This DIY Board and Batten Wall was such an easy and inexpensive way to add character and charm to our guest bathroom.
Hi, Friends! You may remember back in February when we completed a whirlwind DIY Guest Bathroom Remodel. At the time, we were moving so fast, that I didn’t have time to put together a post on one of my favorite parts of the bathroom: the DIY board and batten wall that we installed!
DIY Board and Batten Wall
Here is what the bathroom (and the wall) looked like before the bathroom overhaul. It was a tired space that was definitely in need of a facelift.
One of the decisions I made was to tear out the existing floor trim, and replace it with 1″ x 4″ Primed Trim Board
Tearing out the existing floor trim made installing our floor easier. It also gave us a great base for constructing a DIY board and batten wall. After the new floor trim was installed, I painted the wall “White Dove” my Benjamin Moore. It is the color of all of the trim, doors, and cabinets in my house.
We used the same 1″ x 4″ Primed Trim Board to construct our board and batten wall. We used liquid nails on the back of the board, and then used a cordless brad nailer to nail it to the wall. I just eyeballed the placement of the top horizontal piece, which is how I roll when it comes to DIYs…ha!
Most tutorials for a board and batten wall would encourage you to use a stud finder to locate the studs in your wall, and then nail your vertical boards directly into the studs. This is definitely a good idea, however in our case, the placement of the studs was less than ideal. My board and batten wall would not have looked centered if I were to use the studs to place the vertical boards.
To create a centered board and batten wall, we placed vertical 1″ x 4″ Primed Trim Board on each end of the board and batten wall first: One against the wall, and one against the shower. We used the same process of applying liquid nails, and then brad nailing the boards to the wall.
I wanted my board and batten wall to have three even partitioned spaces, so we measured (after failing at the eyeballing) in from each side to place the final two vertical 1″ x 4″ Primed Trim Boards. The same liquid nail, brad nail method was used to install them. Ideally, they would be nailed to studs, but I they definitely look and feel secure! We nailed a 1″ x 2″ primed board across the top to create a little ledge across the top. While, the ledge certainly isn’t necessary, I liked the way it made the whole project look finished. We brad nailed the ledge on it’s top, right into the board under it.
I was so busy trying to get this bathroom finished on time, that I’m afraid I didn’t get photos of the less glamorous part of caulking and painting. I caulked along each board where it met the wall, and then gave the whole thing two more coats of White Dove by Benjamin Moore.
We ended up placing the hooks right into the studs in the wall. I chose three beautiful chrome hooks to finish off the board and batten wall.
My wallpaper is the Tangier Moroccan Peel and Stick Removable Wallpaper from Spoonflower.
I hope you found this tutorial helpful. Like I mentioned in the post, I was so busy scrambling to get this room finished, so I didn’t get step by step photos of the board and batten wall being installed. It was a really easy project though!
shawnna Griffin says
hey girl- love the bathroom! so cool!
April Hoff says
Thank you, Shawnna! xo
Rebecca says
Where did you get the towel bin? I like it
April Hoff says
Thanks, Rebecca! It’s actually a little basket on a little stool. 🙂
Caitlin says
Hi! Do you mind sharing where you purchasers the vanity? I love it!
April Hoff says
It’s from Home Depot, and you can find the exact link on my home tour tab: https://www.housebyhoff.com/home-tour/ 🙂
Katie Walker says
This looks great! Thank you for the tutorial. For the paint, did you use latex or does it need to be oil/enamel based?
April Hoff says
Of course! Ours was latex…I’m not sure it really matters. 🙂 xo
Amanda says
Looks great! Just wondering, how his are the spaces between each 1×2? I like the look of yours and just trying to figure out measurements! Thank you!
Nicole says
Hi April. Love the wall! Looking to do the same in my bathroom. Trying to decide if I should do the board and batten behind the toilet and vanity. Did you just put the wallpaper everywhere but where your board and Batten is? Also, since you didn’t mail into the studs, you just nailed into the drywall and it felt secure enough? What is the purpose of using liquid nails and Brad nailer to secure instead of just a brad bailer? Thanks!
April Hoff says
Hi Nicole! You should always use the liquid nails just to make things extra secure. And, yes, it feels secure enough. ;). Also, yes, I put the wallpaper everywhere except but the board and batten wall area. xo
Jill says
Love this look and going to try it! I want to do my bottom a taupe and top white because my floor and vanity are white so need a color to make them pop. Can I paint A color over caulk? When I use that on the board/wall seam I’m worried it will affect the paint I plan on doing after.
April Hoff says
Make sure you grab “paintable” caulk, but yes you can paint over it! 🙂
Ashley says
Just to be sure, you used 1 x 4 on all the vertical and horizontal boards, but 1 x 2 as your ledge? The boards flat on the wall seem like 1 x 4s , but your instructions describe them as 1 x 2s? And same thing for the ledge.. love this and am going to do it in my bathroom, but I want to get the right supplies!
April Hoff says
You are absolutely right, I did have that mixed up! Geesh! Thanks for pointing it out, and I have it fixed. Good luck! xo
Becca says
Love this! I’m doing board and batten in a bathroom as well. I’m wondering how far apart your vertical boards are, just to get an idea. Thanks!
April Hoff says
Thanks, Becca! They are 17″ apart. 🙂
board and batten siding says
vaovv what a great work, amazing job!!!
Marie Danielson says
Love the bathroom! I’m thinking of using board and batten everywhere. Can you tell me where you got your wall paper? I love it’s simplicity.
April Hoff says
Thank you, Marie. It’s from Spoonflower, and it’s called Tangier Moroccan, and it’s the Peel and Stick kind. 🙂
Katy says
Was your wall textured at all under the wallpaper im worried about it pillows away in a bathroom
you
April Hoff says
No, it is not textured at all. 🙂
Anne says
Hi, can you tell me how tall is your board and battan? I want to do the same thing in my bathroom on one wall with the wallpaper on top.
Thank you