Wooden Slat Wall DIY Step-by-Step (Easy & Affordable)

Last Updated on May 6, 2026 by lacasaalmodovar@gmail.com

Are you looking for the best way to add a touch of modern elegance to your small space design without breaking the bank? A wooden slat wall DIY might be just the project you need! This trendy feature wall can transform any room, giving it a mid-century modern look that’s both stylish and functional. In this post, I’ll walk you through how we created our own vertical DIY wood slat accent wall, turning a blank slate into a stunning focal point. Let’s dive in!

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En Nuestra Casa

The primary bedroom is the first room we renovated en La Casa Almodovar back when we first got married. (See our initial before & after here!) So once we renovated the rest of the apartment, had a baby, and then another and another, we decided it was time for a refresh!

I’ve been drawn to the Japandi style of decorating, but if you know me, you know I like to follow a trend in my own way. I’m all for taking a spin off a modern trend and making it my own.

So after much deliberating, we decided to create a DIY slat wall with wooden slats in the corner of our bedroom. It was very much a one-step-at-a-time project, because I wasn’t entirely sure how I wanted the final product to look. But we’re really happy with how it turned out, and I think you’ll like it, too! Keep reading for a how-to on this simple wooden slat wall DIY project.

Materials and Tools You’ll Need for your woodEN slat wall DIY

Before we get started, let’s gather our materials and tools. Don’t worry if you don’t have everything – most of these items can be found at your local Home Depot or lumber yards or maybe even borrowed from a handy neighbor.

Materials:

Basic Tools:

• Measuring tape
• Pencil
• Level
• Brad nailer (or hammer and finishing nails)
• Paintbrush or paint sprayer

Power Tools (optional but helpful):

• Miter saw or circular saw
• Table saw
• Orbital sander

Step 1: Measure and Plan your diy wood slat accent wall

The first step in any DIY project is to measure and plan. Measure the width and height of the wall where you want to install your wood slat wall panel. Maybe you want to cover the entire wall or just do a section like we did. Maybe your wood slats will run from the top of the wall to the bottom of the wall, or maybe they’ll sit up above a floor molding like ours does. Figuring out these details will help you determine how much wood you’ll need and how many slats you’ll be working with.

Next, decide on the width of the slats and the spacing between them. We chose to use 1×2 common boards, which are actually 3/4″ x 1-1/2″. For the spacing, we went with 1/2″ gaps between each slat. A little math here will save you a lot of time later!

Pro tip: When doing your calculations for the total space, make sure to account for the space in between the boards.

Step 2: Prepare the Wall

Before you start attaching any wood, make sure your wall is ready. If you want to, this is the time to paint your wall a dark color. This can create a nice contrast with the wood slats and hide any imperfections. We had recently repainted our bedroom when we did this project, so all we had to do here was wipe down the wall with a dry cloth and remove dust from the floor molding.

Step 3: Cut Your Slats

Now it’s time to cut your vertical strips of wood. If you’re using a miter saw or circular saw, measure and mark each piece before cutting. If you’re lucky enough to have access to a table saw, you can set it up to make repeated cuts of the same length, which will save you much time. We actually used a Japanese pull saw to stay on theme with our Japandi bedroom theme–kidding… Because our floors and ceilings are uneven, using a non-electric saw gave us the flexibility to measure and cut each individual piece right in the room just before installing.

Remember, measure twice, cut once! It’s always better to cut your slats a bit long and trim them down if needed.

Step 4: Sand and Finish

Before installation, give each slat a quick sand to ensure a smooth finish. This is where an orbital sander can be a real time-saver, but hand sanding works too. We sanded on the narrow sides and the front of each board.

If you’re planning to stain your slats, now is the time to do it. Apply your chosen stain color, let it dry completely, and then seal and let that dry completely.

If you’re painting, we recommend painting before installing the slats on the wall. Otherwise the paint will drip to the inside sides of the slats and be hard to clean up. (You may need to sand the narrow sides again after painting to clean up any stray drips.)

Step 5: Installing the First Slat

Here’s where the fun really begins! Grab your level, and make sure your first slat is placed in a way that looks good to you (this might actually mean it’s not perfectly level!). We left about a 1″ gap between the top of the board and the ceiling because of how uneven our ceilings are.

Once your first board is straight, use a nail gun to secure it in place. We recommend nailing at an angle into the side of the board so that you don’t see the nail holes when you look at the wall. Secure the board in this order:

1. Level your board, and hold it up against the wall where you want to secure it.
2. Nail near the top.
3. Nail near the middle.
4. Use your level and also step away from the wall to make sure the board hasn’t shifted from its original position.
5. Nail near the bottom to secure the board.

If you have uneven walls like us, you may want to add a nail in between the top and middle nails and again in between the middle and bottom nails so that the board lays flat against the wall for its entire length.

Step 6: Installing the Remaining Slats

To ensure consistent spacing, cut some small pieces of wood to use as spacers between each slat. Place a spacer next to your first slat in three places (top, middle, bottom), then position your next slat against those three spacers. Nail this second slat to the wall, then remove the spacers and move on to the next one.

Be mindful of what your slats look like at the top near the ceiling and at the bottom near the floor or molding. Make sure they form a straight line across the top (ideally the bottom, too, but most likely this part will be covered by furniture).

Continue this process across the width of the wall. 

Step 7: Finishing Touches on your vertical wood slat wall diy

Once all your slats are in place, it’s time for the finishing touches. If you nailed on the front surface, you can use wood filler to cover any visible nail holes and then sand these spots smooth once the filler is dry. (Of course, then you’ll have to paint or stain again, so this really isn’t the method we recommend!)

And finally, if you’re adding floating shelves or other decor, now’s the time!

Tips and Tricks for a woodEN slat WALL DIY

1. If your wall has a baseboard, you have two options: remove the baseboard before installing your slats, or install the slats starting from the top of the baseboard. We chose the latter for our project.

2. If you’re working with an uneven wall (hello, old NYC apartments!), you might need to use shims behind some of your slats to keep everything looking straight and professional. Just keep in mind you may need to spread wood filler along the edges and do a lot of work to make this look seamless.

3. Don’t have a saw? Many home improvement stores will cut your wood for you. Just be sure to have your measurements ready when you go to buy your supplies. You can also grab the same cheap Japanese pull saw we used and do the final cuts yourself at home.

4. If solid wood slats are out of your budget, consider using sheets of plywood cut into strips. This can give you a similar look for less money. If you’re going to see your strips from the side (like ours), this may not be the look you’re going for, since you’ll be able to see the layers of wood that make up your plywood.

Final Thoughts: Wooden slat Wall DIY

Creating a wooden slat wall DIY is a great way to add warmth and texture to any room. It’s a project that can be completed in a weekend, doesn’t require too many specialized tools, and won’t break the bank. Plus, if you complete it with floating shelves, it’s the perfect place to showcase your favorite plants or create an ideal focal point for your room.

Remember, the beauty of DIY is that you can customize this project to fit your style and space. Maybe you want to try different types of wood, like poplar or birch plywood. Or perhaps you want to experiment with the width of your slats or the spacing between them. The possibilities are endless!

So, are you ready to tackle your own wood slat accent wall? I’d love to see how your projects turn out! Share your photos and experiences in the comments below. And if you have any questions about the process, don’t hesitate to ask. 

Tap here to see our wood slat wall in action with this quick video.