DIY Tongue and Grove on Interior Walls

Find each stud in the wall using your electronic studfinder. Use your pencil and level to mark out each stud. Create vertical lines from floor to ceiling to reflect the positions.

Measure from the floor up the wall by the height of a wood wall board, plus half an inch, and mark a horizontal line across the entire width of the wall with your pencil and level. For example, if the boards are 10 inches wide, the horizontal line should be 10 1/2 inches up from the floor.

Measure the wall from end to end at the floor. Cut a wall board to that length minus half an inch using your miter saw.

Hold the board to the wall, under the horizontal line, with the tongue side of the board facing upward. There should be half an inch of space between the bottom of the board and the floor, and a fourth of an inch of space between each end of the board and the side walls.

Secure the board with your trim nail gun, shooting two nails through the face, along the top and bottom of the piece, at each point where the board crosses a stud (as indicated by the marks on the wall).

Cut the next board to the same length as the first one. Place it on top of the first one, connecting the groove of the second board over the tongue of the first one. Push the second board down firmly so that it fits tightly.

Nail the second board into place by shooting the nails through the upper edge of the board, just above the tongue, at a downward angle, so the nail head will be hidden by the next board. Use one nail for each stud.

Make your way up the wall board by board, cutting and side-nailing each board into place. Cut the top board along its length with a table saw so there is a half-inch of space between the board and the ceiling.

Measure, cut and install trim around the perimeter of the wall using your miter saw and trim nail gun. The trim will cover the spaces along the floor, ceiling and side walls.