Super Easy Board & Batten Tutorial for a Small Bathroom

How I got the look for less than $25!

Board and Batten.

Oh baby... I love it when you speak sweet nothings to me.

Easy to love, and so many different ways to pull off.

If you're new to DIY construction, this is a great starter project. PLUS, if you have scrap materials lying around, it's hella cheap.

I'm going to show you two different ways to pull off the B&B look depending on which tools are at your disposal. I've included a video tutorial at the end of this post in case you're a hardcore visual learner like me.

Let's do it!

Your Board and Batten Tools and Materials List - Option 1 (aka what I used)

Tools

• Miter saw
• Table saw
• Nail gun + brad nails (2" and 1.25")
• Level
• Sanding wedge
• Paint brush (I keep one wrapped in Saran Wrap in my fridge)

Materials

• Liquid Nails (I keep a tube handy in the garage fridge)
• Wood glue
• Spackle
• Paintable Caulk (I use the DAP brand, also in my fridge)
• Latex paint (semi-gloss or satin sheen) in color of choice
• Joint compound and putty knife (for cleaning up any cosmetic flaws in your drywall)
• Pine 1x4 (6 or 8 feet, depending on the length of your wall)
• Pine 1x2 (6 or 8 feet, depending on the length of your wall)
• Ogee Trim ♥
• 1/4" Plywood scraps, ripped to 2.5" in width
• Towel hooks (I got mine at Lowe's for about a buck a piece).

The only thing I needed to buy from the list above was the pine 1x4, 1x2, ogee trim, and towel hooks. Being the crafty hoarder that I am, I hold on to EVERYTHING for future projects 🙂

The #1 benefit of this design is a smooth transition between your batten and existing baseboards.

Since our basement bathroom was recently gutted and remodeled due to mold, I was not interested in ripping out brand new baseboards.

But let's say you don't have a table saw. This means you can't use MDF or plywood for your batten because you won't be able to rip them down to an appropriate width. No biggie -- you can still keep your baseboards!

Here's an alternate option inspired by this post from The Turquoise Home:

Your Board and Batten Tools and Materials List: Option 2

Tools

• Miter saw
• Nail gun + brad nails (2" and 1.25")
• Level
• sanding wedge
• Paint brush

Materials

• Liquid Nails
• Wood glue
• Spackle for nail holes
• Paintable Caulk
• Latex paint (semi-gloss or satin sheen) in color of choice
• Joint compound and putty knife (optional)
• Pine 1x4
• Pine 1x2
• Pine 1x3
• Towel hooks

No ogee trim, plywood, or table saw for this option. It's going to be a bit more rustic looking without the lavish ogee trim, so you may need to weigh the pros and cons based on the look you're going for.

I'm personally not a huge fan of the tapered 1x3's, but that's just me. You do you, Girl.

For additional info on how to accomplish Option #2, see my Board and Batten video below:

Installing Your Board and Batten

Step 1: Measure the length of your wall where your "header" or shelf (1x4 and 1x2) is going to go.

Step 2: Cut your pieces to length with your miter saw, then do a test fit to make sure it will be snug.

Step 3: I chose to paint my wood before securing to the wall. You could also install everything and then paint if your wall color is staying the same. Once the paint has dried, apply a layer of wood glue to your 1x2 and then nail it to your 1x4 using 1.25" brad nails.

Step 4: Secure your header to the wall. Apply a thin bead of liquid nails to the back, and set it on the wall with your level of top. Nail in place with 2" brad nails. The height you choose is totally up to you. I aligned our header with the grout line of our shower -- simple as that.

Step 5: Cut your ogee trim to the appropriate length. Do a test fit. Paint it, then secure directly below your header with brad nails.

Step 6: Measure the length from your ogee trim to the baseboards. Cut 3-4 strips of plywood to this length. Next, rip your plywood to 2.5" (the same width as a 1x3).

Step 7: Do a test fit with your batten boards. I started with the two outside boards, then measured the space in between. I subtracted 5" for the two remaining boards, then divided the remaining space by 3.

I've seen lots of different suggestions for the gap allowance between batten boards. A lot of people chose a 16" gap and try to apply them directly to studs. My gaps were 8.5" and I think they looked fine. As long as your spacing is consistent, I say go for it.

Step 8: Paint your batten boards and let dry.

Step 9: Apply a thin bead of liquid nails to the back of each batten board, then secure to the wall with 2" brad nails. Pre-mark your positions so there's no guesswork for placement at this point.

Step 10: Fill in all nail holes with spackle. Sand once dry. Fill in your crevices with caulk. Once dry, apply a final coat of paint.

Step 11 (optional): If you have any flaws in your drywall, apply a dab of joint compound and let dry for a few hours. Then, scrape your patch so the wall is smooth again. Apply final coat of paint to cover up the joint compound.

Step 12: Add your hooks.

Step 13: Stand back and admire your work!

Oh yeah, and here's a before and after of our basement bathroom. The hack who lived in our house before us screwed up everything from the water seal in the shower right down to simple wall anchors. We used the shower twice before mold reared its ugly head. Don't quit your day job, dude!

This bathroom is going to get a lot of traffic when the baby is born in April. With the two-pronged hooks I picked out, there will be plenty of room for clothes, towels, washcloths, the whole shebang.

One less thing on my checklist!

Questions? Holler at me in the comment box below.

Cheers,

Erin