How to Install Board and Batten
How to install board and batten on the walls in a small bathroom.
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Here is the before photo of the bathroom.
Here is the after.
How to Install Board and Batten on a Wall
supplies needed:
- 3 1/2″ wide Pre-Primed Mdf or Wood boards(vertical)
- 5 1/2″ wide Pre-Primed Mdf or Wood boards (horizontal)
- Table or Mitre Saw
- Liquid Nails
- Tape Measure
- Bubble Level
- Pencil
- Sandpaper
- 12″ Ruler
I removed the bottom trim from the window so the boards would look better against the window. It was an extra step, but I feel it was worth it. It now has a much cleaner look. I also removed the existing wimpy baseboards as I wanted beefier looking ones. I used 5 1/2″ Mdf boards as my new baseboards.
I painted the top section of the wall first, this makes it much easier than to have to tape everything off once the board and batten is up.
I measured and cut all the boards before I attached them to the walls. All of the vertical boards were cut to the same length except for the ones that were under the window, one above the toilet, and two by counter.
- The vertical boards are 3 1/2″ wide
- The horizontal ones are 5 1/2″ wide
To space the boards evenly around the wall, I used a 12″ ruler as my spacer.
Most of the cuts were straight across, I did have to make a few angled cuts on the baseboard and top boards in the corners.
Once I was sure everything was cut correctly, I used Liquid Nails to attach the boards to the wall. I used a bubble level to make sure I was attaching them straight and even.
Had a few obstacles to work around – the toilet tank and the AC vent.
I was lucky that my 12″ spacing worked perfectly on this wall – no obstacles.
How To Make a Small Window Look Bigger
This is the window before – pretty small. I wanted to give it more impact so I added molding to the top.
I cut a piece of very smooth plywood the width of the window x the height between the window and the ceiling. It is the same thickness as the existing window trim. I used Liquid Nails to attach it to the wall.
I also did this between my family room and kitchen to break up a long wall they share. You can read about that in this post:
I added crown molding to the top of the plywood and a piece of screen molding to hide the joint between the board and the existing window trim.
Now it just needs to be painted.