How to Plank a Wall with PVC
Learn how to plank a wall with PVC! Moisture-resistant PVC/AZEK is the perfect material for creating a faux “shiplap” planked wall in your bathroom! Get the how-to tutorial here for recreating this coastal-inspired look.
It’s hard to believe that four weeks have gone by already during this project! Somehow we are both further along in our Primary Bathroom Project than I expected, but further away from being done than I had hoped. Welcome to 2020… In case you missed the beginning posts, you can read the project plans here, the inspiration post here, and about how I mix tile here.
Today I’m going to walk you through a successful part of the project— our PVC (AZEK) planked wall treatment. When I began to plan the design for this project, I knew I wanted to implement some sort of “shiplap” treatment. However, with this being a high-moisture area, I also knew it would be best to use PVC trim, more commonly known by the brand name AZEK (not a sponsor, this is just what we bought).
For a reminder of my design inspiration, this is the West Street Hotel in Bar Harbor, Maine which was designed by TruexCullens. Mack brought me here for our anniversary a couple of years ago and I fell in love with the design. I especially loved the wide-planked wall treatment and I knew that was something I wanted to bring into our new primary bathroom space.
explore by room
We’ve already done a planked wall treatment in our dining room and then we used the same method to plank our laundry room. Our breakfast nook bench also has a planked front. So I knew doing this would tie-in with my goal of a coastal vibe as well as complementing the other planked areas in our home.
However, it also dawned on me that having a wall of wood in the bathroom may not be the best idea. We recently completed our exterior project, which involved replacing rotting wood trim and siding with lookalike high-end synthetics. So I thought, why not do a PVC/AZEK planked wall in the high-moisture bathroom too?
Well, it turns out that it works really well! I’ll share how we accomplished it below, but first I do want to mention that this isn’t the most budget-friendly project. AZEK/PVC is expensive— It cost us around $600 in materials. We considered it worthwhile in order to have a waterproof wall treatment, but it is an important consideration (especially if you’re hiring it out, you’ll also have to add on labor costs).
How to Plank a Wall with PVC
Moisture-resistant PVC/AZEK is the perfect material for creating a faux "shiplap" planked wall in your bathroom! Get the how-to tutorial here for recreating this coastal-inspired look.
Materials
- 10- 8' Long 10" PVC/AZEK Trim Boards (our wall is just short of 8' and was x " tall— you will need to recalculate this for your own dimensions).
- 3- 8' long 3/4" thin trim pieces
- 1/8" tile spacers
- Finish Nails
Tools
- Compound Miter Saw
- Nail Gun
- Portable Compressor
- Table Saw
Instructions
- Measure the top of your wall and cut the board to length using a compound miter saw.
Find the studs, and mark on the wall just below the board. - Level your board. It's okay if there's a slightly uneven gap at the top, as we'll be adding a trim piece at the end.
- Following the guidance of the stud marks, nail your board in place at the studs, securing both the top and bottom.
- Repeat step one (this measurement may change as you go, depending on how square your room is). Place 1/8" tile spacers between the top of your second board and the bottom of your first. Use a straight edge to find your studs and mark for your new board. Repeat step three.
Continue to follow this process moving down the wall. If you'll be working around plumbing you may have to cut shorter pieces. Just make sure you're nailing into studs to secure the board.- Your final board at the bottom may have to be ripped down to size using a table saw. Depending on how tall your board ends up being, it may make sense aesthetically to cover up the bottom board with an additional piece of baseboard trim to hide a smaller board or cover any strange gaps.
- Either purchase thin 3/4" trim strips or rip down one of your boards.
- Measure the height of your wall and cut strips down to the proper size with your compound miter saw.
- Cover the exposed edges and nail thin trim strips into place.
- Repeat the process horizontally for the top.
Find the studs, and mark on the wall just below the board. 
Level your board. It's okay if there's a slightly uneven gap at the top, as we'll be adding a trim piece at the end. 
Following the guidance of the stud marks, nail your board in place at the studs, securing both the top and bottom. 
Continue to follow this process moving down the wall. If you'll be working around plumbing you may have to cut shorter pieces. Just make sure you're nailing into studs to secure the board.Status of the Primary Bathroom Project
Full Demo (including the extra wall)Fix plumbing and replace with PEXNew subfloorRough ElectricalPlasterTile Floor & ShowerShiplap Accent WallPaint- Install Bath Fixtures
- Install Vanity
- Glass Shower Door Install
- Install Lighting
- Decorate/Accessorize
- Organize
