• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Smart Girls DIY

You're a smart girl... you can figure it out

  • Home
    • Archive
  • About
    • Policies
    • Get to Know Me Posts
    • My Home
    • Old House Tour
  • Renovations
    • Kitchen Reno
    • Guest Bathroom Reno
    • Family Room Reno
    • Stairway + Hall Renovations
    • Office Reno
    • Laundry Room Reno
  • Projects
    • Tutorials
    • Crafts
    • Outdoor Projects
    • Landscape Tour
    • Girl Scouts
    • Christmas
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
You are here: Home / Featured / How to Paint a Chevron Wall

How to Paint a Chevron Wall

December 12, 2013 by SmartGirl 101 Comments

You may know that I recently redid my daughter’s bedroom.  It was one of the cheapest and quickest makeovers I’ve ever done and one reason is because I didn’t repaint the room.  Yay me!  But I did paint a chevron pattern on one wall.  The one behind her bed.  She wanted a LARGE chevron pattern, which I wasn’t a big fan of at first, but I think it turned out great!  And, it meant less taping for me!!Smart Girls DIY: How to paint a chevron wall

There are lots of options for painting a chevron wall, including using a stencil.  If you want to go that route I’d suggest Cutting Edge Stencils.  I had a good experience with their stencils when I painted my Birch Tree Wall. But I didn’t want to pay for a stencil or wait for it to arrive, so I just decided to tape it out.

1. Measure wall and plan pattern on paper

I highly recommend drawing your pattern on a piece of paper first.  It doesn’t have to be perfectly to scale, but it will help with planning things, like how many chevrons, and which ones to paint.  My daughter wanted thick chevrons, so I decided to do 3 chunky white chevrons across her wall. I decided to do 5 peaks so there would be a good amount of up and down action going on.  If you want a less busy look, go with fewer peaks.

**You need to make a decision about how many chevrons and peaks you want OR how thick you want the chevrons to be.  The formulas will help you calculate the other.**

If you ask for help in the comments, you need to give me more info than just the length and width of your room.  I need to know how many chevrons/peaks you want.  You can also ask to make it look just like mine.  If you only send me the dimensions, but don’t tell me what you want done with them, I will be at a loss.  Thanks

How to Calculate Horizontal Grid Lines

This might be a little technical, but if you know how many chevrons you want, you can use this formula height/2x = space between horizontal lines.   x = the number of chevrons.   For example, if your ceiling height is 90 inches and you want 3 white chevrons, this is how far apart to draw your lines… 90/2(3) = 15.   You will end up with 5 horizontal lines spaced 15 inches apart.  The number of horizontal grid lines = 2x-1.

How to Calculate Vertical Grid Lines

Use the same formula to figure out how many vertical lines to draw and how far apart, but let’s use y this time.   y = the number of peaks.    width/2y = space between vertical lines. The number of vertical grid lines = 2y-1.

It’s not as tricky as it sounds, but feel free to ask questions in the comments.  If you don’t get it, don’t feel bad, I used to be a high school math teacher.

Reader Example

Update:  I was asked about a wall that is 8′ high, 150.5″ long and the reader wants 12″ wide chevrons with only 4 peaks (as opposed to my 5).

Horizontal Grid Lines

The height is easy, make lines every 12″ up the side of the wall.  You’re fine if you want to stop armed with only that knowledge.

There will be 7 horizontal lines for 8 “stripes.”  The formula is 96/2x = 12.  We are solving for x this time because the “problem” stated that the chevrons should be 12″ thick.  (So unlike the example above, the inches were given, but the # of chevrons was unknown.)  x = 4 Which means there will be 4 chevrons.  (There are also 4 peaks, but that is just a coincidence)

In the picture below, the lines already on the paper are the horizontal lines.  Sorry if that wasn’t clear.

Vertical Grid Lines

For the requested 4 peaks, use the second formula 2y-1 = # of vertical grid lines.  This formula will not tell you how many inches apart to make the marks, only how many marks you need. y= # of peaks

Fill in 4 for y…   2(4) – 1 = 7.  This means you will have 7 vertical grid lines.  So you need to make 7 marks along the baseboard.  To space the 7 vertical lines (marks) out without using another equation, you can split the 150.5″ wall in half first (at 75  1/4″).  Then split the halves in half (at about 37 1/5″ each).  Finally split the quarters in half (at about 18 3/4″).  This is the method you would use on paper.  I didn’t measure anything when I drew my diagram, I just split the rectangle in half, then quarters, then eighths.

If you want to be more direct (or check your math), then use the formula width/2y = space between vertical lines.  150.5″/2(4) = 18 13/16 inches  (which is basically 18 3/4″)
How to Measure for a Chevron Wall Design 1How to Measure for a Chevron Wall Design 2How to Measure for a Chevron Wall Design 3

2. Draw grid on the wall

Whatever grid you came up with on paper, it’s time to transfer it to the wall.  I started with the horizontal lines, but it doesn’t matter.  I marked my increments in the left corner and used a level to draw a straight line all the way to the right corner.  I did this with pencil.  (My pictures have darker lines, I had to add these in Photoshop, because the pencil lines were not dark enough.  But rest assured, the darker lines are drawn right on top of my pencil marks.)  Then I drew the vertical lines by marking off my increments just above the baseboard and using a level to carry the lines all the way to the ceiling.   Note: If you trust yourself you can save some time erasing later by not drawing the complete line, simply make a mark where your horizontal intercepts your vertical line.  When in doubt, draw the lines all the way across.Draw horizontal linesTo Paint a Chevron Wall first draw a grid

3. Tape from corner to corner of each square

There is no need to draw the diagonal lines, just tape them off.  Refer to your diagram so you know which areas to tape around.  EVERY square will have an invisible diagonal line drawn through it, but sometimes you tape above the diagonal and sometimes you tape below.  You tape INSIDE your background areas and OUTSIDE the areas you are going to paint white.  If you mess this up, it’s not the end of the world.  You’ll just have two different size chevrons.  Your white portion will be smaller than your background portion.  I’ve seen lots of pictures on the web where people have messed this part up and not even known it.  I like to put scrap pieces of tape in the areas I’m NOT going to paint, so I can remember which area is which.  Hopefully the pictures will help clarify.

How to TAPE a Chevron WallFirst row of tapeTaping a chevron patternFinished taping

If you’re wondering why there’s two different tape colors of tape on the wall, it’s just because I ran out of Frog Tape shortly after I started taping.  The blue tape is 3M Edge Lock and it’s cheaper.

Tip for getting crisp corners

Go ahead and let the tape overhang while you’re taping the diagonals.  It’s easy to fix in three simple steps (does anyone else watch Special Agent Oso??).  Remember, you only need to trim off the inside corners.  For each chevron, the inside corners are on the bottom of the upper piece of tape and the top of the lower piece.  And yes, I know sentences like that never really make sense to the reader, but I had to say it.

Here’s the overlapping tape.  (This doesn’t count as a step)Overlapping tape at corners Smart Girls DIY blog chevronPull off from the wall a little bit.  Make sure to keep the two pieces of tape stuck together.How to get crisp corners when taping off a wall chevron smart girls diyTrim the excess with scissors.  That’s right, no razor blade needed!How to get crisp corners when taping off a wall chevron smart girls diyThen reattach tape to wall.  How to get crisp corners when taping off a wall chevron smart girls diy

More tips

Don’t forget to tape off the adjacent walls so you won’t have any problem painting the corners.Tape off adjacent walls

To get crisp corners all the way down to the floor and ceiling, make sure you tape OVER the baseboard and ceiling.tips how to diy chevron wall

4. Lock in the tape with paint

This step is crucial if you don’t want to do any touch-ups after you take the tape off.  After you finish taping the wall, paint the INSIDE edge of the tape with the background wall color.  Some of this paint will seep under the tape, but that’s okay because it’s the same color as the paint underneath it.  This “locks in” the tape so none of the new color (white in my case) can seep under.   Allow the background color to dry completely, then paint the chevron color as you would normally paint.  how to seel painters tape so none seeps under Ready to paint

5. Paint the chevrons

This part is easy!  Just make sure not to paint the areas with the scrap tape.  Aren’t you glad you put them there?  🙂Painted Chevron Pattern

6. Remove the tape

Don’t let the paint dry!  Remove the tape as soon as you’re finished painting.  Here’s a video I didn’t know my 6-year-old daughter was taking of me.  But it sure does show you how crisp the lines look as soon as the paint comes off.    http://youtu.be/6Gh3Z4SieH8

Removing tape from chevron wallTape removedTape completely removed

That’s it!  Be sure to read about the rest of the makeover.   Here’s my little videographer.My videographerIt looks a lot better now, doesn’t it?Chevron Wall - beforeChevron Wall - after

 

Related posts:

  • Evolution of a Room
  • How to Install Capet Yourself
  • Weekend Room Makeover

 

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Google
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit

Filed Under: Featured, How To, Tutorials Tagged With: bedroom, before and after, chevron, paint, smart jr, stencil, wall art

« How to Install Carpet Yourself
Nova Scotia Show-and-Tell »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kaylor Little says

    December 31, 2013 at 5:55 am

    Thank you for sharing. This is one of the best chevron tutorials I have seen. I am visiting from the Remodelaholic link party.

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      December 31, 2013 at 12:26 pm

      Thanks so much Kaylor! If you’re thinking about doing it, go for it! It wasn’t bad at all. One of the few projects I actually completed start-to-finish in ONE day. 🙂 Good luck!

      Reply
  2. Marisa McCrOskey says

    January 7, 2014 at 9:25 am

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE this!!! What a beautiful room, the wall turned out great!! We are in the process of removing wallpaper from our guest bathroom and I have actually been pondering whether or not to get a chevron stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils and after seeing your work, I WISH I had the patience for doing it your way. It looks so crisp, more power to ya for having that much patience! It looks FAB!!

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      January 7, 2014 at 10:00 am

      Aww thanks so much Marisa! It really wasn’t bad at all. I wish I had timed it, but I’d say it took about 90 minutes to draw the grid and tape it off. It’s so hard to say because my two little ones were “helping” me. Either way, stencil or tape, I think it’s a great look! Good luck!!

      Reply
  3. Trisha says

    January 12, 2014 at 8:28 am

    THIS IS SO PRETTY! I may have missed it somewhere, but what color of gray paint did you use?

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      January 12, 2014 at 3:57 pm

      Thanks Trisha!! The walls are BEHR — eggshell enamel — Misty Morn #PPU12-10 and the chevron is BEHR — semi-gloss enamel – Swiss Coffee (it’s a pre-mixed shade of white at Home Depot and the same color I used for the trim throughout my house).

      Reply
  4. Kim says

    January 16, 2014 at 8:35 am

    Hi! Looks great. I am getting ready to tape off my daughters wall today. Your tutorial is helping me. One question: I am confused about where you say to paint the tape to seal it with the background color. Her wall is grey all over now.

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      January 16, 2014 at 12:10 pm

      Hi Kim! After you put all the tap on the wall and before you paint the chevron color it’s a good idea to seal the tape to the wall. This just means to use the same gray paint to paint along the edges of the tape, a little on the tape, a little on the wall. This locks the tape down and keeps the new paint from getting under the tape. If it seems like an unnecessary extra step, trust me it’s so much better than having to touch up all the paint after you take the tape off. Does that make sense? If not, feel free to ask more questions. Good luck!

      Reply
      • Cathy says

        April 21, 2017 at 3:54 pm

        Great tip! I was getting frustrated with paint seeping under the tape. I will definitely try that step the next time I paint! Thanks!

  5. lana says

    February 15, 2014 at 6:17 am

    Hi I’m planning on using your tutorial to put a chevron wall in our nursery it looks so cool. But we can’t work out if you meant to leave the background colour paint to dry when you touch up the edges of the tape to prevent seepage? or whether that had to stay wet when you put the coloured paint on top? -*

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      February 15, 2014 at 9:44 am

      Hi Lana, That’s so exciting! It’s been awhile since I decorated a nursery, lol. After you tape off the pattern, use your background color to paint over the inside edge of the tape. Yes, you need to wait for it to dry. Then paint over it with the new color. Good luck!! I’d love to see how it turns out!

      Reply
      • lana says

        February 17, 2014 at 9:52 am

        Thankyou :D, hopefully we won’t fluff it up :p I’ll post a pic of the outcome, good or bad lol

  6. Tammy says

    February 18, 2014 at 9:45 pm

    Im trying to do this on a black shiny painted mailbox. I haven’t found anything that will mark on it. Turning into a nightmare! any idea?

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      June 4, 2014 at 10:39 am

      You don’t need to mark out all the lines, really just the point of intersection. Use a pin or a nail and make a small indent where the lines would cross. Then when you tape, bring the tape to that point. I’ve never tried it, but you might want to look into Frog Shape Tape… http://www.homedepot.com/p/FrogTape-1-41-in-x-25-yds-Chevron-Delicate-Painting-Tape-4-Pack-282269/204485055

      I’m not crazy about the shape of the chevrons the tape makes, but it might be just what you need for a mailbox! Good luck!

      Reply
  7. Maria e says

    March 13, 2014 at 10:10 am

    Thank you so much for the PERFECT directions!! My foyers looks AMAZING!!

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      March 13, 2014 at 2:31 pm

      Awesome! Thanks for letting me know.

      Reply
  8. Laken says

    March 23, 2014 at 2:02 am

    Im terribly confused lol. Height is 93 inches width is 13 ft, I want 5 chevrons, what do I do?

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      June 4, 2014 at 10:35 am

      If you want it to look like my wall (3 zigzags with 5 peaks each), then draw your lines using this for your spacing:
      height = 93/6 = 15.5″
      width = 156/10 = 15.6″

      So you’re basically making a grid of 15 1/2 inch squares. Good luck!

      Reply
      • Daphna says

        April 15, 2018 at 11:32 am

        Thanks for posting. I’d like 2-3 chevron lines from top to bottom for my nursery. I measured the width from left to right 19’. I like how your thickness looks perfect. What formula should I use to make then look like yours??

  9. Tonya says

    April 15, 2014 at 10:56 pm

    I am trying to do this wall in my living room, and Its a new wall, nothing on it but the color of the sheet rock, and the were it has been mudded and sanded down. Do I have to have a back ground color or is there any way I can just do it the two colors I have picked out, because when I think about it, underneath the tape is gonna be the color of the wall? I am jus so very confused and any help or ideas would be very appriciated

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      April 15, 2014 at 11:17 pm

      The easiest thing to do is just paint the whole wall one of your colors first. Then tape. Then paint the other color. Be sure to wait a few days before putting tape on new paint! I hope this helps!!

      Reply
  10. Cory says

    April 21, 2014 at 7:52 pm

    I am doing this in my nursery and I am wondering what the best way is to get the pencil marks off the wall… Do you just paint over them or what?

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      April 22, 2014 at 11:47 am

      I drew my lines lightly and then erased them. Painting over them will work too! But the easiest is probably to use chalk, or snap a chalk line, but I didn’t have any on hand.

      Reply
  11. Crystal says

    June 3, 2014 at 12:04 pm

    Hello! I want my wall to look EXACTLY like yours! I love the size of those chevron’s. My wall is 9 feet (108 inches)… so 108/2(3)??? 18 inches apart horizontally? Thanks for your help! 🙂

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      June 3, 2014 at 8:19 pm

      Yup. If the wall is 108 inches tall it’s 108/6. For width, divide by 10. Good luck!! Let me know how it turns out.

      Reply
  12. Lana says

    June 4, 2014 at 3:59 am

    Hello again just wanted to say thanks for your tutorial it worked a treat… I’ve tried posting a comment with a link to a photo but it’s not being posted on here.

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      June 4, 2014 at 10:30 am

      Hi Lana! I can see the picture and it looks fantastic!!! So cheerful and colorful. Here is the link… http://smg.photobucket.com/user/purple-blue/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image-1.jpg.html for everyone else to check out. Great job!!! And thanks for taking the time to come back and share it. LOVE it!

      Reply
      • Lana says

        June 5, 2014 at 5:01 am

        I said I would :p it took us a while to get our butts into gear but when we did it was actually quite easy. would definitely recommend anyone having a go at this who’s considering it, quite simple and the results look like a pros done it lol. We did fluff up at the bottom but had taped it all up before we realised and couldn’t be bothered to rectify it lol, but it looks fine imho :p Thanks again 🙂

      • Cathy says

        April 21, 2017 at 3:55 pm

        Super cute!

    • Kristi Hayes says

      June 12, 2017 at 7:36 pm

      I love the rainbow chevron! It looks amazing!

      Reply
  13. Brianna stafford says

    August 6, 2014 at 2:17 pm

    This is by far the best guide I’ve found for painting a chevron wall! Tip #4 was so valuable and something I’ll be doing for all of my painting projects from here on out. I linked your instructions and encouraged others to read. You can see my results at http://thefancyb.blogspot.com/2014/08/tried-it-tuesday-painted-chevron-wall.html?m=1. Thanks so much!

    Brianna Stafford
    thefancyb.blogspot.com

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      June 27, 2015 at 1:57 pm

      It does look great!! I love the happy yellow. Everybody else should go check it out too! 😉

      Reply
  14. Danielle says

    August 30, 2014 at 9:31 pm

    My room is 8ft high and 11ft wide and I have no idea what I am doing wrong with trying to draw the grid. Help please?

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      June 27, 2015 at 1:45 pm

      96/2(3) = 16″ —> so make 5 marks up the side of your wall 16″ apart

      132/2(5) = 13.2″ –> so make 9 marks along your baseboard 13 3/16″ apart

      Step 1
      Step 2
      Step 3
      Step 4

      Reply
  15. kim says

    January 11, 2015 at 6:43 pm

    I am so excited to paint my chevron wall! I am just confused on how to measure my grid. The height of my wall is 94in and I would like my chevrons to look exactly like your daughters. Please help! Thanks

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      January 18, 2015 at 9:26 pm

      Awesome Kim! Let’s see… make sure you are measuring the actual wall (I didn’t include the baseboard in my measurements). If the wall really is 94″ — then divide 94 by 6 = 15.67. So use 15 11/16 or 15 5/8. It doesn’t really have to be too precise, somewhere between 15.5 and 16. Start at the bottom of the wall and measure up 15 and 5/8″. Draw a horizontal line and then measure up another 15 and 5/8″ and repeat. You’ll have 5 lines and 6 sections.

      Do the same thing with the width of the wall, but divide by 10. You’ll be drawing 9 lines. Let me know if you have any more questions. Good luck!

      Reply
      • kim says

        January 28, 2015 at 10:08 pm

        Thank you so much! I am painting this weekend… So I will let you now how it goes!

  16. Jan says

    January 17, 2015 at 1:19 pm

    Amazing tutorial!! Can you tell me if masking tape will work just as well? Do I need to buy special painters tape?
    Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      January 18, 2015 at 8:58 pm

      Thanks Jan! Masking tape should be fine, but maybe you should test it out first. Good luck!

      Reply
  17. Chris says

    January 24, 2015 at 1:09 pm

    There is a typo in your formula. You show 90/2(6) = 15 when it should be 90/2(3) = 15. 🙂

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      January 24, 2015 at 2:53 pm

      Thanks! I fixed it. Thousands of people have read this post and nobody ever pointed that out. 🙂

      Reply
      • Chris says

        January 28, 2015 at 11:27 pm

        Ha ha! I guess it didn’t mix them up then! 🙂 My wall turned out great BTW! We used a laser level and a chalk line with dust off chalk to do the lines though. I tested with pencil and it was not coming off my week old Aura paint well at all so I wasn’t going to make an entire grid of pencil I couldn’t get off. The chalk line was super easy to do, just needed two of those but my husband was happy to help.

  18. Karen says

    February 18, 2015 at 1:24 pm

    This is the best chevron wall tutorial that I have seen. I followed your instructions precisely and my wall turned out fabulous! I have to admit, I never thought I would use algebra again after college!!!! 🙂 Thank you so much for posting this!!

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      February 19, 2015 at 10:58 am

      Awesome Karen!! Thanks for letting me know how it went.

      Reply
  19. Julie says

    February 19, 2015 at 7:35 pm

    Amazing tutorial – best I found online!! Tip about locking paint color in with background color was the absolute game changer. My friends thought it was a decal, it was so crisp!! THANK YOU – my daughter LOVES her newly-redone room!!

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      February 22, 2015 at 1:58 pm

      Thanks Julie! I’m so glad it worked out for you.

      Reply
  20. nicole says

    February 21, 2015 at 9:14 am

    So I am doing a wall 95 1/2 tall and 127 wide. What would you suggest on how many stripes

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      June 27, 2015 at 1:10 pm

      The choices are really endless. Two good options are to go with either the look I have with 3 thick “stripes” and 5 peaks or go with Kim’s thinner stripes and 4 peaks (see sketches under step 1 above). Either way I’m sure it will look great. Here are your measurements:

      Option 1:
      5 horizontal marks up the wall approximately 15 7/8″ apart…. 95.5/2(3) = 15.9167
      9 vertical marks along the baseboard approximately 12 11/16″ apart… 127/2(5) = 12.7

      Option 2:
      7 horizontal marks up the wall 11 15/16″ apart… 95.5/2(4) = 11.9375
      7 vertical marks along the baseboard 15 7/8″ apart… 127/2(4) = 15.875

      Reply
  21. Kristina Massey says

    March 3, 2015 at 10:56 pm

    So I have a wall that’s 12ft 10 in wide and 7ft 9 1/2 in tall… my calculations for 3 stripes like you did are 15.58 × 15.4…. we’re all your squares perfectly square? Meaning 15×15? Or am I calculating my measurements wrong? I am a total Spazz for it being perfect, so I’d like your advice or tips before I start! Thanks 🙂

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      March 4, 2015 at 8:45 am

      Hi Krstina, The “squares” are actually rectangles. Mine did not have the same dimensions for height and width. You also don’t have to have every rectangle EXACTLY the same. Those are pretty precise measurements and it will be very difficult to find 15.58 on a ruler. Your eyes will never know the difference if one space is 15 1/2 and another 15 3/4. Good luck!

      Reply
  22. Autumn says

    April 9, 2015 at 10:33 am

    Please Help!!! I’m confusing myself! I am wanting the same 5 peaks and 3 rows. The width of the wall is 131 1/2 inches and the height is 93 3/8. What measurements do I use ??

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      June 27, 2015 at 12:52 pm

      For the vertical lines use 131.5/2(5) = 13.15, so make 9 marks along your baseboard 13 1/8″ apart.

      For the horizontal lines use 93.375/2(3) = 15.5625, so make 5 marks along the wall 15 9/16″ apart.

      Reply
  23. Dori says

    June 22, 2015 at 2:24 pm

    I know this is an older post, but I came across it on a “how to paint chevrons” search. 🙂 Just finished up the small wall in my daughter’s room and it looks a-MAZE-ing! Did the math, the “paint lock in” on the tape, the bits of tape in the Do Not Paint sections…awesome tips. It was quick and painless. Thanks!

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      June 26, 2015 at 3:08 pm

      Awesome Dori! I’m so glad it helped!! 🙂

      Reply
  24. Kim says

    June 24, 2015 at 2:45 pm

    Can you tell me how to alter the formula if I don’t want as many peaks in my chevrons and I want the width of the chevron to be about 12″ instead of your 15″? It looks like you have 5 peaks, but I’m only wanting 4. My wall is 94″ high & 150.5″ wide and I’m wanting 3 rows, just like you have, but 12″ wide and only 4 peaks.

    Thanks.

    Reply
  25. Kim says

    June 26, 2015 at 8:58 am

    I like your design but want to alter it a little. I only want 4 peaks across and I’d like to make my “stripes” 12″ wide. My wall is 8′ tall and 150.5″ wide. Can you tell me how to alter the formula?

    Thanks.

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      June 26, 2015 at 3:07 pm

      Hi Kim! Thanks for stopping by. Your horizontal lines will be every 12″ up the side of your wall. The vertical lines will be spaced 18 13/16″ along the baseboard. I included some sketches and a more detailed explanation as an update to step 1 above. Good luck! And be sure to let me know how it goes!! Thanks

      Reply
    • Kim says

      June 26, 2015 at 8:34 pm

      Thanks so much! You’re a great teacher 🙂

      Reply
  26. Nicky says

    June 27, 2015 at 7:27 pm

    Did this today!! So easy to follow and do easy to do! The sealing of the tape was the greatest idea! I still can’t believe how perfect it turned out!
    I’d love to share my after picture!

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      June 30, 2015 at 10:05 am

      Awesome Nicky. You can email me the pics at smartgirlsdiy@gmail.com and I’ll get them posted. Thanks!! I can’t wait to see your perfect wall. 🙂

      Reply
  27. Sonal Amin says

    June 30, 2015 at 1:31 pm

    I’ve been searching for chevron tutorials on line and hands down this is the easiest to understand. So excited to get started on my brand, spankin’ new wall! 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing!

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      June 30, 2015 at 1:39 pm

      Thanks Sonal! Now if only I were this thorough in documenting all my projects… lol

      Reply
  28. Laken says

    July 24, 2015 at 7:19 pm

    When u put the grid up in pencil could u just wash it off?

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      July 24, 2015 at 7:48 pm

      Yes, it came off with a little rubbing on the gray parts. I just painted over the pencil lines in the white portion. You can definitely get away with only making one set of lines (either horizontal or vertical) and then just marking the intersection instead of making the other set of lines. Or use chalk.

      Reply
  29. Heather says

    October 29, 2015 at 8:11 am

    What a great tutorial!! I’m so excited to do this in our babies nursery my one question is, what do you suggest if we have to paint 2 coats of the chevron pattern? Knowing our walls, they seem to always need 2-3coats. But knowing you said to take the paint off before it dries I’m curious what we should do…any tips?! THANK YOU!

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      October 29, 2015 at 9:20 am

      Hi Heather, No problem about the 2 coats of paint. Apply the second coat a few hours after the first and you’ll be able to take the tape off the same day. It will be fine, just don’t leave the tape on there for days. You know, dry enough for a second coat isn’t the same as hardened on the wall for a week. 🙂 Good luck!

      Reply
  30. Bethany says

    January 14, 2016 at 11:44 am

    Hello! Love your tutorial! I’m getting ready to chevron a wall in my nursery and I’m trying to decide if I want to do 4 peaks or 5. I was curious how wide your wall was to get a better idea. My wall is approximately 140″ wide.

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kathy Onarheim says

      January 26, 2016 at 11:48 pm

      Bethany – the wall I did was 137.75 wide and 95 inches high….picture is in my comment below yours. SmartGirl is a smartone!

      Reply
      • Bethany says

        February 10, 2016 at 10:53 am

        Thank you, Kathy!

        SmartGirl, would you mind telling me how wide your wall was? Thanks!!

      • SmartGirl says

        February 12, 2016 at 3:07 pm

        Hi Bethany! I just measured it and it’s 163″

  31. Kathy Onarheim says

    January 26, 2016 at 11:46 pm

    Thank you for leaving this posted! Your directions by far had all the critical points and clearly stated. The INSIDE OUTSIDE for taping was crucial and not clear or even stated in other’s postings. Your math formula helped a whole lot too. I just finished a wall in my soon to arrive grandbaby’s nursery. Thank you again! It turned out wonderfully and without frustrations! Picture here: https://flic.kr/p/DpZVbn

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      January 27, 2016 at 11:58 pm

      Hi Kathy! Thanks so much for the comment. This is definitely one of my most popular posts and I keep telling myself I should do an update of the room, but I would have to clean the heck out of it because my daughter is not the neatest of teens. lol Congratulations on the grandbaby!! I love the yellow stripe.

      Reply
  32. Marisa says

    February 21, 2016 at 5:05 pm

    I love this tutorial and want to do my wall like this. The measurement are 88 inches tall and 100inches wide. How would I accomplish this. Thank you.

    Reply
  33. Megan says

    March 27, 2016 at 8:37 pm

    Thank you so much for you post! Your guidelines worked perfectly and my wall looks great! I followed all your suggestions. I did a grey wall with pink chevron accents. I will send a picture.

    Reply
  34. Elizabeth says

    May 15, 2016 at 7:17 pm

    Thanks for your awesome tutorial! Just finished my daughter’s room and your post made it soooo easy!

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      May 16, 2016 at 9:52 pm

      Awesome! Thanks for letting me know!

      Reply
  35. Kamirah says

    August 2, 2016 at 11:16 am

    I love this! Way cheaper than buying so many stencils, and I love the gray color you used, do you know the name and brand by chance?

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      August 3, 2016 at 8:57 am

      Thanks! It’s BEHR Misty Morn #PPU12-10 from Home Depot.

      Reply
  36. Tricia Vaughn says

    August 16, 2016 at 9:22 am

    Hi. I LOVE this wall and I am about to attempt it in my daughters room. My wall height is 90 and the width is 114 1/2 so would it be 5 horizontal lines 15″ apart and 9 vertical lines 19 1/8″ apart?

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      September 29, 2016 at 12:39 pm

      Hi Tricia, Sorry for the extremely long delay! I have updated the post to make calculations even easier. Your horizontal measurements is correct: 5 lines 15″ apart

      But you need to divide by 10 to get the spacing for the vertical lines. It’s 9 vertical lines 11 7/16″ apart.

      Good luck!

      Reply
  37. Jacqueline Fernandez says

    September 12, 2016 at 11:39 pm

    Hi there and thanks for such a great tutorial. I apologize in advance for the repetitive question regarding drawing the grid on paper with the calculations but I still can’t seem to draw my grid properly. Please please help. If I have 8ft in height and 12 ft long. How many chevrons and how many bases do I do along the bottom. Sooooo lost. thank you in advance.

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      September 29, 2016 at 11:19 am

      Hi Jacqueline, sorry for the delay. I just updated the math portion of the post to clarify a few things. Let me know if it makes any more sense now. You didn’t mention how many chevrons you want or how thick, so I’m just going to assume you want it to look like mine.

      For the height — you need to draw 5 horizontal grid lines starting at the corner of your wall. Space them out 16″. 96/2(3) = 16″

      For the width — you will draw 9 lines starting from the baseboard. Space them out 14 3/8″

      Good luck!

      Reply
  38. Maria C says

    November 11, 2016 at 3:39 pm

    Hi Liz,
    I am proud to say I did my calculations, sketched out my pattern and am ready to draw my grid , tape off my chevrons and paint. But… one last question… how did you get the pencil off the walls? Just with a damp cloth? Some other trick? Thanks for your response!

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      November 14, 2016 at 12:07 pm

      Yay Maria! I just used an eraser, but depending on your paint color you may be able to paint over the lines. Chalk works even better because you can just rub it right off. Also you really only need to mark the corners, not the whole line, so there will be less erasing. Good luck!!

      Reply
  39. Michelle says

    November 23, 2016 at 12:44 pm

    I’m a little confused…ugh. Could you please help? My wall height is 102″ high & width is 144″. I want 4 chevrons & 5 peaks. What is the box size? Thanks in advance 🙂

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      November 26, 2016 at 10:03 pm

      Need to make a change…change to 3 chevrons with 5 peaks! Please check my math…5 marks up the wall at 17″ apart & 9 marks across the wall at 14 1/4″ apart..is this correct?? Thank you 🙂

      Reply
      • SmartGirl says

        November 28, 2016 at 9:23 am

        A+ …That is exactly right! Good work! I can’t wait to hear how it goes.

      • Michelle says

        November 30, 2016 at 1:22 am

        Marking the grid was definitely the most time consuming but so worth it in the end! The wall turned out great! Light spa green/teal with chunky white chevrons…my daughter loves it! Thank you 🙂

  40. Brittany says

    December 29, 2016 at 10:13 pm

    I need help doing my nursery! I want your width and thickness of chevron. My height is 96 in and my width is 138in. I’m no good at math so please help me!

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      February 13, 2017 at 9:04 pm

      I’m so sorry Brittany, this comment snuck by me…

      Draw 9 vertical lines 13 3/4″ apart. (138/2*5=13.8)
      Draw 5 horizontal lines 16″ apart. (96/2*3=16)

      I hope it’s not too late!

      Reply
  41. Renaté says

    January 23, 2017 at 4:11 pm

    What is the proper name for that style bed, please?? I’ve been looking for years for a bed frame (queen size), that has head AND foot wrap-around styling, like the one in this tutorial… with no luck. If I had the proper search term, my pursuit might eventually bear fruit! Our mattress tends to slide askew of the box spring when “someone” falls onto to bed, rather than placing themself onto the mattress.
    Thank you!!!

    Renaté

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      January 28, 2017 at 6:32 pm

      I don’t know! I did a search for you and found a bunch of beds using the term “curved footboard”. Check these out on Etsy… https://www.etsy.com/search?q=curved%20footboard

      Reply
      • Renaté says

        January 28, 2017 at 9:14 pm

        Thank you SO MUCH!!!

        Crazy this: Was flipping thru a warehouse bulk buy advertisement last night and saw a bedroom set called Missandrei – with “curved” head & footboards!!! But I will enjoy scrolling thru all the samples at the link you provided! I’m in the market for a light wood finish as it’s for a shore home. I really appreciate your assistance!!!

        XoxOxoX

  42. Stephanie says

    January 24, 2017 at 4:28 pm

    I love your tutorial but I am horrible at math and need your help if you don’t mind. The wall I need to paint is 127 inches across and 93 3/4 up and down. My daughter would like 6 peaks and 5 of the white chevrons. I started the wall and I can tell I did something wrong. Please help!

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      February 13, 2017 at 8:58 pm

      Hi Stephanie. No worries!! You provided the perfect info…

      Draw 9 horizontal lines, 9 1/2″ apart. (94/2*5=9.4)
      Draw 11 vertical lines 10 1/2″ apart. (127/2*6=10.58)

      Good luck!!!

      Reply
  43. Danielle says

    June 24, 2017 at 1:38 am

    Hello I am trying to figure out my proportions currently. But am some what confusioned. Can you help me out? My height is 94 and my width is 106. I want 4 chevrons with 4 peaks I do believe.

    Reply
  44. Ana L Perez says

    September 29, 2017 at 1:51 pm

    hi Liz!!!, we are moving and I was searching for a perfect way to design Leo’s new room. I saw a photo of a light blue contrast chevron design and thought it perfect for her room. Wow I did not know you has a deco site, nice! will be using your ideas.

    (laurita)

    Reply
    • SmartGirl says

      December 1, 2017 at 10:00 am

      That is so funny! I am always surprised when I google something and find a picture of my house too! Or Pinterest. I hope the move went well!!

      Reply
  45. Debora Dale says

    April 11, 2018 at 2:24 pm

    I need help please, height 88″ , length 115″, want 4 peaks, and 4 chevron

    Reply
  46. Amber says

    October 3, 2018 at 8:57 am

    Hey Smart Girl,
    I am looking to do a chevron wall for my living room, but I am no math genius. I’m looking towards 5 peaks and 4 chevrons. The height of my wall is 93 1/2 inches and the width is 179 1/2. Please assist whenever you can!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Back porch office turned guest room | parttimemartha says:
    July 14, 2015 at 8:25 pm

    […] hours  combing the internet not sure if this was gonna be too hard and then stumbled onto this great blog post with is formula: height/2x = space between lines where x = the number of chevrons. And I like […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Smart Girls DIY Blogs about using Barker Cabinets in her kitchen renovation
How to build and make stuff with Smart Girls DIY
Smart Girls DIY blogs about all her crazy adventures as a Girl Scout troop leader
Christmas crafts and projects by Smart Girls DIY
Visit Smart Girl's profile on Pinterest.

Never miss a post again

* indicates required

Sponsors

Let’s Stay Connected

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

How To

How to make santa logs
How to make a Jake and the Neverland Pirates costume for any age
How to tile a herringbone floor
How to hang a heavy mirror
How to install carpet yourself
How to build an arbor
How to Build Custom Ikea Shelves
How to install hardwood flooring
How to install a hex tile floor
How to seal an asphalt driveway
How to build a custom shower pan
How to hang ukuleles on your wall
21 Free Nativity Printables

Copyright © 2022 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.