Cheap and Easy $10 DIY Board and Batten Wall Tutorial

A STEP BY STEP GUIDE ON ADDING BOARD AND BATTEN TO YOUR HOME FOR CHEAP. AND I MEAN, CHEAP.

One thing that I’m not a huge fan of is a blank wall. I’ve come to really enjoy a textured wall. Whether it’s shiplap, board and batten, wallpaper, build-ins. I’m a fan. I also like a very subtle, neutral color scheme, so there’s definitely a balance for me that I’m maybe even still figuring out.

Since we don’t have a headboard for our bed at the moment, the wall behind it felt so blah. I had a dream of making it some sort of focal wall, but honestly I put it off because I thought it was going to be a big deal. Let me tell you. I was wrong. It barely took me any time at all.

Painting it took longer than the actual board and batten did. And not to mention there’s just something really invigorating about using a nail gun. Especially when you hit the stud every time (…thanks to the stud finder). Gotta love that.

I’m going to walk you through this process, step by step, and show you how you can make this happen in your own house. Say goodbye to boring, blank walls.

Supplies:

1/4″ MDF (2’x4′ board) cut into 2″ x 4′ wide strips
table saw
brad nailer
compressor
tape measure
level (optional)
pencil
paint
spackle
sand paper
paint brush
small paint roller

Find the studs

First, you’ll need to use the stud finder and level to find the studs and mark them. This makes it so much easier once you start nailing the mdf to the wall.

Once the studs are mapped out, you’ll know how many battens you’ll need.

(Optional)

One way to do this is to paint the wall and mdf before you install the battens. This can make the painting process easier. I painted it all once it was installed, but it probably would have made it easier to paint everything before I put it up.

Cut the MDF

Next, now that you know how many battens you need, you can cut the battens. I cut mine to 2″ wide (I left them 4′ tall). You can really cut them to whatever width you want. I wouldn’t go any skinnier than 2″, but wider battens would definitely look good too.

Install the battens

So now you have the studs marked on the wall, the MDF battens cut, painted (if you chose to do that ahead of time). It’s time to attach them to the wall – YAY. Go ahead and set up your nail gun and compressor.

Take 2 battens (one vertical and one horizontal). Line the vertical batten up with the first stud and put the horizontal batten above it, like a “T”. Use the nail gun to attach them both to the wall. You can use a level, at this point, to make sure the horizontal piece is level (preferably before you nail it in). Continue this process until you reach the end of the wall. It should look like the picture below, when finished.

Fill the holes

This part is pretty simple, but in order for this project to look finished, you need to fill the nail holes and sand them until they are even. It doesn’t take long, but it’s worth it.

Paint (if you haven’t already)

Time to paint! I chose Benjamin Moore “White Dove”, but you can choose whatever you’d like. A dark gray would look really pretty. Even a slate blue. Even though I chose white, I’d love to try one of those someday. You know, along with all of my other project. We shall see.

Add trim

I haven’t gotten to this step yet, but I’d like to someday. It’s definitely optional, but it just adds a little more character and interest. Another option is to take a 1×2 board and attach it to the top of the vertical batten, like a little shelf.

This is a relatively quick and easy project that adds so much to any space.