DIY - Board and Batten

Adding board and batten on a single wall is a very easy project that will add lots of character to a boring room.

I recently completed work in our dining room, which is the room contiguous to this, our living space. Christmas was just two days away which meant I had to clean and make this room presentable for the holiday. Well, I went the extra mile installing a simple wooden grid or board and batten. It went quickly, in only two days this area got completely transformed!

Telephone Wall Sign

This is the reason I wanted to install the board and batten here. This is such a big wall, whatever I hung in there was lost. Well, the only thing that fitted nicely was the old window gallery, you can see it HERE. But, after having it for more than two years, it was time to let it go.

The cost of the wood for this wall alone was under $200. And let me tell you, I didn't go for the cheapest materials. I got primed finger-joint pine material. That's what I almost always use for trim around the house.  I didn't want to deal with MDF. I don't have a table saw, ripping it would've been a pain. Same thing for sanding and priming all that material.

For this 12' x  9' wall this is the wood I used:

• 1 x 4  - 56 feet
• 1 x 8  - 12 feet
• 1 x 6  - 12 feet
• Crown Molding - 12.5 feet  ( 9/16 x 4-5/8)
• Wall Cap -  24 feet

*This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Note: I gave all the material a light sanding, cleaning, and two coats of Behr Swiss Coffee - Semi-Gloss finish before cutting it.  It went fast using one of those Purdy mini rollers and covers.

Other materials and tools:

• Paint and painting materials. 
• Level - I used a compact laser level, but keep a regular level handy.
• Pneumatic Nailer (you can use a hammer and regular nails, but it will take longer).
• 2½" brad nails for crown and the 1x material - 1¼" brad nails for wall cap.
• Tape Measure
• Miter Saw
• 120 grid Sandpaper
• Caulking

| RYOBI Compact Laser Level |

I had removed the tiny baseboards long ago, so I went directly to patching holes, cleaning the drywall, and giving the wall two coats of Behr - Swiss Coffee - Satin finish.

The next step is very important: Find the studs on the wall and mark their location.

The 1 x 8 baseboard was the one I installed first, driving the nails to where the studs were located.

Then, using the Ryobi compact laser level, I marked the location for the horizontal 1 x 4 & 1 x 6  boards, again, securing them to the studs on the wall.

Mark the location and check the level line for the vertical pieces. Placing the board on the wall and doing a simple pencil mark was all the measuring I needed.

Many of these pieces weren't secured to the studs, I didn't even apply liquid nails on those. If I get tired of this wall treatment, later on, it will be easy to remove. ;)  Three nails to the drywall kept them in place.

The top part was done with a 1 x 6,  the crown molding at the top, and the wall cap sitting on the lower part of the 1 x 6.

And hey, no, I'm not a lefty, I was holding the nailer with my left hand while I took the pic to show you how to hold that long piece of trim when there's no one helping you.  As usual, Gaffers Tape does the trick for me. ;)

I've been happy to put this, the Ryobi 18-Volt 15-Gauge AirStrike Cordless Angled Nailer to good use. Perfect for installing crown molding, no need to have a compressor by the side, and the ability to drive 2.5" 15-gauge nails all the way thru.

On another note, please  PLEASE, don't install the boards leaving an overhang on the baseboard. If you don't want to remove the baseboards, my blogging friend Alicia found a great way to solve that problem right HERE.

The next task is to go and patch all those nail holes. I didn't have the usual brand I use, but I heard that this wall spackling paste works well, so, that's what I used. I filled those holes twice, waiting for the paste to dry in between coats and then, a light sanding.

Acrylic Latex Caulk was used to fill those long gaps alongside the ceiling, wall, and in between boards. It makes a huge difference!

The baseboard was topped off with the wall cap molding.

I always like it when I find measurements on a project, it makes me visualize my project much better. These are the measurements for this wall. Oops, I see I didn't add the total height, :/  9 feet.

This room is not finished yet, I still need to install the crown all around, frame that big door in between the two rooms, trim the windows, and paint the other walls. Oh, and that shoe molding isn't attached either.

But hey, I love how it looks with this featured wall! Look at that tiny baseboard on that window/wall. :D That's gonna be my enemy next week. :/

Here is the look from the other side of the room, with the dining room/office peeking there on the left.

Here's a recent picture of this room:

| Fall Living Room Decor |

Here are some more DIY Home Decor ideas you might want to check:

Laundry Room Makeover

Valentine's Day Mantel

DIY - Plywood Floors

*Ryobi Tools were given to me to try out, 

I love them so much that they are the tools I use for my everyday projects. 

All stated opinions are my own.*

Affiliate links were added for your convenience.

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