How to Install a Beadboard Ceiling

One of my favorite parts of our laundry room refresh is the beadboard ceiling. Beadboard is an easy way to add a coastal feel to any room, which is exactly what I wanted for the laundry room. And, adding it to the ceiling, instead of the walls, gave it a more modern feel. So, in today’s post, I’m going to walk you through exactly how to install a beadboard ceiling in your own home.

• Active Time: 4 hours (depends on the size of the space)
• Total Time: 2 days (time for paint to dry)
• Power Tools Needed: Yes. I used a circular saw, a finish nailer, a jigsaw, miter saw and a driver
• Cost: dependent on size of space. I spent $125 for my 3 pieces of primed beadboard, paint, trim boards, and caulk
• Difficulty Level: Advanced beginner.
• Help Needed?: Yes, plan on having another person present for the whole project. You can’t lift panels over your head and install them at the same time alone.

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Supplies Needed

Ok, first things first in how to install your beadboard ceiling: gather your supplies!

• Beadboard–I used primed beadboard to save myself some painting time
• 1×3 primed boards for trim
• Studfinder
• Tape measure
• Paint–I used Sherwin Williams Extra White in Satin Finish.
• Paint roller, tray, roller covers, and brush
• Liquid nails and caulk gun
• Paintable Wood Filler and spackle knife
• Paintable Trim caulk
• 3″ Self-tapping wood screws
• 220-grit sanding block
• Finish nailer and Saw horses
• Work bench
• Impact driver
• Circular saw
• Jigsaw
• Miter saw
• 2 step stools or ladders, high enough to allow you and your partner to reach the ceiling comfortably
• Safety glasses

Step 1: Prep Your Space, Measure, & Buy Your Supplies

As always, let’s start with prepping your space. Remove any light fixtures, ceiling fans, or anything else on your ceiling. And, prep your room by making sure you can get two ladders/step stools easily in the space.

Mark the Studs

And, make sure you mark your studs in your ceiling using your studfinder. I marked mine at the very top of the wall that met the ceiling, so I could find them with the beadboard pressed against the ceiling. (And, those marks got covered by the 1x3s, so no need to worry about that).

Calculate Your Lumber Needs

Once your space is prepped, measure the total ceiling, so you can calculate how much beadboard and how many 1x3s you’ll need.

I always find it easiest to draw the spaces out with their measurements. Then I can actually see how the pieces of lumber will be used in the space. That helps me calculate exactly how much lumber I need and add an extra piece for some waste/errors in measurements/etc.

Once you know exactly how much wood you know, head to the hardware store and buy your supplies!

Step 2: Paint Your Beadboard & Trim Boards

Once you have all your supplies, put at two coats of paint on all your wood pieces. Painting any trim work once installed is 5 times harder than painting it on saw horses. So, even though you will definitely have to paint at least one coat after it’s installed, you’ll definitely save yourself some time in the long run by doing 2 coats beforehand.

Step 3: Install Your First Piece of Beadboard

Ok, now you’re ready to get some beadboard on the ceiling!

Mark out your measurements on your piece, making sure your beadboard is running the direction you want it to.

Then, cut your first piece to size using your circular saw.

If you have a ceiling vent or a light fixture, you need to cut a hole for it before installing the beadboard, so make sure you read that step before going ahead!

Now, with your partner, get your step stools in position and get in place where you need to be to install the first piece of beadboard. Make sure you have all your supplies ready and in easy grabbing distance. You’ll need your liquid nails, your finish nailer loaded with nails OR your impact driver and self-tapping wood screws, and safety glasses for either (Read below to see how I chose which way to install each piece).

Once you have all your supplies ready, take the first piece of beadboard and apply liquid nails to back.

Then, with your partner, lift the beadboard into place on the ceiling.

Now, with either your finish nailer or wood screws, nail/screw the beadboard to the ceiling. You’ll want to make sure you’re hitting the studs in the ceiling (why those stud marks on the wall from your prep step come in handy now).

For nails, I put some in each stud, every 18ish”. For screws, I put some in every stud every 24ish”

Finish nails or wood screws for install?

This is where I got a little tripped up in the project. When I installed beadboard in the past on a wall, I used finish nails without any issue. But, when you’re installing something on the ceiling, weight is a big factor you need to consider.

For my smaller pieces, finish nails worked just fine, along with liquid nails, to hold the beadboard in place.

For my larger pieces, finish nails didn’t cut it. So, I used self-tapping wood screws instead.

How do you know where in your room to start?

When you’re deciding, look at the placement of vents, light fixtures, cabinets, or other cutouts you may need to work around. Play with starting at different spots to see if you’ll use less pieces, or make fewer complex cuts.

My room had a small portion that was less wide than the rest of it, so I started with that piece. The end of that cut out seemed like the natural place for a seam.

Optional Step: Cutting a Hole for a Light Fixture or Ceiling Vent

If you have a ceiling light fixture or ceiling vent, you’re going to need to cut a hole in the beadboard.

This isn’t as hard as you’re thinking, especially when you use your jigsaw.

Start be measuring the size of the hole you need to cut.

Then measure the distance from the end of the beadboard to each side of this hole.

Then you can recreate that hole on your beadboard with a pencil.

To cut out the hole, I always find it easiest to drill a large hole in each corner of the space you need cut out and one into the middle.

Then you can take your jigsaw and put the blade in one of those holes and cut out that piece of beadboard.

I know it sounds a little complicated, but I promise, if you measure what you need to measure, you’ll be able to do this no problem.

Tip: If you don’t have a jigsaw, you can use a little hacksaw too. But, a plug-in jigsaw is also a pretty cheap investment for the future, so take a look at Amazon before you say no.

Step 4: Install Subsequent Pieces of Beadboard

Ok, things get way easier after installing the first piece. Lifting and holding the board to the ceiling is the hardest part of this project. So once you and your partner find your groove, you can get these pieces up pretty quickly.

Go ahead and remeasure your space after installing each piece of beadboard to make sure your measurements are still correct. (Somehow things always change a smidge after you start).

And, don’t worry about going all the way to the edge of the ceiling if your cuts are a little off. You’ll be installing the trim boards next, and they’ll cover any small mis-cuts.

Step 5: Install Trim Boards

Ok, the hardest part is over! Lifting and holding those beadboard panels over your head is hard. work.

But, I promise here on out, things just get easier.

To Install your trim boards, you’ll need your 1x3s, your miter saw, your impact driver and your self-tapping wood screws.

I started with our longest wall, but start wherever you want.

For me, the hardest part is making sure I’m cutting the miter cuts in the right direction, so take your time, and draw them out on your 1×3 prior to cutting.

Miter the ends of your trim pieces to a 45 degree angle. Then, to install them, put a line of liquid nails on the back side. Then using your impact driver and wood screws, install your trim piece in place on the ceiling.

Then repeat for each part of the ceiling until the whole ceiling is trimmed.

Step 6: Apply Wood Filler & Caulk

And now, all you have left is the finishing touches.

Apply wood filler to cover all your nail holes and screw holes. After it dries, sand those spots down, so they’re ready for paint.

And, apply your trim caulk to all the seams:

• 1×3 to the wall
• 1×3 beadboard
• any place where 2 1x3s join together
• any place where 2 sheets of beadboard join together.

Step 7: Paint

And, lastly, add a final coat of paint! You may need to add a few more touchups to cover the wood filler, but I was good with one additional coat of paint.

Step 8: Reinstall Light Fixture & Ceiling Vent As Needed

Now, just reinstall your light fixture and ceiling vent, and you are officially done!You just learned how to install a beadboard ceiling!

What Do You Think?

This beadboard ceiling added the perfect coastal feature to our laundry room refresh!

It completely changed the feel of the space, from kinda boring to fresh and clean.

And, it has me eyeing all my other ceilings, thinking what feature could I add to them to transform the space!

Thanks for joining me in learning how to install a beadboard ceiling!

Have Questions? Looking for Coastal Decor Tips?

Check out our posts on How to Install a Beadboard Wall in the Bathroom and our full Laundry Room Reveal!

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