Alliance Door Products ShipLap Collection - Gray Sky

Alliance Door Products’ ShipLap Collection in Gray Sky isn’t a door at all — it’s prefinished shiplap wall paneling that solves the most annoying problem with traditional shiplap installation: spacing consistency. The self-spacing 1/8-inch nickel-gap design means contractors don’t need spacers, measuring, or constant checking to maintain shadow lines. At 3/4 inch thick by 5-1/2 inches wide, these solid pine boards deliver 6.59 square feet of coverage per 16-foot board.

Self-Spacing Design and Coverage Calculations

The nickel-gap feature changes the installation game. Traditional shiplap requires spacers or careful measurement between each board to create consistent reveals. Alliance’s boards eliminate that step entirely — the built-in 1/8-inch gap creates uniform shadow lines automatically. For contractors pricing jobs, the math is straightforward: each 16-foot board covers 6.59 square feet, while 12-foot boards cover 4.94 square feet.

Specification	Value	Source
Nominal Size	1” × 6” × 16’ (also 12’)	manufacturer
Actual Dimensions	3/4” × 5-1/2”	manufacturer
Coverage (16 ft)	6.59 sq ft	manufacturer
Coverage (12 ft)	4.94 sq ft	manufacturer
Weight (16 ft)	12.7 lbs	manufacturer
Gap Size	1/8” self-spacing	manufacturer
Material	Solid #3 Pine	manufacturer
Surface	Textured/Rough-sawn	manufacturer

The material is solid #3 pine — not finger-jointed, not MDF, not engineered wood. Grade #3 pine means visible knots and character marks that work with the rough-sawn texture. At 12.7 pounds per 16-foot board, it’s light enough for single-person handling but substantial enough to feel quality.

Installation Requirements and Process

Installation requires a 15 or 16-gauge finish nail gun with 2.5-inch nails for drywall applications. The fastening method matters: nail through the top flange into studs, not face-nailing that leaves visible holes. Start at the bottom corner with the overlap pointing down, maintaining 1/4-inch expansion gaps at the perimeter.

Vertical installations need furring strips — the boards won’t span stud spacing without backing. Every cut end requires touch-up with the matching kit to maintain the prefinished look. That’s not optional — raw pine ends will stand out against the Gray Sky finish.

The prefinished aspect saves significant labor. No sanding, no priming, no painting, no waiting for coats to dry. The eco-friendly water-based stain comes factory-applied with a consistent color and sheen. Touch-up kits handle the inevitable nicks and cut ends, but the boards arrive ready to install.

Montana Climate Considerations

These boards are intended for interior use only — critical in Montana’s extreme temperature swings. The product explicitly excludes floors or high-humidity areas from appropriate applications. That means no bathrooms, no basements with moisture issues, and definitely no exterior use where freeze-thaw cycles would destroy the pine.

The warranty covers manufacturing defects but excludes natural wood movement, swelling, checking, and color changes. In Montana’s dry winter air, pine will shrink. In summer, it’ll expand. That’s why the 1/4-inch perimeter gaps aren’t suggestions — they’re requirements for preventing buckling when the wood moves.

For Montana contractors, this product fits the interior accent wall market perfectly. Living rooms, bedrooms, offices, retail spaces — anywhere clients want the shiplap look without exterior siding prices. The self-spacing design speeds installation, and the prefinished surface eliminates the painting phase entirely.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s included when ordering Alliance ShipLap boards? Boards are sold in bundles, typically 4 boards per bundle. Trim boards and touch-up kits sell separately — they’re not included in the bundle price.

Can these boards handle Montana’s temperature extremes? No. These are interior-only products not rated for floors or high-humidity areas. The warranty specifically excludes moisture damage and natural wood movement. Use them in climate-controlled spaces only.

What tools are absolutely necessary for installation? A 15 or 16-gauge finish nail gun is non-negotiable. You’ll also need a miter saw with finish blade, level, chalk line, stud finder, rubber mallet, and wood block. Use 2.5-inch nails when installing over drywall.

How much coverage should contractors calculate per bundle? With 4 boards per bundle at 16 feet each, that’s 26.36 square feet per bundle (4 × 6.59 sq ft). For 12-foot boards, figure 19.76 square feet per bundle (4 × 4.94 sq ft).

What’s the actual installed appearance gap between boards? The self-spacing design creates a consistent 1/8-inch nickel gap. This shadow line is built into the edge profile — no measuring or spacers needed during installation.