This is the third week of the One Room Challenge, and this week I’m sharing how we created a DIY board and batten grid wall with Hart Tools! I’m so happy with how this DIY accent wall turned out, and sharing how we did it!
Thank you to Hart Tools for supplying the tools we needed to complete this project!
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For week 3 of the ORC we created a grid accent wall and are LOVING how it turned out! Head over to read about the One Room Challenge and see the other designers and their room makeovers! This is my fourth time joining the ORC as a guest participant. Checkout my kitchen makeover, girls’ room makeover, and guest bathroom makeover!
WEEK 1 | WEEK 2 | WEEK 3 | WEEK 4 | WEEK 5 | WEEK 6 | WEEK 7 | WEEK 8
DIY Board And Batten Grid Wall
When I was initially putting my design plan together for our master bedroom I knew it had to have a bold accent wall! I had seen grid walls done before as an accent wall, and our bedroom had the perfect wall for it!
We have created board and batten walls a few times, and this was the first time we tried a grid pattern with a board and batten full wall.. It essentially starts with adding vertical boards, then connecting them with smaller horizontal boards to create a grid. Once I did some research on how to create it successfully we got our supplies and Hart tools and got to work!
Creating A Smooth Wall with Paneling
We have very textured walls and wanted to cover them up for this DIY board and batten wall. At Home Depot we purchased some eucaboard backer board in 4ftx8ft sheets (4 total to cover our 8 ft. tall x 16 ft. wide wall). Before we added them to our walls Nic removed the old baseboard along the wall.
Next we measured the location of our outlets and where they would line up on our backer board. Nic traced the shape of the outlet using the outlet cover and then planned to cut on the inside of the rectangle. He used a drill to drill holes in each corner of the rectangle he drew, then fit the blade of the jigsaw in one of the holes to start cutting along the lines.
Then we added them to the wall using some liquid nails and nailed them in around the edges using our brad nailer from Hart Tools. Once they were all up on the wall we were ready to move onto the boards.
Cutting & Nailing The Boards
Next we cut our boards to go along the bottom and top of the wall, and the sides of the wall. We used 1x4x8ft primed boards for this step. You could also use common boards to save money, but using the primed boards saved us time because they were all perfectly straight and didn’t have the abnormalities that common boards tend to have.
After the top, bottom, and sides were done we moved onto the vertical boards. We split the spacing up into 8 vertical sections, making sure to measure to make sure the spacing was as even as possible between the boards.
We used our Hart 10″ Compound Miter Saw to cut our boards to the correct lengths for our wall. It was a dream to use and made the project go by so fast with how easy it was to operate!
After the vertical boards had been nailed in with our Hart 2″ Brad Nailer (after making sure they were straight & level!) it was time to move onto our horizontal batten boards. Because the spacing was not perfectly the same for each space, Nic measured the spacing on each section on the top, middle, and bottom to get exact measurements.
Then he cut the horizontal boards with the Miter Saw and then we nailed them into the wall using 2″ nails with our cordless brad nailer. Nic cut a spacer board to help speed along the process. I would place the spacer board vertically against the top horizontal board, so I would know where to nail-in my smaller horizontal boards. Then I would move it down with each board I nailed in to keep the spacing exactly the same. This was a big time saver so I wouldn’t have to measure each time!
Caulking & Wood Filler
We used wood filler to fill in all of the nail holes and spaces between the boards where they met. Then I caulked the seams with a paintable caulk where the boards met the backer board. This will give you a seamless look in the end – and is definitely worth the time and effort!
After those were dry, I used my Hart Cordless Random Orbit Sander to smooth down the wood filler. The cordless random orbit sander made this part of the process go super fast, and I was done in no time! After it is smooth to the touch it’s ready to go.
Painting the Board and Batten Wall
Next I primed the whole wall to make sure it was covered and ready for the paint. Using primer helps add a “grip” to the surface, and helps the paint adhere better. After I did one coat of primer I was ready to move onto paint.
The paint color I chose for our accent wall is called Graphic Charcoal by Behr. I love the rich dark grey color that still has dimension to it. I got it in a flat finish because I did not want any shine on this board and batten wall. For this wall I wanted it to have a soft velvety feel, and using a flat paint helped achieve this.
First I painted the inside edges of each square, then painted the center making sure to smooth out any brush strokes, and then painted the boards. I worked in vertical sections, and it took me about 4 hours to complete the wall.
What do you think?? I’m LOVING it – and it will be the perfect backdrop for our new bed that should be arriving this week! I’m so happy with how this DIY board and batten grid wall turned out – it looks exactly how I was envisioning it!
To-Do List for the Master Bedroom
Paint the wallsGrid Accent Wall- DIY Barn Door
- New Window Coverings
- New Furniture
- Decorate!
Come back next week to see our new bed and new mattress!
More Projects You Will Love:
- Bathroom Makeover
- $100 Laundry Room Makeover
- How To Paint Oak Cabinets & Hide The Grain
- How To Paint An Interior Door
- Girls’ Room Makeover
