheld jigsaw. Does that make sense?

      Reply
  61. Meg says

    08/15/2014 at 7:19 am

    Beautiful kitchen. Would you mind sharing what you used for flooring? Love it. Thanks.

    Reply
  62. MaryBeth says

    08/15/2014 at 9:29 am

    Beautiful! Enjoy!

    Reply
  63. Diane says

    08/16/2014 at 9:19 pm

    I want to do this on a vaulted ceiling. Do you think it will work?

    Reply
  64. Brad says

    09/06/2014 at 7:00 am

    At what lengths did you stagger the boards?

    Reply
  65. Mobile Homes says

    12/19/2014 at 2:54 am

    I really love your ceiling. Amazing…

    Reply
  66. Kim Gaede says

    01/10/2015 at 7:22 am

    Amy, any issue with sagging of the plank wood ceiling? My husband and I were thinking of doing the same thing but he believes a framework is needed before the planks can be nailed in if they aren’t hitting a stud. Studs usually being 16 inches apart, do the planks need to be nailed installed closer than 16 inches? Did lowes provide any input on this issue? Please let me know. Thanks.

    Reply
  67. Dennis Neftleberg says

    01/28/2015 at 7:17 pm

    What a difference you have inspired me to tackle this in my home.

    Reply
    • Amy says

      02/03/2015 at 12:07 am

      Have fun! You will love the results!

      Reply
  68. Peggy says

    05/23/2015 at 8:18 am

    Beautiful! So how do you do the lighting do you precut the boards or do it once they are up? I am clueless to this stuff! But totally want to try and do it in my kitchen.

    Reply
  69. Nanette says

    01/27/2016 at 10:17 am

    Hi Amy I Love ,Love,Love your ceiling !!!! My question is what sheen of paint did you use on your ceiling ? Flat? semi gloss? eggshell ? LOVE YOUR BEAUTIFUL KITCHEN!!!!!

    Reply
    • The Idea Room Assistant says

      01/28/2016 at 1:16 pm

      We paint all our ceilings in a flat finish. :) Thank you so much!

      Reply
  70. Kat @ Where the Sidewalk Ends says

    03/08/2016 at 10:35 am

    Hi! I’m new to your blog and I know this is a three year old post, but just wondering what type of recessed lights are these? We want to replace our lights and these look a billion times better.

    Reply
  71. Eric says

    04/05/2016 at 4:11 pm

    Prime and maybe paint a first coat before installing. Did this with my last several projects (all would have been difficult to paint after) and really helped!

    Reply
    • The Idea Room Assistant says

      04/07/2016 at 3:19 pm

      Great tip! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  72. Diana S says

    06/15/2016 at 6:02 am

    I love it! I will try this into my house. Looks seemless. Great job!!!

    Reply
    • The Idea Room Assistant says

      06/20/2016 at 10:57 am

      Thank You!

      Reply
  73. Kit says

    09/22/2016 at 8:21 am

    We have almost this same kitchen and are in the process of remodeling now. We chose ivory cabinets for the uppers and gray for the bases. We will have a darker, leather finished granite and are doing the lighting almost the same except we have to do a sconce over the sink. The drop ceiling had florescent lights around the perimeter so we have to alter all that. I was grateful to find your post so we could see a similar before/after! My husband is going to plank the ceiling so this is helpful!

    Reply
    • The Idea Room Assistant says

      09/22/2016 at 5:14 pm

      I would love to see pictures! Sounds beautiful! Glad this post has been helpful!

      Reply
  74. Lakeside says

    10/15/2016 at 8:20 pm

    Love the plank ceiling in white, but local paint store has told me that the knots in the wood will eventually “bleed through” the primer and not look very good. Have you had any experience with this?

    Reply
    • The Idea Room Assistant says

      10/20/2016 at 9:54 pm

      Mine has not done that. So not sure about that.

      Reply
  75. Sharon says

    11/04/2016 at 1:59 pm

    How could I become a Lowe’s blogger? I have spent a fortune with them creating my tiny house and still have lots to do.
    Any advice is appreciated!

    Reply
  76. Nichole says

    01/17/2017 at 8:13 pm

    What type of ceiling did you have before you put up the planks?

    Reply
  77. Tiffany says

    02/22/2017 at 2:40 pm

    When putting the pieces together how did the crease look. I’ve got some I want to try with but the edges seem to be a bit too rounded and makes a big crease when put together. Maybe I’m just overthinking it?

    Reply
  78. The Idea Room Assistant says

    08/29/2017 at 11:24 am

    Michelle-I like to use a Satin finish. Thanks.

    Reply
  79. Marci says

    10/17/2017 at 9:26 am

    Can you please share what brand, color of white and sheen was used for the plank ceiling? Thank you!

    Reply
    • The Idea Room Assistant says

      10/17/2017 at 7:57 pm

      I know it was Benjamin Moore in a satin finish but not sure on the exact color. Sorry.

      Reply
  80. Emily Fritsch says

    10/31/2017 at 3:11 pm

    Thank you so much for this tutorial! We wanted to find an affordable way to cover the bad mudding job on our kitchen ceiling and I found it here!! LOVE IT!

    Reply
    • The Idea Room Assistant says

      11/01/2017 at 12:58 pm

      Emily- Thank you, glad you found this post helpful!

      Reply
  81. Laura says

    12/07/2017 at 3:57 am

    If you still check these comments… looks amazing!! Was wondering if you feel like you could have stained the wood planks instead of the white paint. We have a large room and want to plank the ceiling, but wanted a darker ceiling. I love the white if it’s the only option, but my husband wants to look for darker options!!

    Reply
    • The Idea Room Assistant says

      12/07/2017 at 11:59 am

      Laura- Thank you. You could definitely stain the wood. That would look nice.

      Reply
  82. Charles says

    02/19/2018 at 11:55 am

    Looks great. Did you run into any issues with unevenness on the ceiling?

    Reply
    • The Idea Room Assistant says

      02/19/2018 at 4:54 pm

      Charles- It didn’t seem to be a problem. Thank you.

      Reply
  83. Tara Gardner says

    03/07/2018 at 4:24 am

    Hi. This looks wonderful and I would love to do it in my kitchen. I had questions about the crown and trim you used. We are having new cabinets installed and they will have a crown similar to yours all the way to the ceiling. I would like to use a different crown in the rest of the kitchen. Could I see a picture where your dining room crown meets the cabinet crown? Thanks you

    Reply
    • The Idea Room Assistant says

      03/08/2018 at 10:52 am

      Tara- You may be able to see better what it looks like in these pictures: https://www.theidearoom.net/kitchen-tour-updated/

      Reply
  84. Jessica says

    01/28/2019 at 2:46 pm

    So you have any photos of the wall that has the refrigerator? I love how the ceiling turned out!

    Reply
    • The Idea Room Assistant says

      01/29/2019 at 10:39 pm

      You can find pictures of the back wall here: https://www.theidearoom.net/pantry-and-charging-station-tutorial/

      Reply
      • Kathleen says

        09/24/2019 at 12:23 pm

        We have a 1970 split level home. SERIOUSLY thinking about putting up wood paneling in the small master bedroom. The ceilings are 8 feet tall–will the wood paneling on the ceiling make the bedroom look smaller?

        Reply
        • The Idea Room Assistant says

          09/24/2019 at 12:59 pm

          Kathleen- I think if you stained it, it could make the room look smaller. If you paint it white, I think it could make the room look larger.

          Reply
  85. Sam B says

    03/12/2019 at 9:31 am

    Wow! Fantastic job! I love the hanging pendant lights. May I ask where you sourced them?

    Reply
    • The Idea Room Assistant says

      03/12/2019 at 8:30 pm

      Sam- Thank you! I got those at Lowes awhile back. Not sure if they would still be available to buy.

      Reply
  86. simran says

    01/29/2021 at 9:49 am

    our ceiling and kitchen look absolutely beautiful Amy! I would love to add a planked ceiling to one of my rooms for a Scandinavian feel.

    Reply
    • The Idea Room Assistant says

      01/29/2021 at 10:37 am

      You should. We love ours! Thank you for your kind words!

      Reply
  87. Marguerite says

    02/15/2021 at 5:07 pm

    I just found your DIY ceiling on Pinterest. I di the same thing in our home. Question I have for you… have you had any expanding and contracting leaving small “crack” like areas between the boards? If so, how have you dealt? These cracks have gotten quite significant over time.

    If you could email me that would be great!

    Reply
    • The Idea Room Assistant says

      02/15/2021 at 8:52 pm

      Long ceilings require expansion joints. Without gaps between the walls and ceiling, the planks could buckle on hot humid days. This gap allows the ceiling to expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity. After installation, these expansion joints can easily be hidden with trim. Not sure if this was done with your ceiling planks. This could be part of the problem. Hope this information helps.

      Reply
  88. Mica says

    07/13/2021 at 5:21 pm

    I’ve had your ceiling pinned since we bought our house and am finally getting our planked ceiling installed!! Now I don’t know what sheen to paint it. What sheen pint did you guys use? It’s perfect.

    Reply
    • The Idea Room Assistant says

      07/13/2021 at 7:40 pm

      Mica- I am so excited for you! I like a Satin Sheen. It seems to go on smoothly. I would love to see pictures.

      Reply
  89. Lara Smith says

    12/17/2021 at 2:50 am

    Great idea

    Reply
    • The Idea Room Assistant says

      12/17/2021 at 9:26 pm

      Lara- Thank you.

      Reply

Trackbacks

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