How to Make a Board and Batten Wall Accent

• Start off by measuring and cutting your horizontal boards. In the project, we had to cut three boards, as there were two windows on the wall the board and batten was being applied to.
• At this stage, you can also determine how tall your accent wall will be. In this project, the accent wall is 4 feet tall measured from the baseboard.

• Using a miter saw, cut all horizontal and vertical trim boards. The vertical boards will be cut to the height determined in the prior step.
• Try to utilize the board fully -  an 8-foot long board can be cut in half to achieve two 4-foot panels. You may have to cut a few smaller boards to place under the window.

• Apply the horizontal trim boards first, piece by piece. Using an industrial strength glue, glue the back of the trim board and place on the wall.
• Use a level to ensure it is straight.

• While holding the horizontal board in place, use a nail gun to attach it to the wall.
• Place a nail every 10 inches or so on the top and bottom of the board to ensure it is fixed to the wall properly while the glue has time to dry.
• Repeat the steps with the vertical trim batten boards. Remember to keep the spacing between trim batten boards the same.
• Start from the exact middle of the wall and place a vertical batten board. Pick your spacing size (in this project, the spacing is 10 inches) and place your next boards to the left and right of the middle board.
• Work your way out from the middle until all vertical panels are attached to the wall.

Once all the boards are secured on the wall, caulk all the edges. 

• Start at one end and work in a continuous direction. Apply pressure to the trigger or tube and fill the gap between the wall and trim with an even bead of caulk.
• Then, drag a finger along the edge to seal the joint. This smooths the line and gives it a clean look.
• Do this anywhere the panel meets the wall and anywhere the panels touch each other (such as the joint where the vertical and horizontal panels connect).

Tip: Fill the nail holes with excess caulk or spackle.

• Using painter's tape, tape off the edges where you will be applying paint and lay down a drop cloth.
• Using your paint of choice, apply two coats using both the paintbrush and roller.

Tip: Behr interior paint and primer in the color Conifer Green (eggshell finish) was the color chosen for this particular wall.

Remove the tape and allow everything to dry overnight. Enjoy your new accent wall!