How to Paint and Caulk Board and Batten
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It is getting there – the bathroom that I am redoing by adding board and batten to the walls.
No more purple. What a huge difference! It is now tan and white – lots of beautiful white!
I applied one coat of Valspar Bistro White in semi-gloss to the board and batten and let it dry I then began to caulk, caulk, and I caulked some more.
When installing a board and batten treatment on walls – you are bound to find plenty of joint gaps after you add one coat of paint. Caulk is your best friend. It seals all the gaps. When you use Alex Plus Easy Caulk by Dap the process is even easier.
If you have ever pressed Kraft Easy Cheese on a cracker or two, then you will be a pro caulker with Alex Plus Easy Caulk.
It is my favorite caulk. I use it for everything! There is no waste or clumsy caulk gun needed.
This is not a sponsored post, only one of my favorite products that I want to share with you. I buy it at Walmart.
Take the cap off and cut the tip off and you are ready to go. When you are finished, just replace the cap to store it for use on a future project.
I applied it here.
Caulking Tip: Use an Ice Cube
Keep a bowl of ice cubes in water nearby when caulking.
Frequently dip your index finger in the water and run the tip of your finger over just applied caulk to smooth. You can also run an ice cube along the line of caulk to smooth into the joint or gap.
If bead board is on any of the walls and caulk gets into the grooves of bead board – wipe it away with the dry tip of a small pointy paint brush – the kind in a kid’s watercolor set.
To cover gaps, run a line of caulk down each board and smooth with an ice cube.
No more gaps. Let caulk dry and then paint.
I chose the color tan for the top section of the wall to match the fiberglass tub surround. Since I could not change the color – I embraced it and am making it part of the color scheme. I mixed a bunch of leftover paint to come up with the color, so it is one of a kind.
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Fabulous!!! It looks great and good tips too!
I knew about the water/ice cube trick but so glad you posted it. It sure is a handy tip! I’m curious as to what you’ll do with the floor. I sorta like it in a way…that is if it’s not cracked or ripped. If not, and on a tight budget, I’d just paint out the little dark colored diamonds and leave the rest! I’ve painted our entire kitchen and bathroom floor and it holds up very well…not to mention tons and tons cheaper than any other fix-it…until we win the same lottery you do :-) Can’t wait to see your finished bathroom! Great so far!
Thanks Connie-
The floor is as old as the house 18 years and still in very good shape – nice and shiny. The “in” colors back then were white and dark green with oak. My kitchen had the same colors. Fast forward to today – those little green squares are the last bit of decor left from that era in my house. I am going to just disguise the dark green squares with a paint technique I learned when I worked in display. I keep hoping to win the lottery someday.
It’s looks great! And I am amazed at the difference the caulking makes! Thanks for the tip on that. :-)
Ahh, you are a day or two ahead of me. Still installing the moulding today in my sons’ bathroom. Thank you so much letting us know about that caulk! That does look easy. Will have to pick some up tomorrow.
Hi Brittany-
The caulking takes some time, but boy does it make a difference in how the board and batten looks. My hand is a bit stiff today from all the painting and caulking I did yesterday. One nice thing about painting and caulking board and batten – it is low so you don’t have to be going up and down a ladder 100 times. Looking forward to seeing your sons bathroom.
That looks so great! and what a smart idea to make your color go with the surround!