Shiplap Vs Tongue And Groove Flooring: Shiplap Or Tongue & Groove For Flooring: Which Is Best

Shiplap Or Tongue & Groove For Flooring: Which Is Best?

If you are looking to panel your interiors, then both types of paneling, shiplap as well as tongue & groove, are presently two of the most well-known decorative accents, particularly in a modern farmhouse, cottage, coastal, as well as rustic schemes. You can mostly use both tongue & groove as well as shiplap to panel your entire walls, especially in the kitchen or bathroom. Both styles can also be used when it comes to creating just one accent wall, or even as a backsplash or fireplace adjoining. Another course of action is paneling only the lower portion of the wall, as with wainscoting. If you like the modern farmhouse or coastal decorating styles, then you can also use shiplap or tongue and groove on the ceiling.

Installation

Generally, it is a little easier when it comes to installing shiplap paneling in comparison to tongue and groove paneling due to the reason that you don't need to fit the planks together. Instead, you just need to match the notches on adjacent boards before striking a nail straight through the overlap. Installing Tongue & groove needs more accurate nailing due to the fact that you will need to hammer the nail through the planks’ “tongues” for better results.

The Paneling Materials

Wood is regarded as the most common material you will find for shiplap as well as tongue & groove planks. If you are looking to involve a finishing or paint job as well, which most probably it does, then cost-effective pine planks are a more affordable option, plywood, even more so. However, this is only if you are planning to add some color. Another best substitute would be to leave the paneling unpainted, instead, add a clear coat sealer in order to keep the wood looking natural but protected from water. However, to do so, it would be a better option to select a more beautiful, pleasing as well as attractive wood species. For instance, you can opt for more high-quality wood such as cedar.

Climate Considerations

Shiplap, as well as tongue & groove wood paneling, can be used in numerous applications, both indoors as well as outdoors. From an accent wall or ceiling in your outdated home to the exterior of a backyard shed, the creative ways you can use these panels are almost endless. However, as with any natural wood you put down or secure to a wall, you also need to take into consideration the climate as well as the conditions of the region you live in, particularly when applying these two paneling styles somewhere outdoors. If you are living in a rainy area, for instance, the Pacific Northwest, then shiplap is the best option. Shiplap is easy, simple, and clean, with an overlapping L-shaped profile that sheds water extremely easily. On the other hand, tongue & groove planks have a tendency to capture moisture and trap it inside each interconnecting edge. Over time, this trapped moisture can eat as well as weaken the panels, which in turn cause them to deteriorate.

Connecting The Panels

Shiplap panels overlap, on the other hand, tongue & groove panels interlock. Due to the reason that shiplap panels connect, they are considered a better option when it comes to high-heat, low-humidity climates. Wood often contracts or diminishes in dry climates, and shrinkage is unlikely to show with shiplap, due to the fact that it overlaps instead of interlocks. Tongue & groove panels may be a better option for very cold climates, due to the reason that they insulate slightly better than shiplap.