5 Ways to Incorporate Wood Slats Into Your Home (Beyond the Accent Wall)

To make a shoe slat shelf you’ll need:

Step 1: Lay out the shelf design

For a corner shelf, Jeffers first sketched out the asymmetrical design of the shelves—a crucial step for making a corner piece.

Step 2: Ready the slat boards and shelves

Use a miter saw to cut the pine boards to desired length. Smooth out the raw wood with an orbital sander. Work your way up to the ultra-smooth finish, starting with 120-grit sandpaper, then building up to 220-grit, and finally 320-grit. Paint or stain the slats. Repeat the process to make the 6-inch wide shoe shelves that you plan to fit between the slats. Use veneer edge banding for a polished look.

Step 3: Install the slats

Use a stud finder to mark the studs. Apply construction adhesive to the slats, and place them on the wall, checking that the board is level. Use a brad nailer to secure the wood to the wall. To ensure the shelves fit, use a spacer with the same dimensions between slats. Consistency is key here. Cover the nail holes with wood filler or putty. Sand off the excess once dry.

Step 4: Add the shelves

Slide the shelves between slats. If you spaced properly, the shelf should hold snuggly. Any wobble can be remedied with more construction adhesive. 

5. Wood slat ceiling

“Ceilings are oftentimes the most overlooked area for design,” says Bynn Esmond, principal of Bynn Esmond Designs in San Carlos, California. But including wood-slat ceilings can be a way to add allure and movement. In her remodel of a Palomar Park residence, Esmond used the zigzagged wood slats to guide the viewer’s eye to different spaces and connecting them to the outdoors.

To make a wood-slat ceiling you’ll need:

Step 1: Paint the ceiling

Placing wood slats directly on a white ceiling could lead to a less than chic peekaboo moment. “Paint the ceiling in a dark color to create a contrast and dimensionality against the wood slats,” Esmond says.

Step 2: Lay out the design

Use a laser level to transfer the ceiling shape to the floor. Use chalk to outline the shape—this will be your template. Experiment with the layout of the slats. Cut slats as necessary to fit the ceiling dimensions.

Step 3: Stain the wood slats

Either stain for a darker finish or use clear polycrylic wood finish to enhance the natural beauty of the wood. To apply, use an old rag and rub in the stain. For the finish, use a high-density roller for smooth application.

Step 4: Install the slats

Once you’ve decided on a layout, nail the wood slats on the ceiling with finishing nails and a nailing gun. Since the ceiling is up high, the small nail hole may not be visible from below.