DIY Wood Plank Ceiling

We wanted to make a bold statement in our teenage boy’s room project by adding a DIY wood plank ceiling! Planked ceilings are a great way to bring in warm wood tones to a room with carpet. There are different options and techniques when wood planking a ceiling. Often, tongue and groove planks are used which come in various different styles. This option is often most expensive because the wood planks are made from either a hard or soft wood material. We are going to show you how to DIY a wood planked ceiling for less!

We wanted to keep this DIY wood plank ceiling budget friendly, so we decided to make our own planks from a sheet of plywood! Plywood sheets can be painted or, in our case, stained to give the natural look of a wood-planked ceiling! Creating a wood plank ceiling is a great entry level project and can be completed with minimal tools! We were able to complete this project for under $200.

Tools & Materials

Miter Saw
Table Saw
Nail gun and compressor
Caulk Gun ( for applying adhesive)
Tape measure
4×8 sheets of finished plywood
Panel Adhesive
Stain
Clear-coat or sealer (Our Go-To Clear-coat)

Check out some of my other post about starting a DIY Took Kit!

How To DIY A Wood Plank Ceiling

Step 1 – Rip The Sheets To Your Desired Width

Start by ripping the 4×8 sheets of plywood to the desired width. For our plank ceiling we ripped each board to 5″ wide! If you are working on a smaller table saw, it is best to have help when cutting large pieces!

Step 2 – Sand, Stain And Seal

We thought it would be way easier to do all the finishing prior to installing the wood plank ceiling. We lightly sand each plank and slightly round the corners with sandpaper. The stain combo we used was a 50/50 mix of Minwax Golden Oak and Weathered Oak . Once the stain was dry, we applied our favorite clear coat from General Finishes.

Step 3 – Locate and Measure Ceiling Joists

It is very important to locate all the ceiling joists in the room and mark them on the ceiling. This can be done by using a stud finder or magnet to locate drywall screws. It is very important to nail into the joist instead of just nailing into the sheetrock for many reasons. Nailing to the joist is much stronger and also prevents nails from hitting wires or even pipes located in the ceiling.

Step 4 – Install Ceiling

Start installing the wood ceiling planks using 1-1/2″ 18ga nails. We also recommend using small dabs of panel adhesive for extra strength. Most likely your room will be wider than the 8′ wood planks. If that is the case, measure the first plank in each row so it ends on a joist. Then proceed to cut the remaining plank for that row. It is important to stagger the next joint on the following row. Typically, the first piece of the next row will be 16,18, or 24 inches shorter, depending on the joist spacing. Continue with this pattern for 3-4 rows and then start over! Installing a wood plank ceiling is very similar to a wood flooring layout!

We absolutely love how this DIY wood plank ceiling transformed this room! We couldn’t believe that it only took 1 day to install and cost $200. Here is a quick look at the before!