Learn the simple, easy way to add board and batten to your home, with tips for protecting your baseboards and time-saving painting tricks! You’ll love the impact this easy DIY makes!
I first tackled board and batten walls in my living room back in the early days of my blog. It was a big job for a brand-new DIYer in such a large room, but I’m so glad I did it. It’s a simple project (it just took forever with that much space), and it makes a major architectural impact.
More than 10 years later, it’s still one of my all-time favorite posts.
When I was planning my girls’ bathroom refresh, I knew the tiny space needed high impact and also a functional spot for hooks! So board and batten was a win-win for this room.
I originally planned to paint everything white: the walls, the board and batten, all of it. But while I like white, I’m a pop-of-color girl at heart. As I painted over the gray walls, I had a nagging feeling it would be TOO much white. I needed some color.
I spent a few days thinking about how to add color, and it hit me that I could paint the board and batten blue/green for an extra pop. (See this post for more on how I came to that decision.) I had no idea how it would turn out, and it was hard to find inspiration photos, but I decided to go for it.
And I’m absolutely IN LOVE!
It couldn’t have turned out more perfectly. I absolutely love it! So if you want to do things a little differently, flip your colors! It’s so fun in a small space like a bathroom, laundry room or closet. Go for it if you love this look as much as I do!
This is part of the full Girls’ Bathroom Refresh, where you can find all of the plans. Now that the painting is done, I can’t wait to add the vinyl floor tiles and the decorative touches!
What Is Board and Batten?
Before we jump into the how-to, let’s break it down. Board and batten is a type of wall paneling, originally used on home exteriors, that has moved indoors as a stylish design feature. It’s made of flat panels (the “board”) with narrow vertical strips (the “batten”) covering the seams where the boards meet. The result is a textured, dimensional look.
It’s loved for its versatility and often used in bathrooms, bedrooms and hallways to give walls a little extra flair. Whether you like modern farmhouse, coastal charm or minimalist vibes, board and batten can suit almost any home decor style.
How Much Does a Board and Batten Project Cost?
If you’re wondering about the cost and the money you’ll need to commit, my boards and paint came to $42 total when I did this project back in 2016.
Breakdown from 2016:
$25 for the boards
$17 for the paint
I used common pine boards, but that would get pretty expensive for a large space.
Obviously, this would cost more today since lumber prices have gone up, but it’s still a budget-friendly DIY.
Cheaper options include furring strips, MDF boards ripped down to size, or lattice for your “battens.”
In the end I went with the pricier common pine boards because they’re usually straight (check them before you buy) and have nicely squared corners. I didn’t want to worry about warped boards or ones I’d have to rip down. Since the area was so small, it was fine. For a larger space, try one of the cheaper options above.
Planning Ahead
Before you start, sketch out your plan, or at least think it through. Ask yourself these questions:
- Will you use boards AND battens, or just battens? The traditional method covers the entire wall with flat boards for a smooth surface, then adds vertical “batten boards” over the seams for the effect. The traditional way works best on textured walls. If your walls are smooth like mine, you can skip the boards and just add top trim and vertical battens. It’s cheaper and easier if it works for your walls!
- What color will you paint your board and batten? I used Simply White for the living room and Wythe Blue for the girls’ bathroom. Both are Benjamin Moore colors, and I had them color-matched at Lowe’s.
- What height will your top board be? I have some suggestions in Step #1, but consider any factors that will affect your decision, like a permanent fixture in the room (such as a fireplace or built-in bookcase) or decor that will hang above the board and batten. It helps to picture this line running all the way around your room.
- Will you keep your current baseboards or replace them entirely? I kept mine and cut the bottoms of my battens at a 45º angle so they look like they’re resting on the baseboards instead of hanging over them. If you have chunkier baseboards, you may not need to angle the bottoms. You could also replace your baseboards with chunkier ones. It’s up to you!
- Will you use large, chunky boards or thin boards such as lattice?
- Will you use one horizontal board or two?
- Will the bottom horizontal board sit on top of your baseboards or replace them?
There are so many ways to personalize board and batten, so be sure to think through exactly what you want before you start!
As always, I recommend reading through the entire process and all of the steps before you start. You may decide to do things differently than I did, and you may need to do some more research.
Supplies for Board and Batten
- Boards, per your space and preferences. If you want to duplicate my look, I used:
- 1 x 4 board for the horizontal piece, cut to the length of your wall
- 1 x 3 boards for the vertical pieces, cut to the height of your boards, one for each batten you plan to use
- 1 x 2 board for the top ledge “shelf,” cut to the length of your wall
- Paint – I only used half a quart, but you’ll need to adjust for your space. (Paint colors I used: Simply White & Wythe Blue, both by Benjamin Moore.)
- Primer – for priming the raw boards before painting
- Miter Saw (Any saw will do, or you can have the hardware store cut your boards, but I prefer cutting my own with my miter saw. This saw also makes my 45º angle trick for the bottoms of the boards pretty easy!)
- Brad nailer – (My older brad nailer works great, but if I were buying one today, I’d get this one!) You can also use a hammer and nails if you don’t have a nailer.
- 2″ brad nails
- Level
- Laser Level
- Spackling compound
- Paintable caulk
- Medium to fine grit sandpaper
- Liquid Nails, optional
This is an easy DIY that uses very basic power tools, so a beginner can totally handle it!
Instructions for Board and Batten
1. Start at the Top
Work out the height of your top board & mark it.
I usually recommend placing it either a third or two-thirds of the way up your wall. Thirds look more pleasing to the eye than anything else, so it will simply look nicer. If other factors matter more, place it wherever makes the most sense.
I knew I wanted the board and batten at a height where I could add hooks that my girls could reach to hang their towels. I also had to account for the huge piece of art I planned to hang above it.
So my top board sits 42″ above the top of my baseboards.
This is the line you’ll paint up to when you paint the wall in Step #4!
2. Plan Your Battens
Decide how many battens (vertical boards) you want & how far apart they should be.
This will determine how many boards you need. It’s a good idea to nail them directly into your wall studs, so use a stud finder to locate the studs and let those be your board positions.
Most studs are either 24 or 16 inches apart. Luckily mine were 16 inches apart and lined up perfectly with my wall, so I could space the boards evenly with each one nailed into a stud. I also added boards at the ends of the wall, and I love how they finish it off!
3. Cut Your Boards
When working in a large space, I like to measure each board individually, because baseboards aren’t always level. So you would measure each vertical board separately and cut it to that length. I only had four boards, so I measured once, cut them all to that length, and it worked out fine!
NOTE: If you’re keeping your baseboards, like I did, and the battens will hang over them, I recommend cutting the bottoms of the boards at a 45º angle. This makes the boards look like they’re resting on the baseboards instead of hanging over. If you use thinner boards, like lattice, you won’t need to cut an angle.
4. Paint Everything First!
BIG TIP! I highly, highly recommend painting the wall AND the boards before you nail anything to the wall. It will save so much time in the long run, because you won’t have to paint around every crack and crevice more than once.
I painted the wall twice, primed the raw wood boards once, and then applied two coats of paint to the boards.
That way, when it’s time to paint over the spackle (from filling the nail holes) and caulk the seams, you’ll only need one quick coat to cover any spots, and then you’re done!
5. Mark where each board will go.
I recommend doing this before you nail up the top rail. I even set everything in place and held it up with painter’s tape to get a visual idea of how it will look.
6. Nail the horizontal board up first.
Use a laser level along the wall if you need to nail several boards at the same height. I only had one board this time, so I used my regular level. But I nailed up many boards in my living room, and the laser level came in handy there!
It’s crucial that you use a level when nailing up any board, whether horizontal or vertical. Your eyes can play tricks on you, so I never nail up a board without checking that it’s level first!
Using 2″ brad nails (or 2″ regular nails), nail each board into a stud whenever possible. You can also use liquid nails on the back of the boards if you want extra security. I’ve never used them, because if I ever want to remove the trim, I don’t want to damage the drywall.
7. Nail Up the Vertical Boards.
Using my nail gun and 2″ brad nails, I attached each vertical board to the wall, making sure each one was level and on a stud when possible.
Use enough nails to hold it in place, but don’t go overboard, because you’ll have to patch every hole!
8. Patch Any Nail Holes.
Once your boards are up and secure, it’s time to patch any nail holes with spackling compound. Since brad nail holes are small, it takes very little to cover each one.
9. While the spackling dries, caulk any seams between boards.
I run a bead of caulk along the seam and wipe it smooth with my finger. This isn’t the best idea, since caulk shouldn’t stay in contact with your skin. It can irritate if you do it for too long, but this small project was fine. I just haven’t found a more effective, better-looking way to get the caulk to look good.
In the photo above you’ll see a caulk finishing kit, but it didn’t work well for me, so I wouldn’t recommend it. If you have better tips, I’m all ears! Just leave them in the comments below.
10. Once dry, sand the spackling until it’s smooth.
I share my best tips for filling small holes in the wall here.
11. Paint It!
Paint over all of the spackling and caulk, and you’re done with your board and batten wall!
Whew, it looks like a lot of work and a lot of steps, but it’s not as complicated as it seems. It’s a very basic DIY that’s great for an experienced beginner, like I was five years ago when I did it in my living room.
You can always start with a small space like your bathroom to get the hang of it!
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