Stunning DIY Board and Batten Wall Ideas

What’s the difference between wainscoting and board and batten? Wainscoting is typically installed on the lower ⅓ of a wall, whereas board and batten paneling can be installed at a variety of heights and is sometimes even installed the full height of the wall. Board and batten is also used on exterior walls and the siding of houses; wainscoting is an interior application only.

Board and Batten: Everything You Need to Know

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Board and batten, or board-and-batten siding, describes a type of exterior siding or interior paneling that has alternating wide boards and narrow wooden strips, called “battens.” The boards are usually (but not always) one foot wide. The boards may be placed horizontally or vertically. The battens are usually (but not always) about 1/2-inch wide.

What Is Board and Batten?

Board and batten is a siding and paneling style that uses narrow strips of wood placed over the joints of wide boards for a geometric, layered effect.

Historically and traditionally, a wooden batten would be placed over a seam between the wide boards, creating a stronger and more energy-efficient siding. Because it was inexpensive and easy to assemble, board and batten was used for structures such as barns and garden sheds. Board-and-batten siding is sometimes called barn siding because many barns in North America are constructed this way. Even today, this type of siding on a house exudes a comfortable informality. Board-and-batten shutters, which use the batten as a horizontal brace, are also considered less formal and more provincial than louvered shutters. Because it’s how the batten is used with the board that is important, they don’t have to be made of wood.

Reverse board and batten have very narrow boards with wide battens installed over the seams. Like horizontal siding, the size variations will have a dramatic effect on how natural light creates shadows on the siding.

Use in Architecture

Board-and-batten siding is often found in informal architectural styles, such as country homes and churches. It was popular during the Victorian era as a pragmatic method of adding architectural detail to Carpenter Gothic structures. Today you can find board-and-batten siding combined with brick or stone exteriors and also combined with more traditional horizontal siding.

Two contemporary uses can be found on opposite shores of the U.S. In the planned community of Celebration, Florida, established by the Disney Company in 1994, the siding is used in one of their house plans, a Neo-folk Victorian. Celebration was designed to express an ideal community of American architecture, and the “homey” look of this structure fulfills the vision—in spite of what actual building materials may be used.

The second example of the contemporary use of board-and-batten siding can be found in northern California. Architect Cathy Schwabe used the vertical siding on a readers’ retreat cottage, and the result is a much larger-looking house than it actually is.

Fun Fact

The board and batten look has become very popular for interior uses and other applications, as well. The look has been applied to ceilings, wainscoting, accent walls, and even privacy fences and furniture. Once considered simply an inexpensive method of cladding a structure, board and batten has become a go-to design style to create distinctive appearances.

Board and Batten Materials

Board and batten are sold by a number of distributors in an assortment of widths and in a variety of materials—wood, composite, aluminum, vinyl, steel, insulated, or not. Remember that board and batten is not a construction material, and often the materials used will affect the overall final appearance. Wood choices can include cedar, pine, oak, and redwood. Vinyl is more affordable and will have lower maintenance than wood as it doesn’t need to be painted or stained.

Board and Batten Architectural Styles

Beware of inappropriately using board and batten as siding on an architectural style that historically would never have used it; this informal siding can easily make a historic old house look weird and out-of-place. Also, remember that boards and battens become siding because of how they are used. Today you can buy board and batten siding and even products like shutters.

Common home designs that use this siding include both farmhouse and country-style homes, as the lines and look of the siding are similar to the appearance of barn siding. Other style homes are picking up on the trend since board and batten is so versatile and can be laid both horizontally and vertically. You will also see this type of siding showing up on the outside of both modern and traditional styles of homes.

Board and Batten Cost

The cost of board and batten will vary depending on the type of material you choose. It can run anywhere from $2 to $12 per each siding piece, costing as much as $15,000 for materials for a 1,500-square-foot house. Take the time to scout around, know what your budget is, and choose a board and batten siding that you like and can afford.

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Stunning DIY Board and Batten Wall Ideas

It is easier and more affordable than you think to DIY board and batten walls! Whether you want a classic look or a modern twist, these board and batten wall ideas and tutorials will help you add interest and dimension to any space. When we were planning to install a board and batten accent wall in our upstairs hallway I realized there are so many different ways to create a board and batten effect and tons of different design ideas. I scoured the internet during the planning stages and found so many amazing DIY options out there. I’m sharing the best board and batten wall ideas out there in this post!

My Favorite Board and Batten Wall Ideas

There are so many cool and clever ideas and tutorials out there. Check out these amazing wall treatments and get inspired to create your own board and batten wall! Our DIY board and batten accent wall was surprisingly easy and affordable! We came up with a method that would allow our battens to sit flush with our existing baseboards and it worked perfectly. If you want to install board and batten without having to remove or replace your existing baseboards, this is the tutorial for you. You can watch an overview of our project below.

Fast and Easy Board and Batten Wall by Houseful of Handmade. I love this nontraditional board and batten by Kati in her bathroom. The unique spacing and proportions give it a modern look.

How To DIY (Pink) Board and Batten by Yellow Brick Home. This board and batten has detailed trim molding and looks so pretty in blush pink– Perfect for a relaxing bathroom sanctuary.

Board and Batten Staircase Accent by Thrifty Decor Chick. Sarah created this awesome staircase wall with only $15 in trim. With the addition of boards and frame ledges, she created a budget-friendly showstopper.

Board and Batten Tutorial by Sincerely Sarah D. What an awesome upgrade to a kids’ room with MDF board and batten and wallpaper! This combo is a great tailored look for a sophisticated room.

DIY Board and Batten Wall by Angela Rose Home. This DIY’er created a grid for her board and batten bedroom walls. The wide-spaced boxes in the dark moody teal create a calming sanctuary.

DIY Diamond Paneled Wall by Handmade Haven. Her tutorial explains how to use each cut trim piece to create a diamond pattern accent wall. She connects them with brad nails and liquid nails and finished it off with Behr paint in Butterscotch.

DIY a Hex Paneled Wall by Well I Guess This is Growing Up. The bright blue hexagon wall has such a cool modern look. This DIY took a lot to figure and they made a lot of mistakes along the way, but the good news is they tell you exactly what to do to recreate it successfully!

Modern Wood Accent Wall by Within the Grove. This modern wall with wood detail is so cool. She got her inspiration from a magazine cover and made it herself. It looks like it is straight out of an interior designer’s portfolio.

Builder Grade Wall Upgrade with Board and Batten by Lolly Jane. Dining rooms don’t have to be boring! This big splashy floral wallpaper is balanced perfectly with the light pink board and batten.

DIY Wood Trim Accent Wall by The Merry Thought. This boy’s room had a batten look that was made to feel like mountains with geometric flair. I love how interesting it is.

Board and Batten and Herringbone Wainscotting Combo by Southern Revivals. This combines two different board and batten wall ideas and makes for a very cool accent wall. Jamie uses two different colors to set her two different designs apart. I love the natural board diving the two.

DIY Boho Wood Wall by Hand Makes Home. This DIY project only took one day and $100! Such a beautiful board treatment and an inexpensive way to create a big impact!

Dark Board and Batten Square Wall by Nesting with Grace. I love the dark contrast wall of this simple board and batten with the white walls in the bedroom.

Board and Batten with a Stained Photo Ledge by Bright Green Door. This DIY was part of a much larger project. I love how clean and fresh this looks with the white board and batten and wallpaper!

Easy Board and Batten Wall by Home on Popular Creek. Extra tall board and batten is paired with a classic buffalo plaid wallpaper to complete the look of this sophisticated nursery!

Full Wall Board and Batten and Stamped Ceiling by House Mix. For her boys’ shared room, Kate created a full wall of board and batten and coordinated the color of it with the stars she stamped on the ceiling. It is so dreamy and fun!

Modern Board And Batten Accent Wall by Delineate Your Dwelling. Amy gave her bathroom an amazing modern update with dark teal board and batten and a fresh white above it. She added the perfect decor touches to complete her design.

DIY Board and Batten with a Shelf by Brepurposed Design. Bre switched it up by doing a white wood treatment on the bottom half of the wall and an olive green on the wall above it. I love the contrast and it makes for a very cool nursery.

Narrow Board and Batten on House Beautiful. This home has a board and batten treatment over the entire wall and it looks great in this mudroom space.

Faux Board and Batten by Anita Yokota. This accent wall has slats paired together to create a non-traditional board and batten, finished off with a fun teal green paint color. The treatment makes the ceilings look high which is an added bonus.

DIY Board and Batten in the Bathroom by The Turquoise Home. Since bathrooms don’t have a lot of furniture, adding board and batten is a great way to create visual interest on a blank wall. Laura DIY’ed this wall and added hooks later for towels!

Easy $30 Board and Batten by Remington Avenue. Classic board and batten is an easy DIY that makes this front room feel brighter and is the perfect backdrop for a piano. Not to mention that it was only $30 to create!

Aren’t these amazing ideas to create a beautiful accent wall in your home? You can easily do this in any room–just pick your inspiration or tutorial and choose your paint color and get started!

Frequently Asked Questions About Board and Batten

What is board and batten? Board and batten is a type of siding where stripes of wood molding (the “battens”) are placed over the seams of panel boards (the “boards”). Historically, this method was used on exterior walls, but the aesthetic has become popular in interiors because it adds so much depth and interest to interior walls. Most interior board and batten walls consist only of battens–the drywall or plaster on which the battens sit visually serve as the “boards.”

What’s the difference between wainscoting and board and batten? Wainscoting is typically installed on the lower ⅓ of a wall, whereas board and batten paneling can be installed at a variety of heights and is sometimes even installed the full height of the wall. Board and batten is also used on exterior walls and the siding of houses; wainscoting is an interior application only.

How far apart should board and batten be? This really comes down to personal choice. There is no firm “rule” for how far apart your battens should be placed. That said, wall studs are usually located every 16-inches to 24-inches, so many people often space their battens to match the spacing of their studs.

Does board and batten make a room look bigger? Board and batten can absolutely help trick the eye into making a space look taller, which also makes it look larger.

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