10 Aesthetic Vertical Shiplap Siding to Make the House Look Taller

Shiplap siding can be made of engineered wood or real wood with very tight joints that fit together to get a flush finish.

Each board’s edge features a rabbeted groove that tightly fits the adjacent board. It delivers a smooth finish with no raised area that’s totally watertight.

Actually, horizontal shiplap siding is way more common when it comes to the position. But, vertical shiplap siding is considered more beneficial.

If you have a small one-story house, it would be better to incorporate vertical shiplap siding because it can make your house look taller.

Moreover, the flush joints of vertical shiplap siding deliver a better performance than clapboard siding. It is totally suited to extremely cold climates.

That’s why you often find vertical shiplap siding used for a cabin in a colder area. It’s because it can absorb the wood’s natural movement that often happens during temperature changes.

Vertical shiplap siding is also usually used in a private residence because the joints won’t buckle or open no matter the weather.

Another great thing about vertical shiplap siding is it’s very easy to install.

The installation is already rabbeted to the edges of the wood. It means that all you have to do is just stack the boards next to each other.

Want to get more ideas about vertical shiplap siding? Here are 10 aesthetic looks of it that will surely make your house (or room) look taller:

1. Farmhouse Exterior with Pine Vertical Shiplap Siding in a Smooth Finish

This mid-sized cottage has a lovely farmhouse exterior, complete with granite steps at the front, a barn-like design, wood siding, and a gable roof.

To achieve a farmhouse style with a barn-like design like this, it’s important to use shiplap siding.

Actually, this cottage doesn’t need any extra height anymore, because after all, this is a large and tall house.

However, the homeowners thought that it would be better to complete the entire exterior with vertical shiplap siding. Maybe it’s solely for an aesthetic reason.

The vertical siding is pine shiplap with 5/4 pine trim. It has a smooth finish to create a polished and sleek look like this.

The primary exterior color of this cottage is called Fieldstone by Cabot Solid.

This is a great color to opt for if you want a simple and natural finish for your exterior. It is also paired with the trim color, a custom mix from Benjamin Moore’s to match the window color called Terra Tone.

This vertical shiplap siding is also combined with a GAF Timberline HD roof in weathered wood to complete the whole look.

After all, every element in this farmhouse cottage seems to complement the vertical shiplap siding.

2. Vertical Shiplap Siding in Green Mulberry Color

Even though shiplap siding is usually used in a traditional, country, or rustic exterior with a natural wood tone, it doesn’t mean that you can incorporate a vertical shiplap siding in a more modern and contemporary setting.

In this contemporary wood exterior, the homeowners used vertical shiplap siding painted in a soft green color. It is actually a pre-finished Maibec siding.

After it is installed, it is painted with a solid body stain by Cabot called “Mulberry” color. It’s proof that vertical shiplap siding can be stained, and it looks good even without a natural wood tone.

But, some people still feel the need to add a natural accent to complement the shiplap siding. That’s why this contemporary exterior still has wooden tone trim along with wooden posts on the front porch.

The metal roof delivers a unique combination for this vertical shiplap siding.

3. Reclaimed Barn Wood Vertical Shiplap Siding for a Cabin

Contrary to the previous picture, this exterior is totally rustic. It has no soft pop of color. Instead, the homeowners decided to go all-mountain style in this project.

Actually, this property has already been large enough even without vertical siding to help it look taller. However, it’s obvious that the owners wanted to make this house look prominent and imposing with the rustic exterior.

The vertical shiplap siding is actually reclaimed barn wood. There are several types of reclaimed wood incorporated into this exterior.

The siding is “Backwoods Bark”, while the accent siding is “Mountain Wood” reclaimed snow fencing. There’s also “WeatherPlank” as a reclaimed barn siding. And for the roof, it is “Timberline Rustic Metal”.

All of the reclaimed woods and natural materials are provided by Appalachian Antique Hardwoods.

The aged and weathered look like this will never fail to make your house look stand out in the neighborhood.

Since this kind of rustic exterior has a lack bold color, it would be better if you plant a lot of greeneries in the front yard landscaping.

Colorful and green plants will add a natural splash of color that will accentuate a totally rustic exterior like this.

4. Vertical Grain Cedar Shiplap Siding with Clear Stain for a Contemporary Exterior

This contemporary house actually has a mixed siding.

In the front part, it has a beautiful vertical shiplap siding made of cedar with clear stains.

A clear stain like this is an excellent way to start a contemporary design because it will deliver a sleek and polished look, totally different from the rustic look in the previous picture. This is a more suitable look for the urban area.

The vertical shiplap siding clearly adds more height to this flat-roofed house. To accentuate it, the homeowners also incorporated black trim in this cedar vertical shiplap siding.

The black color looks pop against the cedar with clear stain, adding a more modern setting.

In the back part of the house, the homeowners used a horizontal tongue, and groove siding finished in black.

The combination of wood’s natural tone and black will never fail to give a contemporary look because they complement each other. Black is a neutral shade that can be a backdrop for any accent you add.

Moreover, combining cedar vertical shiplap siding with black horizontal tongue and groove siding like this will add more character to your exterior. They subtly add a fun and whimsical look with a mixed siding.

5. Rustic Style Vertical Shiplap Siding Made of Natural Wood

A rustic exterior doesn’t have to be aged and weathered. You can also incorporate a rustic exterior with a light tone of wood like this, and it won’t make your house any less rustic.

The siding is AquaFir Wire Brushed Natural Wood Siding Solution in Driftwood color to honor the house’s western heritage and natural beauty at the same time. Actually, there are various rustic-styled materials on this exterior.

This house has a combination of vertical natural wood shiplap siding, stone, and made-to-rust steel. All of them are in varying degrees of earth tones, clearly blending seamlessly with the natural landscape.

Those materials are provided by Montana Timber Products, which has a lot of different natural reclaimed barn wood siding solutions. Each product it has is milled to order with a style, color, texture, and profile of the owner’s choice.

Vertical shiplap siding and mixed material like this are quite common choices that have both aesthetic and functional purposes. They are a great solution to bridge the gap between mountain style contemporary design and rustic mountain style.

The vertical shiplap profile and Wire Brushed texture deliver a subtle multi-chromatic finish, creating a fresh, modern, and slightly less rustic beauty.

6. White Vertical Shiplap Siding in a Bathroom

Who said that vertical shiplap siding can only be used on the exterior?

This natural beauty can also be opted for to accentuate your indoor living spaces. See how this white shiplap wall accentuates the bathroom.

To top it off, it extends to the ceiling, too, creating cohesion and a contrast to the porcelain tile.

This is a small bathroom. That’s why the designer incorporated a vertical shiplap siding on one side of its wall, sure to add more height to the area.

As if it wasn’t enough, the shiplap siding is extended to the ceiling. An extension like this will let the eyes flow following the lines, delivering an illusion of a large area.

Moreover, the vertical shiplap siding is painted white. Apart from being pure and natural, white is also a shade that you should choose to add to a small area.

White will never fail to make a room look more spacious than it actually is. Plus, a white room looks brighter and more open too.

To sum it up, make sure you finish everything in white. Even if you want to add a contrasting material, it should be dominated in a white shade.

In order to add an accent color, you can pick gold hardware or decorations like this. A combination of gold and white will deliver an elegant appearance.

7. Brownish Gray Vertical Shiplap Siding Paired with a Brick Wall

Like any common country-style bathroom, this bathroom also features vertical shiplap siding as part of its charm.

This is an example of a country-styled bathroom with a brown floor that complements the brownish gray vertical shiplap siding and brick wall.

This vertical shiplap siding seems to have a wider board, painted in a brownish gray to enhance the country style.

To make it look even better, the designer also completed this vertical shiplap siding with molding at the top and bottom, a great way to frame a shiplap siding. Moreover, the white molding serves as a backdrop for this earthy-toned shiplap.

What makes it extra is the designer managed to combine vertical shiplap siding with brick.

Actually, both are timeless materials that are often used in a traditional, rustic, or farmhouse design. Yet, they both have a very different textures. So, when you juxtapose them, you surely add more characters to your room.

Three different materials are used in this bathroom: wood for the vertical shiplap siding, exposed bricks, and stone tile floor.

This is a look that you can copy if you want to achieve a farmhouse room with a touch of a contemporary style.

8. Trendy Gray Vertical Shiplap Siding for a Contemporary Exterior

Even though actually this house has mixed siding, they have a similar trendy gray color.

As one of the neutral shades, gray can complement any accent color you choose. Plus, gray can also give you a contemporary look with a modern vibe. Similar to black, gray is also stylish.

This large two-story house has a vertical shiplap siding painted in gray at the front part. The gable roof looks extra tall with such vertical shiplap siding like this.

It is a good choice if you want to make the front part of your house look prominent and imposing.

In order to enhance the trendy and stylish look, the homeowners paired the gray siding with black trim. See how the glossy black window looks pop against this gray siding.

To top it off, the garage doors are also finished in black to match the trim and surely elevate the whole look.

As a variation, the homeowners incorporated brick in a sleek finish and gray shade in another exterior wall. Similar to the vertical shiplap siding, the brick wall is also completed with black windows and a black door.

9. Mixed Brown Vertical Shiplap with White Horizontal Siding

Brown vertical shiplap siding actually pulls off a traditional look because the brown color is not painted but a natural tone of the wood. But, it can also look contemporary as long as you know how to pair it.

In this mid-sized house, the homeowners have a mixed siding exterior along with a mixed material roof.

On both sides of the house, the parts are completed with a gable roof; there’s a brown vertical shiplap siding that has a sleek and polished look but still keeps the natural charm of the wood.

In the middle part, the area bracketed by the vertical shiplap siding, there’s a horizontal white siding with a wider board.

This area is also completed with a metal roof to add more character to the house, and surely for a functional reason.

Combining brown vertical shiplap siding with white horizontal tongue and groove siding may sound counterproductive at first. But, keep in mind that white is a neutral tone that can complement any shade and color.

Wood is also a timeless and versatile material. You can always mix it with anything.

But if you need something to bridge them both, you can incorporate black trim like this. The homeowners also added a black roof, black posts and columns, and a black structure on the exterior.

10. Vertical Shiplap Siding Above the Fireplace as a Focal Point

If you want to make an accent wall in your room, you can use a vertical shiplap siding.

In this transitional living room, you see that the wall is basically made of a wood panel, a shiplap siding that you usually see in the exterior. A wall like this in a room will always deliver a traditional appearance.

However, the wall is painted white. It seems that this living room is full of white color, a neutral shade that is often used in a more modern setting.

Yet, the designer also incorporated classic and vintage furniture to complement the shiplap siding wall. The combination of them delivers a transitional look.

What makes the vertical shiplap siding in this room a focal point is a fact that it is surrounded by horizontal shiplap siding.

Even though all of them are similarly painted in white, the difference in positioning is visible. The change from horizontal to vertical makes it an excellent focal point.

Moreover, this vertical shiplap siding is installed above the fireplace, a spot that gets the most attention.

To achieve a similar look, you can also adopt the way the homeowners decorate their vertical shiplap siding focal point.

Add some monochrome wall art with glossy black frames that will totally contrast the white siding. You can also add some black and small decorative items on top of the fireplace.

Make sure the fireplace is surrounded by white finished material to complement the vertical siding.

Tips to Install Vertical Shiplap Siding

Now you know that vertical shiplap siding cannot only be used for the exterior but also for the interior. The siding will create a lovely accent wall indoors and will be very nice if it’s paired with another material.

The most popular types of woods used for vertical shiplap siding are engineered wood like LP Smartside, white fir, pine, redwood, and cedar.

The type you choose depends on your budget. Keep in mind that natural wood is generally more expensive than engineered wood.

There are a lot of different finishes, too, and it depends on the look you’re aiming for. Rough-sawn wood delivers a more rustic look, while a smooth finish is more suitable for a modern or contemporary style. The boards are commonly available in 3” to 10” widths.

Vertical shiplap siding is easy to install, but you need some good tips from the experts to make sure you get a good quality finish that can last for years. Make sure to consult with your carpenter to get the best look.