1. Remove the skirting board

If you would like the slats flush with the floor to give it an elegant floor-to-ceiling look you will need to remove the skirting board. Work a filling knife between the top edge of the skirting board and the wall, loosening the nails that hold it in place. Carefully use a pry bar to remove the baseboard from the wall.

2. Paint the Wall

Paint the wall a dark color to contrast with the slats. Plan on applying two coats. A dark colour like black in an eggshell finish to reduce glare and add visual depth.

3. Measure the Height and Width of the Wall

Calculate how much wood you will need, based on strip width and spacing. You will need joinery-quality square-planed timber approximately 12 x 44mm.

4. Cut Slats So They’re Long Enough To Run From the Floor to the Ceiling.

Measure at different intervals along the wall because your ceiling height may vary in different spots. Ceilings are not always perfectly level, and you’ll need to adjust for that in your wood cuts. Aim for the slat to have a snug fit between floor and ceiling. Wear a mask and safety goggles when using a saw.

5. Sand the Wood Slats

Sand the slats one at a time to remove splinters from all edges and surfaces and leave a nice smooth finish. Wear gloves to protect your hands and a mask for the dust.

6. Stain or Paint the Wood Slats

Stain or paint the front and both sides of each slat. Don’t worry about the backs looking perfect, they’ll be attached to the wall and out of sight. One coat of stain should be sufficient for a light color, but you may need a second coat for a darker color.

7. Attach Wood Slats to the Wall

Use wood glue or panel nails to attach the slats to the painted wall. For the first slat, use a spirt level to ensure it’s straight on the wall. After that, use a scrap piece of wood as a spacer to keep the gaps between the wood slats consistent as you go across the wall. Place the spacer against each slat you just nailed on the wall to measure where to put the next slat.

Attach all your slats. Use the putty knife to fill any nail holes with wood filler in a colour that matches your stain.

That's it, you’ve made your own slat panelling!