How to create a DIY Board and Batten Wall! We’ve done a few board and batten walls over the last few years, and we are still loving how easy it is to add character and interest to a wall in your home! I’m breaking down step by step how to create a board and batten accent wall in your home!
This week for the $100 Room Challenge I’m tackling another wall in our laundry room – and creating a DIY board and batten wall! I’m adding some pegs to one of the boards to add some functional storage and a place to hang clothing. For this wall I’m also taking a risk – painting with a color I’ve never used on a wall before … Black!
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WEEK 1 | WEEK 2 | WEEK 3 | WEEK 4 | WEEK 5
I’m joining up for this $100 Room Challenge with some other amazing bloggers, and our host is Erin from Lemons, Lavender, and Laundry. She has been hosting this challenge for 5 years, and has done some amazing projects in her home!
A board and batten wall is simply adding wood to a wall in a pattern. This is a great way to add some visual interest to a space and create an accent wall! It gives a space so much dimension and character. We have added board and batten to our daughter’s room (in one of our previous houses), and to our entry/mudroom in our last home as seen here:
You can add hooks or pegs to the top horizontal board for added function and storage. If you have an entryway the hooks are so useful to hang purses, backpacks, coats, etc. For our new laundry room I was so excited to change it up and add peg hooks for some wall storage. If you have a small space, adding storage wherever you can is a must!
Our last two board and batten projects were so fun, and I ended up painting them white so they blended in with the baseboards and had a classic traditional look. This time for my laundry room makeover I wanted to mix it up and paint it DARK! I’ve been loving some darker paint colors lately as accents, and I wanted to create a big visual impact with this board and batten DIY project.
I went with the color Iron Ore from Sherwin Williams for the board and batten because I had some extra paint from another project. When you’re working with a small budget (like $100 for one room!) you need to get creative and use what you have on hand! I think so far I have used 4 different colors in this room that were all leftover paint from previous projects!
Small Laundry Room Makeover
The first project I tackled in our small laundry room makeover was painting our oak cabinets above our washer and dryer. I used a combination of products to paint the cabinets without sanding them, and they turned out so good! The color is beautiful. I’m excited to add on some new handles to finish them off!
You can see my project last week for our budget friendly laundry room makeover here – a DIY handpainted accent wall! I wanted to create the look of wallpaper just by using paint, and it totally worked! When my oldest daughter walked into our laundry room right after I finished the handpainted wallpaper wall, she said “Oh! You added wallpaper! It looks nice!” That definitely made me feel like I had accomplished my goal.
RELATED: HOW TO APPLY PEEL & STICK WALLPAPER
This week I had Nic help me install a new light fixture (goodbye florescent light! I won’t miss you!) and he also cut the boards for the board and batten and nailed them to the wall. After he installed the peg hooks I caulked the edges, added wood filler to the nail holes, and then painted everything! We are both LOVING how it turned out!
Materials Needed:
- Nails
- Nail Gun
- Caulk
- Caulk Gun
- Wood Filler
- Sand Paper
- Level
- Stud Finder
- Miter Saw
- Paint
- Paint brush
- Wood pegs
- Drill Spade Bits
- Wood Glue
How to create a DIY Board and Batten Wall
STEP 1 : Measure your space
With our board and batten we went with the full length of the wall. You’ll want to measure the length of the wall to get your measurement for the horizontal board that runs along the top. Then you will need to determine how high up the wall you want it to go.
Keep in mind that you need to factor in the width of the horizontal board because that will add some height to it after it’s installed. Your measurements will tell you how many boards you need to buy for your board and batten project. I used 3.5 inch wide common boards that you can get for around $4-$6 each at Home Depot. We used some scrap wood we had from previous projects for the vertical boards, and purchased the longest horizontal board for $6.
STEP 2 : Decide how many vertical boards you want to install
This step really depends on your preference, but I like around 15-20 inches of space between each vertical board. You can make adjustments however you like, this will make it customized to you! This website is a great resource for calculating dimensions for board and batten!
STEP 3 : Install your horizontal board
Once you have your horizontal board measured and cut, place it on the wall to ensure that it’s the right size. Make adjustment cuts if needed with a miter saw. As the saying goes, measure twice and cut once!
When it’s ready to be installed use a nail gun (this cordless rechargeable nail gun is Nic’s favorite!) and a level to nail it into place. It’s also helpful to use a stud finder to locate the studs (this magnetic one is awesome) and make sure to nail the board into the studs for a secure hold. Make sure to use your level!
STEP 4 : Cut & install your vertical boards
Now that you have your horizontal board up, you can start cutting and installing your vertical boards. Sometimes wood can be a little wonky and not be exactly level. Well, I should say MOST of the time it’s wonky! So Nic measures each space where a vertical board will go to make sure he has the exact measurement for the length.
Again, use your level to make sure each vertical board is straight before nailing it into the wall. Bonus points if you are able to align them up with studs in the wall using your stud finder to make sure they aren’t going anywhere!
TIP: If you aren’t able to line up a board to a stud, nail in 2 nails near each other and make sure to nail them in at opposite angles. If you angle the nail on the left towards the right, and angle the nail on the right towards the left, you’ll create a strong hold. This makes the board snug to the wall and those angled nails will keep it in place.
Our next step was adding wood pegs for storage. Nic used a drill bit spade attachment on his drill to create large holes, and they were the perfect size for the shaker wood pegs! I added some wood glue to the ends of the pegs and placed them in the holes, allowing plenty of time for the glue to dry.
STEP 5 : Caulk the seams and wood fill the holes
Now it is time to seal the boards to the wall and give it a smooth finish! Using paintable caulk fill in the gaps between the boards and the wall, smoothing it out with your finger afterwards. It also helps to have a small cup of water nearby so you can dip your finger in the water first, and then smooth out the caulk line.
Then you will fill any nail holes or knots in the wood with wood filler. I love to use this plastic wood because of how easy it is to use! I just apply it directly to the hole, squeeze enough out to over-fill the hole, and then gently pat it down with my finger. It’s always best to over-fill to make sure that you don’t have to go back and do it again a second time. After it has dried lightly sand over the wood filler spots to ensure a smooth flat finish.
STEP 6 : Paint the board and batten!
Now it’s time to paint! You can paint a coat of primer on the boards first to help with the coverage of your paint, and then apply your paint after the primer has dried. I used 2 coats of paint to get an even finish. I actually painted my wall first with a roller, and then after the boards were installed I painted the wood with an angled paint brush.
Here is how the DIY board and batten wall is looking:
What do you think?? It make such a statement and creates so much visual interest! I’m so excited with how this DIY board and batten wall turned out!
Laundry Room Makeover Checklist:
Paint oak cabinetsSpray paint cabinet pulls& installPaint accent wall- Build wood shelf below cabinets
Build DIY peg rack & board and battenClean the floor tile groutPurchase a new laundry hamperAdd a new light fixture- DIY artwork
Now I have a couple more things to complete. I’ll be building a wood shelf for under the cabinets, making some DIY artwork, and adding artwork! I’m so excited to add some laundry room decor and finish off this budget friendly laundry room makeover. Hopefully this has given you some laundry room ideas for your own home!
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