Foolproof Board and Batten Walls: A Step By Step Guide
Today I’m going to show you how easy and affordable it is to create a beautiful statement in your space with this foolproof board and batten tutorial!
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Hey friends! One of the things I am asked about all the time is the DIY board and batten accent wall in sweet Caleb’s nursery. I’m finally taking the time to walk you through it with step by step instructions and show you just how simple making this design vision come to life.
If you follow along on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, you know how much I love DIY projects as they save us so much money on renovations without hiring a contractor. Board and batten paneling is a great way to take your wall from a blank canvas to a beautiful wall feature. We loved it so much that we also installed board and batten in our dining room as well. Plus, it is so easy that any beginner DIY-er can do it!
Foolproof Board and Batten – Step 1
First, my husband nailed 1×4 pine boards horizontally with brad nails, 78 inches up from the existing baseboards. He used his brad nailer, and you could also use a nail gun and Liquid Nails for extra adhesion. Honestly, you could use a hammer and nails too, it just may take you longer haha You can also opt to use pre-primed boards, but it is not necessary.
NOTE – It is SO important to use a level during this first step! We live in an old house where both the walls and floors are rarely straight. The floors especially have settled over time, so while it’s still important to measure as a general guide, be sure to use your level as well. Five feet from the floor in one area might be lower than 5 feet from the floor in another area. This is not one of those lessons you want to learn the hard way haha
The reason why the 1×4 top horizontal board is already painted in all these photos is because in my previous nursery design I had already asked my husband to complete this step. I prefer using a paint roller, but a paint brush works just fine too. You can use sand paper to sand down any areas that don’t feel level or smooth. The 1×4 strips served as a perfect ledge for letters that spelled ‘Ethan’, and it also created a division for multiple colors.
When we refinished the nursery for our third baby boy, I knew I wanted board and batten. Rather than replacing the 1×4 trim, we decided to keep it and incorporate it into the plan. You could of course use a 1×2 or a 1×3, but we stuck with what was already there.
Foolproof Board and Batten – Step 2
Once your horizontal 1×4 top board is nailed in place, it’s time to add the vertical boards. We chose pine 1×2’s for this design and we spaced them 14 inches apart. We measured everything out ahead of time and marked each place where a board would go with a pencil. You could use a spacer board if you don’t want to mark where everything goes with a pencil, or just to be extra sure your boards are all evenly spaced out.
Then we simply measured the distance between the bottom of the 1×4 and the top of the baseboards. Be sure you measure each and every space before you make your cuts. Some boards were a quarter inch shorter or longer depending on the floors. Because the boards were lightweight, we didn’t feel the need to use a stud finder and nail them into the wall studs.
Foolproof Board and Batten – Step 3
After we nailed all our boards into place, I filled all the nail holes with spackling and caulked any gaps or seams between the wood boards and the wall. You can use wood filler and paintable caulk for this step as well. Not only will this give your paint job more durability, it will also help to make the overall finish more even and smooth. It is definitely a tedious and time consuming step, but it truly is so important not to skip this part!
Foolproof Board and Batten – Step 4
After the spackling and caulk was dry it was time to paint. I used “Cool Metalwork Grey” by Glidden and everything got two coats. Like I said previously, I prefer to use a paint roller but you will definitely need a small brush to get into all of the corners and properly cover every surface. I really loved how this color of paint turned out in this space! It is a beautiful, neutral color that is perfect for a boys nursery.
And that’s it! So simple right? Board and batten is truly so easy to install and it just elevates any room it is installed in. I have used this same guide for many other rooms in my home including my other boys room!
I chose a beautiful woodland wall paper for the space above the board and batten, and you can read about all the other details in the nursery design here. The inspiration for this room all started with the whimsical wall paper that we used above the board and batten.
I fell in love with the sweet forest animals and the soft cream and beige color scheme it had, and I just knew the paper would be so precious in a nursery, girl or boy. A few collaborations with some amazing small-shop owners led to this complete room makeover, and we are so in love with the way it turned out. Honestly, this room is one of my favorites now. I smile every time I walk into this space!
Well friends, that is my simple step by step guide for a board and batten accent wall! Do you love board and batten as much as I do? Let me know in the comments below! Board and batten goes so well with any style, I just love how classic it is. Thanks so much for stopping by today friends!
PIN IT FOR LATER
How much space is left on the top? I want to do a similar wallpaper look and it represents every 2 feet. I just don’t know if that’s enough space. Also do you think it would look odd to hang a nicknack shelf lower on the board & batten area?
Hello! Honestly you can make it any height, it’s a personal preference, so if you wanted, just make it high enough to only allow the 2 feet at the top! Also, I think a shelf wouldn’t look odd at all! 🙂
I love this guide! I want to do this as an accent wall in my bedroom but I think I can do it on my own. Seems intimidating with just the thought. So the bottom trim is not flushed with the vertical boards? I was thinking I had to find the perfect size so it’s all flushed together.
You can definitely do it on your own! As far as the trim goes, it all depends on the trim type that you have in your home, mine is flat on the top so it does line up for the most part, I hope this makes sense. But like I said either way, I am confident you can tackle this project on your own!