The Best Fluffy Pancakes recipe you will fall in love with. Full of tips and tricks to help you make the best pancakes.
Board and Batten Calculator
Work out the perfect batten spacing, board count and cost for any accent wall in seconds, with a wall diagram that shows your exact layout before you cut a single board.
Plan Your Board and Batten Wall
Type your wall size, pick your batten width and wall style, and get the full cut list.
Classic pickFewer spaces, wider gaps, lower cost
Detailed pickMore spaces, a richer grid, higher cost
Was this helpful?
How It Works
Step 1: Measure your wallMeasure the wall width and the ceiling height in feet, baseboard to ceiling.
Step 2: Pick your styleChoose full height for a dramatic wall, wainscot at two thirds height for a classic look, or a half wall for halls and entries.
Step 3: Cut with the listUse the spacing and cut list to mark your wall, cut your boards, and fix them in place with nails and adhesive.
Formula Used in This Calculator
This calculator uses the standard board and batten layout math:
Battens needed = Number of spaces + 1 Total batten width = Battens needed x Batten width Space width = (Wall width - Total batten width) / Number of spaces Center to center spacing = Space width + Batten width Boards to buy = Vertical batten boards + Horizontal rail boards (8 ft stock) Wainscot height is 2/3 of the wall height and half wall height is 1/2 of the wall height. Buy one extra board on top of the count to cover cuts and mistakes.Related Tools
Paint CalculatorWork out the exact gallons of paint your board and batten wall needs, coat by coat. Room Size CalculatorWork out the exact square feet of any room, plus the flooring amount to buy. Kitchen Backsplash Tile CalculatorCount the tiles your backsplash needs, with the right extra for cuts and waste.
Batten Spacing Chart (3.5 in Battens)
| Wall width | Spaces | Battens | Gap between battens |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 ft | 5 | 6 | 15.0 in |
| 10 ft | 6 | 7 | 15.9 in |
| 12 ft | 7 | 8 | 16.6 in |
| 14 ft | 8 | 9 | 17.1 in |
| 16 ft | 9 | 10 | 17.4 in |
3 Board and Batten Rules That Always Work
- Aim for 16 to 24 inches: a gap in this range looks balanced on almost every wall, from a small entry to a long living room.
- End battens hug the corners: the first and last batten sit at the wall edges, so the pattern reads as one clean grid with no odd gaps.
- Buy one extra board: a spare board covers a bad cut on the day and costs far less than a second trip to the store.
Related Guides You Will Love
Board and Batten Calculator FAQs
How far apart should board and batten be?Most walls look best with a 16 to 24 inch gap between battens. Small walls sit at the tight end of that range and long walls at the wide end, and the calculator picks a balanced count for your wall size.
What size boards do I need for board and batten?The 1×4 board at 3.5 inches wide is the most popular batten. Use 1×3 boards (2.5 inches) for a finer grid on small walls and 1×6 boards (5.5 inches) for a bold look on tall walls. Pine and MDF are the two common picks.
How tall should board and batten be?Full height gives the most dramatic look and suits living rooms and bedrooms. Wainscot at two thirds of the wall height is the classic dining room choice, and a half wall works well in halls, entries and bathrooms.
How much does a board and batten wall cost?A 12 ft full height wall needs about 10 boards in total. At $12 per board that is about $120 in boards, plus paint, caulk and nails. Shorter wainscot walls use shorter cuts and often cost less.
What Our Readers Say
★★★★★
The spacing math was the part I dreaded. This gave me the gap to the nearest fraction and my living room wall came out perfectly even.
Hannah S., Columbus
★★★★★
Bought exactly the boards on the list, plus the one extra it told me to get. That spare saved the day when I cut one batten short.
Marcus L., Dallas
★★★★★
The wall diagram sold it for me. I could show my husband the exact layout before we spent a single dollar at the store.
Priya N., Seattle
★★★★★
Did the wainscot height for our dining room in one weekend. The cost line was spot on, $96 against my $100 budget.
Tom B., Richmond
★★★★★
Half wall in our entry with five spaces. Guests keep asking who our contractor was. It was this page and a free Saturday.
Elena R., San Diego
★★★★★
First DIY wall I have ever tried. The cut list made it feel like a paint by numbers kit, in a good way.
Jordan K., Minneapolis
Still Not Sure? Ask Us
Send us your wall size and a photo of your wall, and we will help you plan the spacing for free.
Contact Us
