I want to show you that completing a board and batten wall is easier than you might think. It may seem intimidating however, its a great beginner project and can be completed in a few days.
What is board and batten?
Board and batten is a nicer way to describe adding wood/MDF strips onto a wall to create a pattern/design. This is a great design option because the board and batten can really enhance a room or wall simply by adding wood. There are many difference designs to choose from to customize your space.
This is the first room that I have added board and batten to however, I already have plans to add other board and batten designs throughout my home.
Materials:
1 x 2 x 12ft primed MDF
1 x 3 x 10ft primed MDF
1 x 4 x 10ft primed MDF
Wood Filler
Paintable Caulk
Tools:
Nail Gun
2in brad nails
Miter Saw (or have the boards cut at the hardware store)
Paint Level
Step 1: Determine the height and paint color
What's great about board and batten is that it is very customizable. I've seen it taken all the way up the wall, halfway, 3/4 of the wall up, etc. I have 9ft ceiling so I wanted the top board to be placed at 5ft and made a line across the entire room. I then added two coats of paint to the walls prior to adding any vertical slats. Your painting doesn't have to be perfect but serves as your blank canvas.
Step 2: Mark the studs & figure out spacing.
Find and mark the studs using a stud finder. Whenever possible, we want to shoot our nails into the studs though this is not always possible. To determine the spacing I recommend using this online calculator. It's extremely easy to work with and will give you the measurements you need! We want to work smarter not harder. Simply enter the width of your wall, the width of the boards and the number of panels you want.
Once you have your spacing, cut your boards to size.
Step 3: Attach your Horizontal Boards
Don't assume that your walls/baseboards are level. More often they are not (especially in this house) and this will get you into trouble every time. I recommend attaching the top horizontal board first. You can remove the baseboard or leave them in place, this is a personal preference. . I ended up removing mine and added a 1x3in primed MDF board in its place. Nail the top and bottom horizontal boards into the marked studs.
Step 4: Attach the Vertical Boards
I would recommend using a scrap piece of wood as a spacer board to simplify the process. I did not do this and simply measured out where the vertical boards needs to be placed. Start from the left and work your way right. Its best to nail the boards at the top, middle, and bottom at a slight angle to help grip the wall. Use your level to make sure the boards are straight.
Step 5: Finish Work
After all the boards are secured to the wall, its time for the finish work. This step will be very tedious and will take longer than you think (definitely took longer than I thought). Don't skip this step because this is what takes the projects from that "DIY" look to the professional and clean look. Use the wood filler and paintable caulk to complete this step.
TIP: wood to wood = wood filler, wood to wall = caulk.
Let everything dry and then sand the wood filler. Once the sanding is complete, I recommend vacuuming up and wiping down the walls prior to painting to remove the dust.
Now its time to paint and tada you have a beautiful room/feature wall!
XOXO
Jillian
Comments