AREA: 0 ft2
VOLUME: 0 yd3
WEIGHT: 0 t
COST: $0
The first step is to measure the width of each wall in inches using a tape measure. If you have measurements in feet, then convert them to inches.
Now you’ll want to plan your preferred or ideal spacing between each batten on the wall. This is likely not going to be the final, precise spacing, but it will give you a target to shoot for.
The most common spacing is 10 to 12 inches apart, but you can space the battens as close or far apart as you like.
Now that you have an idea of how far apart you’d like the battens, it’s time to figure out what will work with your wall and material choices. The easiest way to do this is to determine the width of the battens and the preferred space between them and figure out how many will fit on the wall.
Start by adding the width of one batten to the preferred space between them to get the width of the batten and the adjacent space.
Then, subtract the width of one batten from the width of the wall. This is necessary to account for the first batten on the wall.
Next, divide the remaining wall width by the overall board and batten width to get an idea of how many battens and spaces you’ll need.
If the result is an even whole number, then you’re done, the spacing you chose will work perfectly! But, if the result has a decimal portion, then there are a few more things to do to find a spacing that will not leave a larger or smaller gap on the end.
To do this, round the result to the nearest whole number to find the total number of spaces on the wall.
Then, divide the remaining width by the total number of spaces on the wall to find the width of the space and adjacent batten.
Finally, subtract the width of the batten from this to find the precise width of the space.
Of course, the layout calculator above takes care of all of this to quickly find the perfect spacing and save considerable time.