Board and batten calculator
How many battens your wall needs, the exact even gap between them, where to mark each one, and how many boards to buy.
Your wall takes
7 battens
- Gap between battens
- 15 15/16 in (15.92 in.)
- On center
- 19 7/16 in
- Vertical pieces
- 7 pieces × 92 1/2 in
- Horizontal
- 1 row × 120 in
- Total length
- 64.0 linear ft
- Boards to buy
- 9 × 8 ft
- Estimated cost
- The wall is narrower than two battens, so there's no room for a batten at each end.
Mark the left edge of each batten from the left end of the wall at: 0, 19 7/16, 38 13/16, 58 1/4, 77 11/16, 97 1/16, 116 1/2 in.
Boards are counted by cutting as many pieces as fit from each one. Buy a spare for bad cuts.
How to calculate board and batten spacing
Pick the widest gap you'd like, and the calculator finds the fewest battens that keep every gap at or under it, then spreads them so all the gaps are equal. With a batten at each end, n battens leave n − 1 gaps.
- Battens = (wall width − batten width) ÷ (gap + batten width), rounded up, plus 1
- Exact gap = (wall width − battens × batten width) ÷ (battens − 1)
- On center = gap + batten width. Mark each batten's left edge that far from the last.
- With horizontal rows, the height splits into equal boxes: each vertical piece is (height − rows × batten width) ÷ rows.
Worked example
A 10 ft (120 in.) wall with 3 1/2 in wide 1x4 battens and gaps no wider than 16 in.: (120 − 3.5) ÷ (16 + 3.5) = 5.97, rounded up is 6, plus 1 = 7 battens. The gaps are (120 − 7 × 3.5) ÷ 6 = 15 15/16 in, so the battens are 19 7/16 in on center. On an 8 ft wall with a top rail, each one is cut to 92 1/2 in.
Battens for common wall widths
Battens needed, with the exact gap in inches in brackets, for 3 1/2 in wide 1x4 battens and a batten at each end of the wall.
| Wall | Gaps up to 12 in. | Up to 16 in. | Up to 20 in. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft | 6 (10 3/16) | 5 (13 5/8) | 4 (19 5/16) |
| 8 ft | 7 (11 15/16) | 6 (15) | 5 (19 5/8) |
| 10 ft | 9 (11 1/16) | 7 (15 15/16) | 6 (19 13/16) |
| 12 ft | 11 (10 9/16) | 9 (14 1/16) | 7 (19 15/16) |
| 14 ft | 12 (11 7/16) | 10 (14 3/4) | 8 (20) |
| 16 ft | 14 (11) | 11 (15 3/8) | 10 (17 7/16) |
Batten board sizes
Boards are sold by nominal size and are narrower than their name. Use the actual width in the calculator.
| Board | Actual width | Actual thickness |
|---|---|---|
| 1x2 | 1 1/2 in | 3/4 in |
| 1x3 | 2 1/2 in | 3/4 in |
| 1x4 | 3 1/2 in | 3/4 in |
| 1x6 | 5 1/2 in | 3/4 in |
Typical dry sizes under the American Softwood Lumber Standard (PS 20). Primed MDF and PVC trim boards are usually sold at the same widths; check the label.
Board and batten questions
How far apart should board and batten be?
There's no rule, so choose the look you like and let the calculator make the gaps equal. Narrow gaps look busier and take more boards: on a 10 ft wall with 1x4s, gaps up to 12 in. take 9 battens, and gaps up to 20 in. take 6. Lining the battens up with studs is handy for nailing but not required.
How many battens do I need for a 10 ft wall?
With 1x4 battens and gaps no wider than 16 in., 7 battens with 15 15/16 in gaps, plus a top rail. The table above covers other widths, and the calculator handles any wall in feet and inches.
What size boards are used for board and batten?
Most interior walls use 1x3 (2 1/2 in wide) or 1x4 (3 1/2 in) boards, in pine, primed MDF or PVC for bathrooms. Wider battens suit larger walls and taller ceilings. Measure your boards and enter the actual width; lumber is sold by its nominal size. For pricing a lumber list by the board foot, use the board foot calculator.
How do I attach the battens?
Construction adhesive on the back and brad or finish nails through into the wall, angled in opposite directions where you miss a stud. Mark the left edge of each batten from the list under the results, check plumb with a level, and use a spacer block cut to the gap to keep them even. Caulk the seams and fill the nail holes before painting.
How tall should a board and batten half wall be?
There's no set height; many people line the top rail up with something already on the wall, like a window sill or light switch plate, or split the wall by eye. Enter the height you choose as the batten height, and the calculator sizes the pieces under the rail.
Does this work for board and batten siding?
The spacing math is the same for exterior battens over panels, but siding is bought by the square, with trim and wrap. Use the siding calculator for the siding itself and this page to lay out the battens.