Interior Batten Board Installation

Batten board, which is also known as board-and-batten, is commonly installed as exterior siding. However, it can also be installed on walls inside your home. Generally made from wood, this type of siding is characterized by boards nailed on a wall vertically with batten pieces covering the spaces between the boards. Varying combinations of batten and board sizes can be used to achieve different looks. Interior batten board installation can give the room a textured look since the walks have a three-dimensional quality. Don't start the installation until you've painted or stained the boards and battens.

1-by-3-inch battens
1-by-10-inch boards
Hammer
Nails
Ladder
1 1/4-inch nails
1 3/4-inch nails

Instructions

- 1
  Lay the first 1-by-10 inch board against the wall vertically, starting in a corner.
- 2
  Secure the board with two 1 1/4-inch nails every 16 to 24 inches across the width of the board. You might need a ladder to reach the top. The boards can cover the full height of the wall or just half. You might need to have boards cut to fit the exact dimensions of the wall if you're trying to cover the entire surface from floor to ceiling.
  
  Once you reach a corner, you can have the board cut to fit, or use a batten, if it will fit.
- 3
  Measure a 1/4- to 1/2-inch gap between the boards as you secure the remaining boards on the interior wall. This gap is left for the battens to cover.
- 4
  Place the 1-by-3-inch battens over the gap so they're centered, and secure them with a single 1 3/4-inch nail every 12 inches down the length of the batten. The nails should be driven through the center of the batten.

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