DIY Board & Batten
The thing that I love most about B&B is there is no wrong way to do it. You can use any size boards, spaced however you like and go as high (or low) as you prefer. The options really are endless when it comes to board and batten. Since I've received many questions about it in Social Media, I thought this was a good spot to document it. I've also made it a goal to write more blog posts in 2022 and couldn't think of a better topic to kick it off. So, let's dig in :)
Skinny board & batten (5’ tall). This room has 9’ ceilings for reference.
Thicker Board & Batten that goes all the way to the ceiling
Style - There are so many styles of board and batten that you can incorporate it into any home. I've seen board and batten in almost every room of the home (entryway, bedroom, bathroom, laundry room, mud room, dining room, living room... literally everywhere.
you can do standard craftsmen style board and batten for a more clean and simple look or add decorative trim pieces to give it a more traditional feel. We did 3 different styles in our previous home all using the more standard b&b.
Size & Spacing - there is no wrong answer here. In the 3 different b&b applications we used in the previous home, the board size, height and spacing were all different. The main thing to consider with spacing is the size of your wall and the size of the boards. You do want even spacing for a cleaner look. There are several ways to accomplish this. You can divide the wall in half and then keep dividing your side sections again (until you achieve the desired look) or you can use a calculator such as this one.
Supplies - This will vary slightly based on your project, but the basic supply list is:
boards you will use
nail gun or brad nailer
spackle or wood filler
paint
How to - I always start by rolling out the wall with my paint. I find this to be much easier than cutting in around each board later. I also roll or spray my boards before installing, again I find that it's just easier to do it first.
Once you determine your spacing and height that you prefer, cut your boards to size and attach. Because most walls are not perfectly square, you may want to measure and cut each board individually vs cutting them all the same size. when nailing the boards, I recommend nailing at alternating angles, so the nails hold onto the drywall better.
One other thing to consider is how you will tie your boards into your baseboards. This is going to depend on the type and size of board you are using as well as the type and size of baseboards that you have. Here are a few photos of different ways we have done it.
Once everything is attached, be sure to fill your nail holes, sand and caulk your seams. do any touch up painting as needed.
