Shaker Wall Panel Layout for a 12 ft Wall

This is a measured floor-to-ceiling shaker panel layout for a 12 ft (366 cm) wide wall with a standard 8 ft (244 cm) ceiling, a common size for living rooms and primary bedrooms.

Answer: on a 12 ft wall use a 5 × 3 shaker grid: panels 2' 1" (64 cm) wide by 2' 2.5" (67 cm) tall, framed with 3" boards.

Cut list

Piece	Qty	Length each
Vertical stile	6	7' 8" (234 cm)
Horizontal rail	20	2' 1" (64 cm)

Total: 88 linear ft (26.8 m). Order about 97 linear ft (+10% for offcuts).

Why this layout works

Five columns keep each panel close to 25 inches wide, nearly square against the 26.5 inch row height. Four columns would make panels over 31 inches wide and noticeably landscape.

Time and materials

This layout has 26 pieces. With pre-cut, numbered pieces expect about 2 h 20 min to install, plus paint drying time. Cutting from raw boards adds roughly 3 to 5 hours.

How to install

Fix the outer stiles into the corners and the top and bottom rails.
Fix the inner stiles at equal spacing with a spacer block cut to the panel width.
Fit the short horizontal rails between stiles at equal heights.
Fill joints, caulk edges and paint everything one color.

Questions about this wall size

How many shaker panels on a 12 ft wall?

15 panels in a 5 by 3 grid, each about 25 by 26.5 inches.

Should a TV or bed be centred on a panel or a stile?

With 5 columns the centre of the wall is the middle of a panel, which frames a bed headboard or TV nicely.

How much board do I need?

About 88 linear ft of 3 inch board; order roughly 97 ft.

Get it pre-cut

Shaker Wall Paneling Kit, from $250
Shaker Square Grid Wall Paneling Kit, from $270
Shaker Board and Batten Grid Wainscoting Kit, from $70

Shop all shaker panelling kits · Plan your wall free